Marriage, Mayhem & Happily Ever After Read online

  Jayla

  I’m startled awake by an elbow to the face. Gasping, I roll to my side and cup my nose. Fuck, that hurt. Blinking through the sleep haze, I grab my phone to check the time. It’s after midnight. Pushing up to a sitting position, I scowl down at Lexi’s sleeping form beside me and wonder how Evan hasn’t ended up with a broken nose or black eye yet.

  I scan the media room, blue light from the screen casting a glow around the room. My friends are sprawled out around the oversized sofa in their bridesmaid nightshirts. Except for Weenie. Alex picked her up a couple of hours ago.

  Keeping her word, Weenie showed up with champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. We had a good night, and by the end of it, I had a wedding party of seven to include Weenie, Lucas, Harper, Lexi, Cherry, Olivia, and Kali.

  Lucas took some convincing, but after a little begging, he finally caved.

  I check my phone. There are zero texts from Zach, and I wonder where he is. He never goes this long without calling or texting. I make my way down to my bedroom to find the bed empty, so I head down to the kitchen to find something to soak up the champagne.

  Grabbing a bowl of fruit and a bottled water from the refrigerator, I set them on the counter and hop onto a barstool. Warring with myself over whether or not to call Zach, I lift the lid and pop a piece of pineapple into my mouth.

  “Hey, stranger.”

  I jerk my head up to see Cam sauntering into the kitchen wearing a gray Tampa Bay Thunder T-shirt and navy basketball shorts.

  “Hey,” I reply as he circles the island to grab a water from the fridge before taking a seat on the barstool beside me.

  I push the bowl toward him. “Fruit?”

  “Sure.” He reaches into the bowl, plucks out a red grape, and pops it into his mouth. “I feel like things haven’t been right between us since California,” he says. “So much has happened since then. I’ve been on the road a lot, and there hasn’t been a good time for us to talk.”

  “I apologized for throwing my phone at you,” I defend with a smirk as I reach for my water.

  He chuckles. “I know, but I never got the chance to apologize to you. I’m embarrassed that you had to find out about your mom and me that way.”

  “Not that it makes a difference, but I was too upset over being attacked by the paparazzi to really see anything. Thank God.” I roll my eyes, and Cam laughs softly.

  Clearing his throat, he says, “I’m really sorry. It was a full-on shitshow. I didn’t know what to say or if I should say anything at all, so I just kept my mouth shut and let your mother handle it. It nearly broke my heart to hear you say that you were never speaking to me again. I don’t want you to ever feel like I’m trying to take your dad’s place. The love between your mom and dad isn’t something I ever want to erase. I love her, too, and I just want to make her happy. I’m still just Cam. Nothing has to change between me and you, and I hope we can go back to being friends again.”

  A dull ache spreads across my chest. Yeah, I was pissed at Cam that day, but truthfully, he’s such a great guy. He loves my mom, and I know he loves me, too. And he’s right, things have been crazy these past four months. Sure, we’ve talked, and he came back from spring training to see me in the hospital, but we’ve never had a chance to just sit down alone and clear the air.

  “We are friends. I’m sorry I said that.” I sigh. “I didn’t mean it. That whole day was pretty shitty.”

  “I know. And don’t be sorry. You had every right to be angry. I love your mom, but I don’t agree with her keeping secrets from you. Even if she thinks she’s protecting you. You’re an adult now, and she needs to start treating you like one.”

  “Thank you for having my back, my friend. And speaking of secrets….” I grin.

  Cam smirks. “She told you about Vegas, huh?”

  “Are you kidding?” I snort. “Of course not. Zach told me.”

  “It was a mistake,” he admits. “But at least Jules and I came out unscathed, and we’re still friends. Liam’s situation is a little different.”

  I frown, confused. “What do you mean?”

  He drops his head back with his eyes closed. “Fuck,” he murmurs.

  I jerk upright as my mouth falls open in shock. “Uncle Liam got married, too?”

