Marriage, Mayhem & Happily Ever After Read online

  My bridal party is gathered just inside the door when we walk in.

  “JJ,” Willow squeals as she and Zoe run toward me. They look like two little princesses in their white-and-gold tulle flower girl dresses and tiaras fixed on their heads.

  “Be careful, Willow,” Harper chides softly, coming over to grab the girls.

  Harper looks gorgeous in her bridesmaid dress. The golden silk clings to her perfect figure and brings out the red in her hair.

  The bridesmaid dresses were also designed by Anna Sizemore. When she brought my dress, she also brought a few samples for the girls to try on. A week ago, Anna flew back with their dresses and did their final fitting. Unfortunately, I missed it because I was still a mess over my dad’s letter and couldn’t bring myself to be around the girls.

  After I hug each of my friends, they all line up single file at the door. “Where’s Uncle Drew?” I ask, scanning the foyer.

  “Right here, sweetheart.” Drew comes to my side and kisses me on the cheek. “Sorry. I had to hit the head.” I giggle, wrinkling my nose. “You look so beautiful,” he adds, his eyes shimmering with tears, and I know he’s thinking about my dad.

  Mom stands at my side, her fingers laced with mine, with Bass and Drew behind us. Grabbing my hand, she intertwines our fingers. “You ready?”

  I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “How many people are in there?”

  Weenie winks at me over her shoulder. “A lot. And you look gorgeous, Va-jay-jay.”

  “Hey, I just had a thought,” Mom whispers. “Now that you two are grown-ups and you’re a married woman, how about you do away with the crude nicknames?”

  Weenie smiles at me, and I smile back. “Nah.” We both laugh.

  “It’s your turn, Eva.” Mom shoos her toward the door. “Go.”

  As Eva reaches her destination at the front of the room, the wedding music starts and the guests rise from their seats. My gaze zeroes in on the gorgeous guy I get to call my husband for the rest of my life, waiting for me at the altar.

  In less than two weeks, I’ll be singing in front of thousands of people. But walking down this narrow aisle with hundreds of eyes on me has my stomach in knots.

  THE VOWS

  Jayla

  “The couple has written their own vows,” the minister says, then turns to face Zach. “Zach.”

  Zach takes a deep breath. “Jayla. I love you. You’re not only my girl. You’re my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, to cry with you, and to hold you in times of sadness and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you and to always hold you in the highest regard. I promise to never go to bed angry or let a day go by without telling you how much I love you and mean it. These things I give to you today and every day for the rest of our lives.”

  It takes everything in me not to throw myself at my husband and maul him in front of all these people.

  “Jayla,” the minister prompts.

  I smile. “Zach, I love you, and I wish I could say that today I give you my heart, but that wouldn’t be true. Because I gave you my heart a long time ago. But today, in front of all these witnesses, I pledge my undying love to you. Today, I invite you to share my life and to be in my world. I promise to be kind, unselfish, respectful, and trustworthy. I promise to always be your girl. To never go to bed angry. I promise to tell you every day how much I love you and mean it. These things I give to you today and every day for the rest of our lives.”

  “And now for the ring exchange,” the minister says.

  Zach reaches inside his jacket and pulls out a ring. It’s a diamond-encrusted band to match my engagement ring, which I forgot to take off. And I’m not about to.

  Zach takes my left hand in his. “This ring I give to you as a token of my love and devotion to you. I pledge to you all that I am and all that I will ever be as your husband. With this ring, I happily marry you and join my life to yours.” He slides the band over my finger, then drops a kiss on top of my rings.

  I turn slightly to Weenie, and she holds up her thumb, where she’s been holding Zach’s ring. I fight back a laugh as I take the black-coated titanium ring I had custom-made for Zach with the quote ‘Love you. Mean it’ etched inside.

  Taking his hand in mine, I repeat, “This ring I give to you as a token of my love and devotion to you. I pledge to you all that I am and all that I will ever be as your wife. With this ring, I happily marry you and join my life to yours.” I slide the ring over his finger, and it fits perfectly. Then I follow his lead by pressing a kiss on top of the ring.

