Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25937 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25937 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
“Damn, I would have had you include me on the group message,” Jackson notes.
“Me too,” Evan follows.
Jackson snickers before asking, “Now what was it you were so worried about?”
I struggle with regrouping. “Oh, just my pants. But the little runt and I worked it out.” I glance over Jackson’s shoulder at Evan, who glows, grabbing the lock on his necklace, probably without even realizing it. His boyfriend, Frankie, has his own matching-key necklace. Again, it would be utterly disgusting if I wasn’t in such a goddamn cutesy mood, especially with my man right there with me.
“I’m all over this!” Evan says. “I’ll see if I can hunt down a sewing machine and some measuring tape, and be right back.”
And like some kind of magical wedding elf, he heads back out the door, off on his quest.
Everything’s going to be all right, I tell myself once again, which doesn’t do much as I imagine the various ways that things could go horribly wrong—Evan not being able to find a sewing machine…or making the pants even worse in his attempt to help.
Gary slips beside me. “I think this is our cue to head out too. A lot of matron of honor things to tend to,” he jokes before he and Trav slip away, giving Jackson and me a moment.
Daddy growls before planting another kiss on me.
I’m not sure if it’s the alcohol, if he just misses me this much after being apart for twenty minutes, or if he’s trying to make me forget my worries, but whatever the reason, I don’t really care as long as he fucking takes me just like this.
“It’s going to be perfect,” he says once he breaks our kiss. “And I don’t give a shit what your ass looks like in these pants because it’ll still be the hottest ass when I take them off.”
I gaze into his beautiful gray eyes, getting lost in them the way I plan to get lost in them for the rest of my life.
“I think we need a minute before everyone gets here,” Daddy says.
“My needy ass is probably going to need more than a minute.”
He beams, assessing my expression. “Hmmm… We haven’t discussed it, but are we doing the whole can’t-see-the-groom-on-the-day-of thing?”
“Even if we do, I figure we could do all the fun stuff blindfolded.”
2
Jackson
“Why are you frowning, Happy Bear? You’re not Grumpy Bear anymore, remember?” Frankie says to me as we walk down Main Street, which looks like it’s from a postcard or a Christmas movie with all the lights and decorations, along with a huge, colorful tree at the end. We’re meeting at a pub while Derek, Evan, and Gary work on Derek’s clothes back at the lodge. Then, later this afternoon, we’re all planning on going ice-skating. Derek has the whole weekend planned, almost to the minute.
“You do know I still hate that name, right?” He’s been naming me after Care Bears for years—or at least using names that sound like Care Bears.
“No you don’t. You love it. Just like you love me.” He gives me an animated, toothy grin that is so fucking Frankie, it’s hard for me not to smile too. “And I also know what has you frowning. You’re worried about your boy, just like I’d be worried about my pup.”
It’s true, damn it. I know it’s something simple—his pants not fitting right—but Derek has been so worried about this wedding, he’s driving himself crazy. I’m not sure he realizes I notice, but I do. He wants it to be perfect, and I want it to be perfect for him, but for me, all that matters is he’ll officially be mine. I didn’t think I’d ever get married again, but then I hadn’t counted on my little hurricane blowing my world apart in the best ways. “He’s freaking out, which isn’t like him. I think he’s nervous—”
“Pfft,” Cody says from beside me. “He’s not nervous. He can’t fucking wait to be Mrs. Derek Gibbs.”
Logically, I know he’s right. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that my boy loves me, but… “I don’t know. I can tell something’s a bit off.” They don’t have to understand it because they don’t know Derek like I do. Plus, there’s this voice in my head reminding me that Derek never planned all this—falling in love and getting married. Where we are is crazy as hell, when I consider how he was when we first met.
“He has been a little off,” Hayden says.
“What the fuck, Hayd!” Cody replies.
“See? Hayden sees it. He’s one of Derek’s best friends!”
“What? It’s not like I think he’s going to run or something.” Hayden pushes his glasses up his nose, and my head whips toward him.
What the fuck. I didn’t consider he might run. “You think he’s going to take off? No one mentioned running.” But then, that can’t be right. I know Derek. I know us. What kind of daddy would I be if I didn’t…and I am, Derek’s daddy. I love fulfilling that role. I hadn’t known how much I needed it until I had him.