Mom sniffled. “How did telling us this news make you feel, honey?”
“Scared,” she admitted.
“See, that’s not what we wanted, and that’s our fault for not being more supportive. It’s scary to us that you are in love with a shifter, and this all has happened so quickly.”
“But when Amanda fell in love and got engaged right away, you were so happy, Mom. You were so excited to plan the wedding, and she was only twenty-one at the time. I’m twenty-eight, and I know Bash is it. I’ve waited a long time for him. I want you to be happy for me, too. And I want you to come to the wedding.”
One of her parents sighed loudly into the phone. “When?”
“Today.”
“What?” Mom said, too loud.
“We don’t have a choice. The shifters are being stripped of rights, and if Bash and I don’t get married before noon today, we won’t be allowed to legally wed.”
“That’s awful. Not the wedding, I mean them not being able to marry.”
“Yeah. It was a big blow. My friends…well, it was a really bad night for the shifters in Damon’s mountains last night.”
“I’m so sorry, honey. I had no idea you were dealing with so much stress. You should be allowed to be with the man you choose, and Dad and I haven’t made this any easier on you either. This isn’t the wedding I imagined for you, but you’re also a grown woman. And Emerson, I haven’t heard you this happy in…well…ever. Every call from you over the past couple of weeks has lifted my heart, and if part of that is Bash’s doing, well, you have our blessing. Where should we meet you? I can bring something borrowed and blue.”
“Saratoga City Hall. We’ll be there soon.”
“Okay, call your sister and tell her your news. Dad and I will be there.”
Emerson wrapped her arms around her middle and swallowed her emotions down. “Really?” she asked in a small voice.
“Of course,” Mom murmured, her voice quavering. “We wouldn’t miss your big day.”
“We love you, honey,” Dad said. “We’ll see you in a little while.”
“I love you, too,” she croaked out. “Bye.”
She ended the call and stared at her phone. Well, that went about a thousand times better than expected.
Audrey sniffled from the back seat, but Emerson didn’t turn around to console her because if she saw her friend crying, she was going to lose it and have smeary-mascara-raccoon-eyes for her wedding. And sure, Bash would probably find a way to make her feel cute anyway, but her future husband was a solid ten on the sex-appeal scale, and she wanted to be in top form next to him for pictures today.
As she looked out the window at the piney woods blurring by, it hit her. She was really getting married today to the man she loved more than anything. She would be surrounded by friends who were happy she would be a part of the Boarlanders now, and her parents would be there as she said her vows, supporting her. There was no more room to worry that something could go wrong because Bash looked calm and collected beside her, and Harrison was in the back seat on his phone purchasing a rush-order wedding cake in the shape of a bear from a local bakery like everything would be okay.
And if her crew—her crew—was this confident that today would go off without a hitch, well, it was time she started trusting the fates who had done so well getting her here.
Chapter Nineteen
Emerson was getting married. The drive to City Hall had stretched on and on, each minute dragging, but when they’d arrived, it had been chaos. Happy, lovely, beautiful chaos.
All of the things she’d feared never came to fruition, and now she was here, surrounded by the Boarlanders, flanked by Audrey, who was newly registered with the crew, and her parents, who donned smiles on their faces. Emerson was in this incredible moment, looking up into Bash’s clear green eyes. She could see her reflection there, from her trembling smile to her tear-streaked cheeks, when she said, “I do.”
Bash lifted her up in a bear hug, but the officiant said, “Wait, wait, wait, you’re not done yet.”
“Oh,” Bash said. “I got excited.”
With a giggle, Emerson slid back down to the floor and nodded to the officiant.
“I now pronounce you man and wife.”
Bash grinned big, his eyebrows arched high, and God, she loved him more than anything.
The officiant dragged it out with a teasing smile, but at last he said, “You may now kiss your bride.”
Her new husband came at her fast, but in true Bash fashion slowed just before his lips touched hers. He sipped her softly, his tongue barely brushing the closed seam of her mouth. Gentle bear, but only with her.