  “By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  Cheers, catcalls, wolf whistles, and applause ring out as Zach pulls me to his chest, dips me backward, and kisses me in a passionate, Hollywood-style kiss.

  THE RECEPTION

  Jayla

  The wedding party is lined up outside the ballroom, with my mom and Cam leading the front, followed by Mike and Elizabeth, the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and Zach and me at the end.

  Flo Rida’s “Cake” plays over the sound system as my former Project Mayhem classmate Eric does the honors introducing the wedding party.

  “And now, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for Mr. and Mrs. Zachary James Easton.”

  “Is this a bad time to tell you that I’m keeping my last name?” I smirk, only half joking.

  Zach turns to face me. “I tattooed your name on my body. You can take my last name on paper,” he says through a grin.

  O-kay.

  I’ll just shelve that conversation for another day.

  I smile and shoot him a wink. “Let’s do this, Z.”

  Hand in hand, Zach and I dance our way into the ballroom, where everyone is on their feet, cheering, clapping, and whistling. Stopping just a few feet inside the doorway, I barely have a chance to take in the elegant decor of the ballroom before Zach lifts my arm over my head and twirls me around. As I come to a stop, my eyes land on my mom standing off to the side between Cam and Bass, with Alex on the other side of Bass. Her eyes are shimmering with tears, and her bottom lip is quivering.

  Releasing Zach’s hand, I take two steps in her direction, closing the space between us and wrapping her in a tight hug. “Please don’t cry,” I say close to her ear. “If you cry, I’ll cry. Then Zach will get all weird, because he hates when I cry—”

  She snorts a laugh.

  Pulling back, I smile. “That’s better.” I press a kiss to her cheek and pass her my bouquet. “Now I’m gonna go dance with my husband. Love you. Mean it.” Then in true Zach and Jayla fashion, we dance our way to the middle of the dance floor.

  The music stops, and Eric asks everyone but the bridal party to have a seat as Zach and I have our first dance.

  Wrapping his left arm around my waist, Zach clasps my free hand with his. “You ready, Mrs. Easton?” He winks.

  “I’m anxious to hear what song you picked, Mr. Easton,” I reply, just as the intro of “My Girl” starts playing. I practically swoon at Zach’s feet.

  I can’t contain the smile on my face as he twirls me around the dance floor before pulling me to his chest, swaying back and forth as he sings in my ear. And it’s in this very moment that I realize Zach isn’t just part of my world. He’s my entire universe. And I’m his.

  THE BEST MAN AND MAID OF HONOR SPEECHES

  Jayla

  “And now it’s time for the best man toast,” Eric announces.

  Cole gets up from the table and makes his way up to the stage. Eric passes him the microphone and grins.

  “I think most of us expected that we’d be here someday. Maybe not this soon.” A round of laughter rolls around the room. “But the heart wants what it wants.” I watch as his eyes flick briefly to Harper, then back to Zach and me. “Ever since the day they met, Zach
six years old and Jay still five, he has always looked at her as if she’d hung the moon and the stars. I swear, even to this day, whenever he looks at her, little hearts float from his eyes.”

  Cole laughs and Zach nods before leaning over to give me a chaste kiss on the lips.

  “Jay, on the other hand, was better at hiding it. Maybe it’s because she was the only girl. Maybe she was afraid of what Uncle Marcus would have to say about his little girl falling in love.” His gaze zeroes in on me. “He’d say, ‘I couldn’t have picked a better man myself for my Jaybird.’ Congratulations.”

  “Thank you,” I mouth, and he replies with a wink before passing the microphone to Eric and leaving the stage.

  “Next up we have the maid of honor, Evangeline Skye.”

  “This should be interesting,” I murmur as Weenie makes her way to the stage like the runway model she is.