  Cam lifts his head and meets my gaze. His throat bobs with a hard swallow. “I’m sorry.” He scratches at the scruff on his jaw. “He’s gonna fucking kill me for telling you. I just assumed if you knew about me and Jules, then you knew about Liam and Vanessa.”

  I really liked Vanessa. “I’d always wondered what happened to her. Every time I asked about her, all Uncle Liam would say was that things didn’t work out and she left.” A thought occurs to me. “Does Mimi know he eloped?”

  Cam huffs out a humorless laugh. “Yeah. She’s pretty pissed.” He bumps his shoulder against mine. “Are we good?”

  “We’re more than good, Cam. You make each other happy, and that’s all I want.”

  The garage door opens, followed by beeping as someone enters in the alarm code. A moment later, Zach strolls into the kitchen with Cole, Brad, and Evan.

  “Hey, babe,” he cheers as he rounds the island to greet me with a kiss.

  “I’ve missed you,” I say, wrapping my arms around Zach’s waist. He hisses. “What’s wrong?” I pull back to look up and see his grimace. “Are you hurt?” I ask, reaching for the hem of his T-shirt, but he grabs my hands.

  “I got a tattoo.” He grips the neck of his T-shirt and pulls it over his head. God, I love when he does that. He’s so hot. And there, under the clear dermal wrap that looks like a second skin, is a tattoo.

  “Oh my God, you didn’t!” I blurt out when I see ‘Property of Jaybird’ tattooed into the skin starting below his ribs and curling over his hip bone, with what looks like small birds trailing up his rib cage.

  Except they’re not exactly birds.

  Leaning in to get a closer look, I see they’re little treble clefs with wings. “I love it, Z. It’s perfect.” Wrapping my arms around his neck, I press my lips to his.

  “What’d you get, Evan?” Lexi asks, and I turn to see my friends all standing at the threshold of the kitchen.

  Out of all the guys, Evan is the only one who already had tattoos, colorful sleeves decorating his arms. Evan lifts his shirt and points to the ‘Lexi’ tattoo over his heart.

  “Aw, Evan, you’re so sweet,” Lexi gushes.

  Cole scoffs and rolls his eyes.

  “Did you get one, too?” Harper asks Cole.

  Cole answers with a smirk and lifts his arm. On his bicep are the words ‘Even our biggest mistakes turn out to be the most beautiful blessings.’ Cole turns to me. “Your dad said those exact words to me the day he and your mom came to meet Willow for the first time. Those words will stick with me forever.”

  I smile, but I can’t help the tears that begin rolling down my cheeks.

  “Hey.” Cole walks over to me and wraps me in a hug. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  Shaking my head, I pull from his arms and wipe away the tears with the back of my hand. “It’s okay.” I breathe out a small laugh.

  Zach curls his arm around my waist and kisses me on the temple. “Brad, show Cherry your tattoo,” he urges with a chuckle.

  Cherry’s eyes bug out. “You got one, too?” she asks incredulously.

  “Sure did.” He unzips his jeans and pulls the left side open to reveal two cherries on a stem.

  We all burst out laughing.

  “They’re the same size as your man cherries,” Cole teases.

  Brad playfully punches Cole in the arm. “It’s the size of the stem that counts,” he quips, wiggling his eyebrows at Cherry. “Right, babe?”

  Cherry smirks. “Definitely.”

  Jayla

  Anna Sizemore is a twentysomething, up-and-coming clothing designer I’d met a few years ago and one of the few people Weenie actually likes. Anna and I hit it off instantly, and shortly after our meetin
g, she reached out to my mom, claiming I was perfect for her upcoming clothing campaign.

  My mom was a little apprehensive, considering my dad’s health was deteriorating and it was probably the worst time to give up my anonymity. The paparazzi would be relentless. But Anna reassured us all that, for what she had in mind, I would still get to keep my anonymity.

  For over a year now, Anna has styled me for many occasions, including my debut on the red carpet at the Grammys. She told me that ever since I dropped her name on national television, the demand for her clothes has been overwhelming, and she has a waiting list a year out. So the fact that she dropped everything and flew to Heritage Bay just days after hearing about my wedding makes me feel pretty damn special. Anna claims that she’d been designing the dress for next year’s spring line, but she’d hoped I would be the one to model it.

