The Man I Want to Be (Under Covers)(46)

Christ almighty, he'd lost his damn mind. He actually said smooth and  manageable in reference to his hair. How about just combed and pulled  back?

Better. It was one thing to get married, it was another to start stressing about the texture of his hair.

After the last bridesmaid sat in the front row of white chairs, the  music changed to something more melodic. The back door of the hotel  opened, and Cass appeared, grinning so wide he could see her teeth from  here. She held a big-ass gathering of white flowers as she walked toward  them in a white dress that was fitted at her waist and hips, then  belled out at her knees. It was covered in a bunch of fabric that looked  like netting he used for fishing. Though he was pretty sure it was  nicer and more expensive than the stuff he used. As she drew closer, he  saw the netting had flowers embroidered into it. Yeah, definitely nicer.  Luke didn't seem to care what she wore. He smiled at her like a  lovesick pup. Her hair was loose, brunette strands lifting into the  gentle breeze coming off the ocean. Her eyes were lined, cheeks more  defined, and lips pale. She looked like herself, but prettier. The event  might've had something to do with her radiance, too.

Cass walked unescorted because her parents couldn't travel due to her  sister's muscular dystrophy. The couple had held a small ceremony a few  weeks ago in Cass's hometown so her family could see her get married.  Today was more of a formality with the rest of her extended family and  friends.

About three steps before she got to the altar, Luke broke rank and went  out to join her. He grabbed her hand and practically yanked her in front  of the priest.

Ash gave his friend a congratulatory smile and then adjusted the collar  of his shirt. His chest expanded as he fixed his gaze on the doors Cass  had just walked through. Tyke turned, too. Watching. Waiting.

Sam and her blond hair came out next. Her dress had a V neckline. It was  fitted, too, but instead of bowing out like Cass's, Sam's went straight  down to the floor. She held white and pink flowers in front of her and  was escorted on one side by her father, Davy Harper, a short man with  graying hair, wearing the same outfit as Tyke, except for a small pink  flower attached to Davy's right pocket. Rose, Sam's grandma, was on  Sam's other side, wearing a short-sleeve pink dress to her ankles.         

     



 

Once at the front of the aisle, Sam turned to Rose, who kissed her  cheek. Then to her father, who kissed her other cheek. Davy held Sam's  hand up, offering it to Ash. Cooper's throat worked as he swallowed  before accepting her hand.

This was it. It was Tyke's turn. Kenna was next. When that thought  registered, his heart pounded against his rib cage and his throat went  dry.

The door opened, and he sucked in a breath like it was the last one he'd  ever take. Walking out came the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.  Kenna wore a white strapless dress she borrowed from Cass. Since Kenna  was curvier and a bit shorter than Cassandra, the dress hugged Kenna's  waist and hit her at the knee, showing off those luscious hips that  drove him nuts. She was barefoot, like him, and why it made him grin was  a mystery. That incredible red hair of hers was down with soft curls at  the end, splayed across her shoulders like a veil. Where the other  women took it easy on the makeup and looked more natural, his Kenna went  full vixen with red lips. Red. His favorite color.

She clung to Estelle's arm like a lifeline. The two women approached the aisle, and Tyke had to remind himself to exhale.

"She's beautiful," he heard Sam say next to him.

"You're a lucky man, Tyke," Ash said.

"Don't screw it up this time," Luke said.

He'd never take her for granted again.

Calder was onto something when he hurried off the altar and met Cass  halfway. Tyke copied the move, eating up the last four steps, causing  Kenna to stop.

Estelle smirked as she passed a glance between them and lifted Kenna's hand up to him.

He didn't take it yet. He just wanted a moment to look at her. He was a  lucky son of a bitch to be tied to her for the rest of his life.

Her eyes were more pronounced, richer and deeper in color. The blue  gleamed like the shiny sapphire in her momma's ring. Her ring. The one  he was going to put on her finger. Instinctively, he slid his hand in  his pocket, feeling the cool metal inside. Still there.

Pulling the ring out, he started to line the circle up with the end of her finger.

"Whoa, there, cowboy." Ash's hand landed on his shoulder. "We have to say the vows first."

