We said our goodbyes, and I collected my bodyguards from the table while saving their hearts from the diabetes all that sugar was sure to create. When I got to back inside the truck, I turned the engine over before I pulled my phone from the center console to text Drew. I needed the heat now that the afternoon was giving way to the colder night.
All set. They said yes but don’t make a habit of it!
I hit send and stayed where I was, waiting for the response.
It pinged through only a couple of minutes later.
Guess we’ll have to find somewhere else to host the wedding reception then.
Good girl
Thank you, darlin’ x
Wedding reception? I knew he was joking, but my stomach seemed to drop to where my toes were beginning to heat up from the warm air blowing from the trucks heating. I felt strange. Like someone had just turned me upside down and shaken me. I had to remind myself several times that he was joking before I gathered myself together to respond to him as nonchalantly as I could.
I couldn’t ask Rusty to work during our wedding reception ;)
And you’re very welcome - wasn’t as bad as I’d thought. They wanted to help.
It took longer for him to reply the second time, and I could imagine him glancing at his phone as he tried to multitask with organizing the men while flirting with me. Drew was good at most things, but fast typing on a small screen wasn’t in his particular skillset.
Shit. Forgot Rusty will probably be the one giving you away.
Or will it be Tate?
Maybe Deeks?
Don’t ask Harry. He’ll cough all over your nice dress.
What the fuck was happening? He was supposed to be the one freaking out right now. That I’d even responded to his joke about a wedding was designed to show him that I’d noticed what he’d said. It wasn’t to inspire him to continue or even make me think about that particular scenario. Who would give me away wasn’t something I should be worrying about. I still had to convince my brother to sell the lie that he was dating his ex again.
What the hell did I do now? Respond with the same nonchalance and make things weird or laugh it off or… I had a solution.
Not sure yet… Will have to decide when the time comes. :P
God, I hoped I’d at least scared him right back. This was going to be the longest wait yet, and this time both Deeks and Kenny were staring at me, but I was sure that was because I’dlost any color I’d possessed in my face.
His response came quickly.
Decide now.
I’m marrying your ass, Ayda Hanagan.
It’s only a matter of when. Not if.
I’m not a one hit kinda guy when it comes to you.
I dropped my phone in my lap and covered my face with my hands, not really sure that I’d read the response right. Was he serious? I could feel the odd conflicting tears welling in my eyes as the passenger side door was pulled open. When I looked up, I saw Deeks’ concerned stare, his eyes moving between my phone and me.
“What’s wrong, doll?”
I sniffled only once but looked up to scrutinize him for a long moment. I shuffled in my seat, tapped my teeth with the nail of my index finger. I drew in a breath to speak, released the air and then tried again.
“Deeks, hypothetically, if I got married, would it be weird if I asked you to give me away?”
There was a choking sound. Then a wheezing. Then the truck dipped as he used theoh shithandle to pull himself inside and close us in alone together. Kenny’s odd brows dipped for only a second before he pulled his phone out and occupied himself, leaving me to meet Deeks’ eyes.
“There something going on you ain’t told us about, kid?”
