Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
That brought a smile. “Right.”
She was wearing lipstick, so I kissed her cheek. “Ready to go, Mrs. Buckley?”
“It’s so weird when you say that.”
“Why? That’s what you are,” I said, following her out of the bedroom. Then I gave her a little spank on the ass. “Wife.”
I’d never loved wedding receptions, but I had to admit, ours was a lot of fun. My family had all pitched in for food, and there were platters of delicious bar snacks—sliders and buffalo wings, fried pickles and loaded potato skins. Ari had baked us a three-tiered wedding cake, topped with little Elvis and Priscilla wedding figurines.
“Oh my God, that’s adorable! Where did you find that on such short notice?” Lexi asked.
“I lucked out—when I went to get some baking supplies for the cake, the shop also had some toppers, and I couldn’t resist! It even looks like you guys!” Ari said with a laugh.
I had to admit, it kind of did.
Xander had moved some furniture to create a little dance floor, Veronica and Kelly had come early and decorated with centerpieces and balloons, and my Aunt Faye had brought Lexi a little bouquet from her sister’s flower shop. “For tossing!” she said, giving Lexi a hug. “You shouldn’t miss out on all the fun bride things just because you eloped!”
So after we cut the cake and danced to Elvis’s “It’s Now or Never,” Lexi stood at one end of the room and flung the bouquet behind her—which Veronica caught.
We ate, drank, danced, and celebrated long into the night, surrounded by people who were genuinely happy for us and totally unconcerned that we’d rushed into marriage after knowing each other only a few weeks.
“Don’t let anyone tell you there’s no such thing as love at first sight,” said Gus. “I knew the second I laid eyes on my Betsy, she was the one for me.”
“And don’t let people who say it won’t last get you down either,” Betsy added. “We met in ninth grade, and we’re still together.”
I thought all the generosity and goodwill was going to get Lexi down, but she seemed to have a fantastic time. She practically skipped out to the car, and she chirped like a robin the entire ride home.
“I love this town! The people are so nice! And your family is amazing. I wish your other brother and sister could have come. I wish Gran could have come. I wish Winnie and Ellie could have come. I even wish mean old Tabitha could have come—maybe some of the niceness around here would rub off on her.”
“Yeah, she could use a little small-town kindness. Why do you put up with her again?”
“I don’t know. She definitely drove me crazy when we were kids, but I gave some back to her. And as I got older, I could see how being abandoned by both her parents had affected her. I know it’s not the same as what I went through, but it still sucked. Plus . . . family is important to me, and I don’t have a lot of it like you do. No siblings, no other cousins. She’s what I got.” Lexi shrugged. “I feel the need to try to make the best of it. I think my parents would have wanted that.”
Taking her hand, I kissed the back of it. “Then I’ll try too.”
She looked over at me. “Did you have a good time tonight?”
“Yeah. I did.” Pulling up at the house, I put the car in park and turned off the engine. “Good thing, since that’s the one and only wedding reception I’ll ever have.”
She laughed. “That’s right. This is it for you.”
“And how is your future reception going to measure up to that, huh? Darts, Elvis and Priscilla cake topper, fried pickles . . . where do you go from there?”
“I have no idea.” She giggled. “Oh my God, speaking of Elvis, I forgot to show you our wedding photo.”
“What wedding photo?”
“From the ceremony in Las Vegas. It was emailed to me, but it went to spam and I only found it today.” She dug into her purse and came up with her phone. After scrolling a couple seconds, she showed the screen.
I had to laugh. There was Elvis in his white jumpsuit and sideburns. There was me in jeans and sneakers. And there was Lexi in her rented veil and Two Buckleys sweatshirt. In the photo, we were holding hands and looking at each other. “You know what’s funny? I have no recollection of that moment.”
“Me neither!” She laughed too. “I thought the same thing when I saw it. We must have said ‘I do’ at some point.”
I shook my head and unbuckled my seatbelt. “Well, it’s proof at least. If anyone asks.” I got out and came around to open her door.
“We can frame it,” she said, taking my hand and letting me help her from the car. “Send it out as our Christmas card.”