"Come on, man," Calder jumped in. "Wait your turn."

Kenna laughed, as did most of the guests.

Heat burned in his cheeks, but as soon as Tyke curled her under his arm,  covering her hand with his, the need to make their relationship  official skyrocketed. He wanted her to be his, and he wanted it now.

The three couples stood in front of Father Kevin, listening to the welcomes, and how-are-yous.

Get to the I do part already.

Ash recited words to Sam, making her eyes fill with unshed tears. Then  she said her vows back to him. In Tyke's entire time knowing his best  friend, this was the only time he had ever seen the man get choked up.  As Sam repeated what Father Kevin said about sickness and in health, and  'til death do they part, a small stream of tears trailed down Ash's  cheeks. Cooper drew in a few deep breaths, probably as a way to get the  waterworks to stop, but it was useless. For each breath, it gave renewed  vigor to another fresh stream.

To see Ash crying, to see him getting emotional over spending his life  with Sam, it made something blossom inside Tyke. His best friends were  finally going to live out their lives as family men. He didn't think  he'd ever see it, especially given the shit they'd seen in recent years.  But it was real.

If Tyke had this to do over again, he would've eloped with Kenna. Vegas  or Niagara Falls. Hell, the courthouse would've worked. Waiting for four  other people to vow to each another that they were in this marriage  forever took … well, forever.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Cass and Luke finished their vows, and it was Tyke and Kenna's turn.

Father Kevin asked them to face each other and join hands. His were a  little clammy, so he swiped them down the front of his shorts before  stretching them out to her.

"Kenna," Father Kevin said with a drop of his chin. "Please repeat after me."

She stood before him with her shoulders back and a self-assured gleam in  her eye as she said the words that would forever bind them. He didn't  hear half of it because he was so damn struck by how beautiful she was.  How lucky he was for meddling friends. And how he was going to spend the  rest of his life making sure she was nothing but happy.

When she finished, Father Kevin turned to Bryan and said the opening lines he needed to repeat.

"I, Bryan, take you, Kenna, to be my … " His throat suddenly felt tight.  He cleared it. "My wife." His voice cracked. Something was welling up  inside him. More than it did when he watched Ash cry. It was something  strong and foreign. Something causing his chest to hurt and his eyes to  burn. "To have and to hold … " He cleared his throat again. "From this day  forward." Damn it, she was going blurry. "For better or for worse, for  rich or for poorer … " He blinked a few times to clear his vision. She was  smiling up at him with glassy eyes and a smile. "Until … " He had to  force the words out. "Death do us part."         

     



 

"I love you," Kenna whispered.

"Can I kiss her now?" Tyke asked.

Chuckles sounded around him, but he didn't care. He was just waiting for the guy leading this show to tell him yes.

Father Kevin swept a look down the row of three couples, grinning. "With  the power vested in me, I now present you, husbands and wives."  Applause and shouts of excitement exploded. "Gentlemen, you may kiss  your brides."

Tyke was on Kenna before Father Kevin even finished. He wrapped one arm  around her curvy waist and buried a hand in her silky hair, praying he  could hold her here forever. In this moment. His mouth on hers,  expressing how he felt in the only way he knew how.

They were connected. She was his, and he was hers. Now and forever.





Epilogue


One year later …

"She's going to be okay, though, right, doc?" Tyke stared down at the man with a white coat and khakis.

Dr. Sutherland placed a hand on Tyke's shoulder, smiling. "She's going to do great."

A scream, shrill and unbearable, ripped from inside the room the two men  stood beside, causing them both to sprint in, the doctor not as speedy  as Tyke thought necessary.

Kenna's eyes blazed, her face red and damp as she glared at Tyke in the doorway. "Where have you been?"

"Chattin' with the doc," he said, cautiously taking one step toward her. "How are you feeling, sugar pie?"

Sam stood beside the bed, petting Kenna's hair, whispering something in  her ear. Hopefully a magic spell to exorcise the demon out of Kenna. Who  knew pregnant women could be so mean at the end of their term? You'd  think they'd be relieved to get the thing out. Not Kenna. With each  scream, she begged the doc to find a way to keep the baby in there.