Chapter Forty-Eight
AYDA
Iwatched the scenery of Texas and Babylon pass by the window of the car as the ladies with me chatted with excitement. I couldn’t stop smiling, and my cheeks ached from it. Janette and Autumn had organized the whole morning. A cleverly designed RV bus had been converted into a mobile spa, including full hair, makeup, and even massages. I was now waxed, buffed, and coiffed into perfection.
The plan was to drive to The Hut, where Deeks would be waiting for us outside the gates. The car would take the ladies in, and they would proceed down the aisle. Deeks would be giving me away in his own unique way.
This was a day I’d dreamed about in several different ways since I’d been a little girl. But marrying Drew was a dream I’d never been smart enough to conjure until I’d known I couldn’t survive without him. I couldn’t seem to find it in myself to be nervous. Every time I thought about walking down that aisle, all I could think about was finally becoming his wife in front of our friends and family, and for it to be recognized legally by the great state of Texas.
“You ready?” Janette asked, leaning into me. She and Autumn were on either side of me, my rocks, as always. Mytwo mother hens making sure every dream I’d ever had came true while making sure every part of the machine they’d put together ran smoothly.
“I am,” I admitted, moving my bouquet to the other hand and gripping hers. “I think it’s the only thing I’ve ever been this certain about.”
Tears welled in her eyes as she assessed me.
“No. None of that. You’ll just set me off,” I pleaded. “You can make me cry as much as you want after Drew’s seen the full effect.”
“Oh, look,” Sloane said quietly, her face practically pressed against the glass of the window. We all seemed to lean in at the same time as the limo slowed and pulled off onto the shoulder by the gates of The Hut.
There were flowers everywhere, and on either side of the gates sat logs in various heights, ranging tallest to shortest, blooming out from the gates to the street. Each log held two mason jars—one with flowers, and one with a candle flickering in the breeze. The open gates had beautiful wreaths made of waxy green leaves and romantic flowers.
“Wow.”
This hadn’t been something I’d arranged, and from the grin on Janette and Autumn’s faces, they’d not only known about it, they’d arranged it. The two had struck up quite the friendship since the real planning for the wedding had begun.
“You like it?” Autumn asked as the car stopped completely on the shoulder, just before the gates.
Like was an understatement. The whole thing was breathtaking, as were the emotions rising inside of me. It had been like this for the last week. The closer the wedding had come, the more the hormones had tangled with the excitement, leaving me to become a blubbering mess no one was quite sure how to handle. I think I’d scarred Tate and Rubin for life.
“It’s stunning.” I finally choked out, doing my best to blinkback the tears that were already rising.
“There are a few more surprises, but I promise, we stuck to your rules.”
If the surprises were all like this one, I was more than happy to concede everything to them in the future. The entrance to the yard looked civilized and graceful in a way I’d never seen it. It was welcoming, warm, and everything I could have hoped for.
I was still gawking when I finally noticed Deeks leaning against his bike, just to the side of the gates. The chrome of his bike was bright in the sunlight, and the paint was polished to utter perfection. Deeks looked handsome and regal, wearing a suit with his cut in place of a jacket.
“Dapper.”
“My God, the man cleans up good.” Autumn hummed wistfully, all the love she had for him evident in her tone. “But he only does it rarely, and only for the people he loves the most.”
“Y’all are determined to make me cry,” I accused, picking up the small train of the dress in my free hand and sucking down oxygen like it was going out of style.
“Then we’d better get you down that aisle and to the man at the other end of it.” Janette opened the door, her hand gently holding my forearm as I stepped out and into the warm summer air. “We love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you, too.”
I walked toward Deeks, who had pulled off his sunglasses and was now staring at me with wide, watery eyes. I swore I wasn’t going to make it down that aisle without mascara down my cheeks. I knew this was all out of the love these people had for me, but I was barely holding my shit together as it was, and Deeks’ reaction just made that lump in my throat grow as my smile returned in full force.
“How do I look?” I asked, spreading my arms and turningslowly. I lifted the bottom of the dress in my hands and twisted my foot at him, an ivory colored cowboy boot sitting there comfortably.
Deeks stepped forward as the limo started to pull into the yard. They were gone by the time Deeks stepped in front of me. Gripping my hands in his, he squeezed them tightly, his face lighting up with a smile I’d never seen there before. It was filled with love and pride, and an emotion I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
“You’re perfect, kid.” Lifting one hand, he twisted a finger into one of the loose curls falling around my shoulders, and let it spring free with a wistful shake of his head. “That boy ain’t gonna know what hit him.”
“Take me to him?” I asked, my voice trembling with barely contained emotions.
“It would be my distinct honor.”
