It’s then that I notice the decorated archway set up a little way down the beach, almost at the edge of the water. I point it out to Ryder.
“What do you suppose that means?” he asks.
Everyone starts walking to the archway, taking seats in chairs that are lined up facing it, with a group on each side of what looks suspiciously like an aisle.
“Well, if I’m not mistaken, I’d say this is a surprise wedding, and we are getting married right now.” I can’t keep the grin from spreading across my face. Ryder’s look of confusion turns into a smile big enough to rival my own.
“Get your ass down here, Ryder.” Gran yells from beside the arch. “We don’t want to wait all night to start the party, do we? You took your sweet ass time getting here, and it’s already getting late.”
Ryder leans over and kisses me, smiling against my mouth, and asks, “Are you ready for this?”
“More than ready,” I say, kissing him right back. “Let’s get married.”
One more kiss and he’s on his way to his Gran.
Devon steps up beside me, offering his elbow. “May I have the honour of walking you down the aisle?” he asks, handing me a teardrop shaped bouquet of assorted black and white flowers. All I can do is nod. I don’t trust myself to speak without crying. Having a friend like Devon to walk me down the aisle takes away some of the sting of not having my parents here for me. My friends truly are the best family I could ever hope for, and they prove it to me more and more each day.
Music starts from somewhere off to the side and I notice that Connor, Travis, and Johnny have guitars out and they’re playing an instrumental piece that I’ve never heard before. A hauntingly beautiful piece that makes me float down the aisle until I step in front of Ryder and smile up at him.
“Friends, thank you for joining us this evening, to witness the marriage of Ryder and Denise.” It’s Gladys. Gladys is performing the ceremony. My mouth drops wide open and I couldn’t be more shocked if I tried. “Close your mouth, dear,” Gladys whispers to me with a wink. “He already knows it fits.”
Ryder snorts out a laugh, and I barely suppress a giggle. This should be an entertaining ceremony, if nothing else. I can’t think of a better way to marry the man who makes me happier than I’ve ever been than in a ceremony filled with love and laughs.
“Now then, since it appears our bride and groom havealreadybeen up to no good,” Gladys says while gesturing to Ryder’s open shirt and its missing buttons, “it’s probably best if we make this short and sweet so we can let them get back to it.”
The small crowd laughs and I can feel my face heat. Of course they all know we’re not virgins on our wedding day, but I don’t really need Ryder’s family knowing exactly what we were up to before we came here tonight.
“You look beautiful when you blush.” Ryder leans in and whispers in my ear. “I especially like it when you come and your whole body blushes.” He leans back and winks.
OK, that’s not fair, he’s fighting dirty now. He’s sporting a little smirk on his lips, knowing that he’s just sent a rush of heat through me. What a lovable ass, getting me all turned on when we can’t do anything about it. Two can play this game, though. I lick my lips slowly and drag my eyes down his body and back up again, settling on his face with the best ‘fuck me’ eyes I can muster. He swallows roughly and turns his back to the crowd, trying to subtly adjust his dick in his jeans.
“Oh, no you don’t. It’s too late now, Ryder,” Gladys says, loudly enough for everyone to hear. “You’ve had years to show me your dick. In front of your bride, during your wedding, is neither the time nor the place.”
“I… what? No, I wasn’t…” Ryder sputters and everyone laughs.
“It’s OK, baby,” I tell him between laughs of my own. “I’m sure lots of grooms get cold feet and try to show their junk to their grandmother’s best friend during the wedding ceremony.”
“OK, let’s move on now.” Gran says from her front-row seat. “I’ve got some dance moves I want to show Aiden after this.” She turns and wiggles her eyebrows at him where he’s standing as Ryder’s Best Man.
“Gee, Gran. I can’t wait,” he deadpans, to more laughs from the crowd.
Xena is standing beside me as Maid of Honour. “You know Gran,” she starts, and I see Devon shake his head the tiniest bit from where he sits next to Gran. “Devon can probably show you a thing or two if you’re interested.” She adds a wink and a little finger wave for Devon before laughing.
“You’re going to pay for that, Princess,” Devon says with a chuckle. “But first, let’s get this wedding over with. You have no idea how uncomfortable it is for me to have to sit on two of these stupid folding chairs.” I hadn’t even noticed, but Devon is spread across two chairs, one ass cheek on each seat. It must be tough being as big as he is sometimes, but seeing him sitting like that is hilarious.
“OK, so I was told that these two would have their own vows to say to each other.” Gladys attempts to get us back on track. “Aiden, the ring. Ryder, you’re up. Make some promises and make them good ones. The police gave me back my stun gun and I ain’t afraid to use it.” She pats the fanny pack she’s wearing over her silver tracksuit. This must be what constitutes formal wear at Peaceful Pines. Gran is wearing a gold tracksuit to match.
I pass my bouquet to Xena when Ryder takes my hands, pulling me from my thoughts of the elderly residents of Gran and Gladys’s retirement community. He rubs his thumbs across the backs of my hands for a moment and his tongue peeks out to flip his lip ring from side to side.
“Denise,” he starts. “No one warned me I would need to say vows tonight so I hope I don’t repeat too much from my brilliant proposal earlier this evening. Although, Deniseisthe only one who heard it, and she’ll be hearing variations of this for the rest of our lives so…” Our friends and family all laugh. “I never believed this day would come. I dreamed it might, but I’ve not exactly lived my life as the type of man who deserves a woman as amazing as you, so I never dared to hope it could actually happen. Thank you, for taking a chance on me, for loving me, and for trusting me to be your partner for life. I will do everything in my power to be the man you deserve. I promise to never stop loving you, never stop supporting you, never stop wanting you, and to never stop making you laugh. I love you, and my heart is yours, forever.”
His eyes are shiny, the tears pooling and dampening his lower lashes. But his smile is brighter than it’s ever been, and I can see how happy he is that we’re finally together. He shakes a little as he slides a matching black gold ring onto my finger with my engagement ring. My heart pounds in my chest, the excitement of the moment catching up to me.
“And now you, Denise,” Gladys says to me. “Your turn for promises. I like you too much to threaten you with my stun gun. Nevertheless, make sure they’re good ones, hey? Xena, pass her the ring.”
A chuckle ripples through the crowd, starting with me and Ryder. We’re making our vows under threat of electrocution by a geriatric officiant dressed in a silver tracksuit. This wedding is definitely one of a kind. I shake my head and huff a little laugh.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding heart, and I begin. “Ryder, I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time, even though I tried to deny it. Even when you were screwing everything up, and being impossible to deal with, I knew that I’d never find another man like you. You make me laugh, you keep me sane, and I can always be myself around you. You’re the home I want to come back to every single day, for the rest of my life. I promise to support you and help you succeed, to reign you in when you need it, and to tell everyone to shut up when they tell you to fuck off.” I give a warning glare at all of our friends and am met with a chorus of chuckles. “I also promise to trust you to take care of me when I need it, and to relinquishsomecontrol when it’s necessary.” Another laugh comes from the crowd. For some reason they think I’m a control freak. Jerks. “Ryder, my heart is yours, always. I love you.”