  I step out from behind the makeshift partition we’d set up in my closet and move to stand in front of the three-way mirror. Gasps echo from behind me, drowning out the sound of my own. The blush-colored strapless gown is layered with tattered silk and tulle. It’s chic but edgy. It’s freaking beautiful. I don’t think there’s a wedding dress more perfect for me.

  And then reality slams into me so hard that I almost fall to my knees. The need to cry knots at the base of my throat.

  “It’s perfect,” Elizabeth says from behind me.

  “Agreed,” Weenie adds.

  My gaze flicks to the girls to see them all nodding in agreement, but my mom is silent.

  I turn away from the mirror and smile at her, my chest tightening with anxiety and heartbreak. “Really?” I choke over the knot in my throat.

  “Really.” She nods before flicking her teary gaze to Anna and saying, “Thank you.”

  And I wonder if she feels it, too.

  “Can you guys give us a minute?” I jerk my head toward my mom.

  “Of course,” Anna says.

  The girls file out of the room, and the door clicks shut behind them. Inhaling a deep breath through my nose, I gather the dress in one hand and move over to the little coffee table in front of the sofa, sitting facing my mom.

  Curling my hands around hers, I give her a shaky smile as the knot in my throat unravels and tears fill my eyes. “I’m feeling really emotional right now,” I say on a shaky breath, “and I don’t want to cry all over this beautiful dress.” I grab a tissue from the box beside me and press it to my eyes as I admit, “I just realized something.”

  “What?”

  “I think, subconsciously, one of the reasons I eloped with Zach was because I didn’t want to face my wedding day.”

  Her brows pinch in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

  “It didn’t hit me until now that I was avoiding a wedding because Dad isn’t here to be a part of it.” I cover my face and cry into my hands. “It’s supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life, but it won’t be because he’s not here to give me away.”

  “Oh, Jay,” she cries, grabbing my hands and pulling me into her lap, wrapping her arms around my waist.

  I cry into her shoulder as another thought occurs to me. “Is there a letter?”

  Her body tenses under mine. “Yes,” she whispers. “It’s the last one.”

  Pulling back to look at her, I ask through a shuddered breath, “But why?”

  Her chest rises as she inhales deeply through her nose and slowly exhales. “Jayla, he may not be here to walk you down the aisle, but your father was always going to be the one to give you away.”

  I snort a soft laugh. Isn’t that the truth. Marcus King would never allow anyone to have me without his blessing. Even if it’s through a letter.

  “I’m going to ask B to walk me down the aisle,” I tell her.

  She grins. “I’m gonna need to get that on video.”

  The next morning, Zach and I are in the kitchen having breakfast when Bass walks in wearing his signature shades. He’s dressed casually in cargo shorts and a Project Mayhem T-shirt. He’s like a giant walking billboard. I love that he’s representing.

  “B, where have you been? I feel like I haven’t seen you in years.”

  Bass chuckles as he pours himself a cup of coffee. “You can’t get rid of me that easily, princess.”

  I frown. “B, I never want to get rid of you. In fact, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something.”

  He moves to stand across from me at the counter. “What’s up?”

  “Well.” I prop my elbows on the counter and tuck my fists under my chin. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to be formal about this, but I was wondering if you’d give me away.”

  Bass’s playful expression turns to stone. “You want me to give you away?”

  “Yes.”

  He shakes his head, and a sharp pain shoots through my chest. “What? You don’t want to walk me down the aisle?”

  “I would be honored to walk you down the aisle. But I’ll never give you away, princess. If I give you away, I’ll have to let you go, and I can’t do that.” He looks over at Zach and shrugs. “Sorry, Romeo. She’s your wife, but she’s still my princess.”

  Zach bursts out laughing, and I roll my eyes. Balling up my napkin, I toss it at him. “Semantics, B. Jeez. You scared me for a second.”