  “I have to agree with Cole for once.” She snickers. “Marcus couldn’t have picked a better man. I think everyone in this room knows if he were here today, he would definitely approve. I was just thinking it was only two years ago that Jay couldn’t hold a conversation about sex without turning fifty shades of red, and now here we are.” She waves her hand around, and the whole room erupts in laughter once again. “I remember the first time Jay told me about Zach. She was just a few months shy of her sixth birthday and she’d just come back from vacation with her family. She said, ‘Weenie, I have a boyfriend. His name is Zach, and we’re gonna get married.’ I laughed because she was so freaking cute. Every time she said his name, she would get this twinkle in her eyes, and her entire face would light up. It’s there now. The idea of someone finding their soul mate at five and six is unheard of.” She swings her hand, gesturing to Zach and me. “But some people are just destined to be together, and these two prove that true love really does exist. Jay, I love you. You are not only my best friend, you are my sister. I wish you nothing but happiness for the rest of your life. Zach, thank you for loving her the way she deserves.”

  And now I’m bawling.

  Everyone else besides Zach and me has had dinner. I’ve been functioning on finger foods and the two glasses of champagne Weenie snuck for me. After an hour of greetings and posing for pictures, I’m starving and ready to change out of this dress and into my backup outfit so I can stuff my face and party with my friends.

  I find my mom sitting at a table with Cam, Zach’s parents, Uncle Liam, my grandparents, and Chelsea’s dad, Chris, aka my mom’s ex-boyfriend. He’s a good-looking man, and he was probably hot as a teenager.

  My dad was hotter.

  “Hey,” I say, pulling out the empty chair next to Liam and taking a seat.

  “There’s my favorite girl.” Uncle Liam grins, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “Are you having a good time?”

  I nod as I snatch a celery stick from his plate. “I’m starving. Where’s your date?”

  Liam pushes his plate toward me. “I didn’t bring one.”

  “Dr. Ramos brought a date?”

  Liam smirks. “He’s her fiancé.”

  I raise my brows and lower my voice. “What about Mia?” I prompt.

  Liam shakes his head. “Mia’s a great girl, but I think I need to let go of my past and deal with my own personal shit before I start dating.”

  I love that he talks to me like one of his guy friends. I’ve learned a lot about guys from hanging out with Liam. And though I think he’s a bit of a slut, I also think his behavior is the result of a broken heart.

  “Zach told me Vanessa was at the club last night.”

  His jaw clenches and he nods.

  “I’m sorry for bringing her up.” I rest my head on his shoulder.

  “It’s okay, baby.” He chuckles, patting my back.

  Pulling back, I slug him in the thigh. “Don’t call me that. I’m a married woman now.”

  “You’re still my favorite person,” he admits playfully.

  Uncle Liam and I have always been close, so I believe him when he tells me I’m his favorite person. He’s never treated me like a little kid. We’ve had some really cool conversations over the years, and we share some pretty great memories, too. With Cam as well. I miss not living next door to him and hanging out with him and Cam on the beach like we did back in the days when my dad was healthy.

  “Jay,” my mom says, snapping me out of my thoughts, “you didn’t eat your dinner?”

  I shake my head as I stuff a carrot in my mouth. “No time,” I mumble.

  “Did Zach eat?” Elizabeth asks.

  I shake my head again. “Nope.”

  My mom pushes back from the table and stands. “Elizabeth, can you see if you can get them to bring out a plate of food for her and Zach? I’m going to help her get changed.”

  Elizabeth stands from the table. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “Elizabeth, will you get me a plate of fruit, too, please?” I ask.

  She shoots me a wink. “I’ve got you.”

  Mimi stands from her chair and waves for me to get up. “Come on, baby girl, let’s get you changed.”

  Leaning over, I press a kiss to Uncle Liam’s cheek. “Save me a dance,” I tell him before I stand and follow my mom and Mimi from the ballroom.

  Bruno Mars is crooning softly over the sound system as Mom, Mimi, and I reenter the ballroom. I’m immediately scanning the room, looking for my husband. Sigh. My heart flutters. I’ll never tire of that word.

  My bridesmaids and besties are gathered in the center of the dance floor, looking toward the stage. I make my way over to them, joining their circle, and Weenie passes me another glass of champagne. “What are you guys looking at?” I follow their line of sight to see Zach on the stage holding the microphone.

