Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
“Wow. Here, I’ll get a vase,” I said.
“I had the stems wrapped. I didn’t know if you wanted to, I don’t know, hold them or something.”
He shrugged, looking a little sheepish that he’d tried to buy me a bridal bouquet. I smiled, touched by the thought, and kissed his cheek. Then I got a jar to put them in and set to work cutting the ends off the stems. When I was done, I went to find him. He came out of his room in jeans and a button-down white shirt, looking as dressed up as I’d ever seen him and handsome.
I held out a pink rosebud to him, “I trimmed it so you could wear it. Like, you know, a boutonniere,” I said shyly. He took it and thanked me. Then we both looked around and couldn’t find a pin or anything to stick it on his shirt with.
“Do you have a jacket? Like a suit jacket? That would have a buttonhole for it.”
“Nope. But I can find some way to stick it on here. Do you have one for Leo?”
“Yeah, I think the flowers are beautiful. I guess I’m getting excited. Is that dumb?”
“Excited to spend your life with us? No, I think that’s how you’re supposed to feel. It’s how I feel about it,” Rafe said.
I felt myself relax a little. It wasn’t weird to them that I was so happy, so enthusiastic about it. The flowers weren’t too much. My feelings and my hope weren’t too much for Rafe and Leo. I wasn’t going to be rejected or met with scorn. No one was going to laugh into their sleeve because I wanted them to wear a flower or that I put on a dress or made a big deal out of things. It was humbling to feel so accepted, to know deep down that they were never going to reject me or send me away when I’d had a life of nothing but that, a life of trying so hard to be perfect just to win approval, just to persuade someone, anyone to let me stay.
Leo came out of his room in a full-on suit like he was going to Sunday school. His hair was slicked back. He looked so dressed up and so handsome. I couldn’t help but smile.
“I didn’t even know you were home!” I said.
“Hell yeah. I took off half a day so I could get ready,” Leo said, “I ain’t half-assing this. You’re getting the whole ass.”
Leo grinned, his brash humor making me run to him and hug him. We all laughed, because he really was hilarious, but it was the warmth, the connection we all shared that really melted my heart.
“So I thought we’d stand over here by the window because it faces west and, you know, sunset,” Leo said.
“Really? I thought we’d go on the deck out back,” Rafe said.
I bit my lip. They’d both really thought about this. They took it seriously. Both of them looked at me.
“So, it looks like you’re the tiebreaker. Where do you want to have this?” Rafe said.
I shrugged, “I’m happy with either place. Whatever works for you.”
“Okay, traditional method of decision making deployed,” Leo said, his face solemn.
I had a fleeting idea they might be about to beat the shit out of each other in some ritual tiebreaker from their teen years. I didn’t know if I should intervene and make the decision to prevent bloodshed or if interfering would just annoy them. I waited for a second to see what they’d do.
“Fine,” Rafe sighed heavily, “Rock. Paper. Scissors. Shoot!”
I watched, dumbfounded, as the two hottest alpha males I’d ever known reverted to a playground contest to decide the location of our commitment ceremony.
“Shit!” Leo said. “You always win.”
“Don’t you dare call me a cheater. We’re going to the deck,” Rafe said, “And never forget: Paper covers rock.”
I snorted, failing to contain my laughter. I couldn’t help thinking no one could have ever had this much fun at a regular wedding. I gave my hand to Leo, took the arm Rafe offered and walked out to the deck. It was pretty, the golden sunset light bathing everything in a soft glow.
“Before we begin,” Leo said. “I have brought a gift for us all to share.”
“If this is some creepy dildo you saw on an infomercial, just know you are not sticking it anywhere near me,” Rafe grumbled as I stifled a giggle.
“No, it’s much better than that. It is a selfie stick,” Leo said.
He was serious. He pulled a selfie stick out of his suit pocket and brandished it like a weapon. He attached it to his phone, held it at arm’s length, and we pressed our cheeks together, smiling partly because it was so silly. He took probably twenty pictures before we insisted that he stop and put it away.