  Rounding the bar, Bass comes to my side and pulls me into a hug. “I will always be here for you, princess, and I’m truly honored you asked me to walk you down the aisle. But I think you should also ask your godfather, too. I think it would mean a lot to him.”

  Sagging against his chest, I exhale a sigh. “Crap. You’re right. I’m a horrible goddaughter.”

  A laugh rumbles from his chest. “You’ve still got time. Give him a call.”

  “You sure didn’t waste any time, little girl.” Drew laughs on the other end of the phone. “You’re impulsive just like your father.”

  “Only when it comes to my heart,” I quip.

  “As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters. And I’d be honored to stand up for you on Marcus’s behalf.”

  Closing my eyes, I suck in a deep breath. “I’d appreciate that, Uncle Drew.”

  “Listen, sweetheart.” He clears his throat. “I know I haven’t been around much. With Lucas being on tour and prepping for the Mayhem tour, things have been a little crazy. But I’m always just a phone call away.”

  “Not for long,” I singsong.

  “True.” He chuckles. “I’ll see you in a few weeks. I love you, baby girl.”

  “Love you, too. Bye, Uncle Drew.”

  Zach

  Between all this wedding planning, I carve out an hour for myself to work out in our home gym. Mid sit-up, I catch Bass’s reflection in the mirror, standing in the doorway. “If you’re here to kill me, let me remind you that we’re already married, so you’d be making your princess a widow.”

  Bass throws his head back and laughs. “Romeo, despite my love and loyalty to this family, I’m actually on your side. If I wasn’t, I would’ve killed you a long time ago.”

  He moves into the room slowly, like a panther on the prowl. I eye him skeptically as he pulls an envelope from his back pocket before taking a seat on the weight bench.

  Clearing his throat, he says, “I have something for you.”

  Turning from the mirror, I drape my arms over my knees. “What is it?”

  He extends the envelope out to me. “It’s from Marcus.”

  Jerking upright, I reach for the envelope and open it.

  To the man who my daughter deems worthy enough to marry. And if you’re still in one piece, it means that Bass approves.

  If Zach is reading this letter, then this goes to show how well I know my little girl and that she followed her heart.

  I’m sorry we never got to meet in person, but I’ve seen you, you know? I had to see the boy who had my daughter writing love songs since she was six years old. I went to one of your football games once, and I’ll admit you’re a talented young man with a promising future.
/>   Today you need to be thanking God for giving you this unique and precious gift. I’ve done my job, as her father, to prepare her for life’s ups and downs. Now it’s your job, as her husband, to stand beside her and face those ups and downs as a couple. A team. A united front.

  Promise to love her. Respect her. And to worship her every day. Make every single day count. Because every single day—every single second of the day—is precious time.

  Take care of our girl, Zach.

  Marcus King

  With the top of my hand, I wipe away the tears and suck in a deep breath. “What if it hadn’t been me?”

  Bass shakes his head slowly. “It was always you, Romeo.”

  Jayla

  Bacon and the smell of fresh brewed coffee wafts through the air as I make my way downstairs and into the kitchen.

  “Good morning,” my mom chirps as she sips on a glass of orange juice.

  “Morning,” I reply. I grab a mug from the cabinet and pour myself a cup of coffee.

  “Where’s Olivia?” she asks.

  Olivia will be staying with me indefinitely. Zach moved his stuff out of Harper’s old room and into my closet, and Olivia moved in.

  Turning to face my mom, I lean back against the counter. “She’s still in bed. She’s wasn’t feeling good.”

  Her gaze shifts to the side. “She’s probably depressed. Make sure you check on her, and don’t let her sleep all day.”

  I tilt my head and give her a look. Like I did when my dad died. I’d like to think Olivia wouldn’t neglect herself the way I had then. But as I said before, heartbreak and grief go hand in hand. Grief is silent and crippling. It can pull us under, and before we know it, we’re drowning. In my case, I was too weak. I didn’t have the strength to fight my way back to the surface. I’d basically given in. And given up.

  I shudder at the thought. “I’ll keep an eye on her,” I tell her, but judging by the pensive look on her face, there’s something else on her mind. “What is it?”