  “What is he—” I make my way toward him.

  “There she is,” Zach croons into the microphone, pointing at me. “Look at my wife. Isn’t she the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen? Jay, this is for you, babe.”

  “Oh my God, is he going to sing?” Lexi squeals.

  Holy shit. He is. “Has he been sneaking drinks from the bar?” I ask incredulously.

  Weenie shakes her head. “He’s not drunk, baby. He’s in love.”

  Fucking swoon.

  The once shy boy who I fell in love with is now on stage singing “You Got It” in front of two hundred–plus guests. We’ve been together almost every day for nearly a year, yet I have never heard him sing. And my man can sing.

  As the song ends, Zach jumps off the stage and pulls me in his arms. “What did you think?” he asks, breathless.

  “I think if this football gig doesn’t work out, I might be able to pull some strings and maybe get you a record deal. Better yet, how about you just come on tour with me?”

  Zach chuckles as he spins me around. “I only sing for you.” He buries his face in my neck.

  “JJ.” Willow taps my thigh, then reaches for my hand. “Come ta-werk wif me and Zoe.”

  “Do what?” I bend down and pull Zoe into my arms, peppering kisses all over her adorable face as she giggles.

  “Ta-werk,” Willow says, exasperated. “Like dis.” She bends her knees and rocks her hips back and forth, and I crack the hell up. I freaking love this kid.

  “Where’d you learn how to twerk?” I ask, although I already know the answer. It was last Thanksgiving. I just can’t believe she remembers.

  Zach and I spend the next hour dancing, laughing, singing, and we even managed to scarf down some lukewarm steak and potatoes.

  When it’s time to cut the cake, we agree to not smash cake in each other’s faces because one, I’m not down with picking cake out of my nose for the next week, and two, I’m wearing a white jumpsuit and don’t have another change of clothes. Instead, we dab icing on each other’s lips and kiss it off.

  After the cake is cut, I toss my bouquet, and ironically, Olivia catches it. Zach tosses my garter and Logan snags it. A chair is set in the middle of the dance floor, where Olivia sits down a
nd Logan uses his teeth to put it on her. Zach laughs when he sees the blush on my cheeks.

  As the night comes to an end, Zach and I prepare to leave, so I make a quick trip to the bathroom. Once I’m in there, I realize I should have asked one of the girls to come help me with my zipper.

  And just my luck, the door swings open, and Kali walks in. “Hey,” I say. “I’m glad you’re here.” I turn my back to her. “Can you get this zipper so I can go pee?”

  Kali snorts. “Sure.” She helps me with my zipper, and I dart into the bathroom stall to relieve my throbbing bladder. “Hey, I actually came in here to tell you that I have to go. My dad sent his security to escort me home for some family stuff. I’m sorry to have to rush out so soon.”

  That’s odd. “No worries. Zach and I are leaving in a few. Is Lucas going with you?”

  “No,” she answers quickly.

  “Okay. Well, at least wait till I’m done so I can hug you goodbye. I’ll be gone for the next three days, so I won’t get to talk to you until after I get back.”

  “Yeah,” she replies softly.

  Stepping out from the stall, I make my way to the sink to wash my hands while Kali helps with my zipper.

  I reach for a paper towel to dry my hands before tossing it in the trash bin. “Is everything okay?” I ask as I wrap my arms around her.

  She nods against my shoulder, but I get the gut feeling it’s not. “It’s just family stuff.” She pulls back and smiles, taking my hands in hers. “I love you so much, Jay. Thank you for being the best friend I could ever wish for, and thank you so much for letting me be a part of your day.”

  My brows pinch in confusion. “I love you, too, Kali. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  She gives my hands a squeeze. “I promise I’m okay.”

  Nodding, I squeeze her hands in return. “If you ever need anything, I’m here. You know that, right?”

  She gives me a sad smile. “I know that. I gotta go.” Pulling her hands from mine, she turns and walks out of the bathroom.