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Hayley
“Everything okay?” Hayley asked when she emerged from the mini-mart with coffees and snacks.
Matt was putting his phone back into his pocket, and the look on his face was pensive.
“I’m not sure. I think so. That was Kate, wondering if we’d changed our plans again.”
A moving company was handling most of Hayley’s things, so they’d decided to take their time on the trip back. They’d stopped overnight in Gettysburg and gotten a late start. Then, they’d been caught up in construction outside of Harrisburg and rerouted to Hershey for coffee, chocolate, and restrooms.
What should have been approximately a five-hour drive door to door was turning out to be a relaxed two-day event.
“Does it matter?” she asked and then felt a pang of guilt.
Matt had spent the last several weeks with her. He’d been in contact with Sanctuary every day, but Hayley was sure there was a pile of stuff waiting for him when they got back.
“My guess is, she made us a special welcome-home dinner or something.”
Hayley felt even worse. “That sounds like something Kate would do. All right, no more impromptu stops. Let’s go home.”
* * *
It was mid-afternoon when they finally pulled into the Sanctuary lot.
Matt put the vehicle in park and turned to look at her. “Welcome home.”
Home. It sounded so right when he said it. Felt like it, too.
A moment later, the driver’s door was ripped open, and she gasped.
“What the f—” Matt managed to get out before Mad Dog’s hand covered his mouth and he hauled him out of the vehicle.
“Matt!” Hayley shrieked and leaned over the console.
“Chill, milady,” Heff said, grinning as he popped his head in. “We’ll give him back—after the bachelor party.”
“What bachelor party?” Hayley asked, but he was already gone.
She grumbled and opened her own door, only to find Kate and Sam standing there, smiling broadly.
“Technically, it’s not a bachelor party,” Sam said. “The bachelor party was supposed to be last night, as was your bachelorette party, but you guys decided to change the schedule, and we’ve had to postpone those until next weekend.”
“Sorry to mess up your plans,” Hayley said. “But where did they just drag Matt off to?”
“Why, to get ready for the wedding ceremony, of course.”
Hayley blinked. “Wedding ceremony?”
“Yes! You said you wanted it casual, fun, easy, and ASAP,” Kate said as she and Sam each took one of Hayley’s arms and began to march her inside.
“So, we decided to take care of everything for you,” added Tina, holding open the door for them.
* * *
The next hour was a whirlwind of activity as the ladies of Sanctuary prepped Hayley with makeup, hair, nails, and a beautiful white linen summer dress with matching satin slippers.
“She cleans up nice,” Bree said, admiring their handiwork.
Hayley was admiring it, too, through misty eyes. The dress was perfect. The loose curls that framed her face were perfect. The women treating her as if she was one of their own, perfect.
“I don’t know how to thank you for this.”
“We do,” Sandy said with a wink. “Stick around. Become part of WOOSC.”
“WOOSC?”
“Women of Overprotective SEALs Club,” Kate explained. “It’s what we call ourselves.”
“It’s time,” Sam said. “Ready to get hitched?”
“So ready.”
“Then, let’s roll, ladies. These two have waited long enough for their HEA.”
* * *
Hayley had to blink several times, certain that her eyes were deceiving her. The sun was just setting, painting the sky in vivid hues, and the area around the lake pavilion was filled with people. Everyone from Sanctuary was there. And the Callaghans. And Brian McCain and his wife Tori from the hippotherapy place.
They all faded into the background when she looked to the front of the pavilion and saw Matt waiting for her, looking ridiculously handsome in dark pants and a button-down shirt. He smiled, and it was her undoing.
“Not yet.” Tina laughed when Hayley took a step forward. “You have to wait your turn.”
Penny Hoffmeier shoved a beautiful bouquet of fragrant flowers into her hand. Tina lifted a hand and gave a wave. An old love song by REO Speedwagon began to play from the wireless speakers up high in the rafters.
Bree chuckled. “Who put Heff in charge of the music?”
“He did,” said Sandy, rolling her eyes and grinning. To Hayley, she said, “I hope you like ’70s music.”
Smoke appeared and held his hand out to Sam. They walked down the aisle together, and then Sam took her place on the left, and Smoke took his place beside Matt. The others followed suit. Heff and Sandy. Mad Dog and Kate. Cage and Bree. Doc and Tina. Finally, it was Hayley’s turn.
She hesitated and looked down at the bouquet she held in her hands. She didn’t have anyone to walk her down the aisle. No one to give her away. But it didn’t matter because when she looked up again, Matt was no longer at the front of the pavilion. He was right there beside her, holding out his arm.
“Together?” he asked.
“Together,” she said and put her arm in his. “You know,” she said quietly out of the side of her mouth, “every time I think you can’t possibly do something to make me love you more, you go and prove me wrong.”
Before she knew it, Reverend McFinley was declaring them man and wife, and Matt was kissing the daylights out of her. They broke apart in laughter when “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye blasted over the speakers.
After the brief service, they rolled right into the reception. Massive grills were fired up, and soon, the scents of grilled meats and vegetables filled the air. A DJ was set up at the far end of the pavilion, wearing a skintight, sequin-adorned jumpsuit, a ’70s-era wig, and large round shades Elton John himself would have found over the top.
“Fucking Heff,” she heard more than one of the guys murmur, but they were smiling every time.
The evening passed in a blur of dancing and eating and having fun. Hayley had to admit, it was entertaining, watching Heff constantly pull Sandy into the center of the pavilion, beneath an honest-to-goodness spinning disco ball, every time a Bee Gees song was played. The man had some serious moves.
“Enjoying yourself, Mrs. Winston?” Matt asked, nuzzling the sensitive spot beneath her ear.
“So much, Mr. Winston. I can honestly say, I’ve never done the bump or the hustle before today.”
“Yeah,” Matt sighed. “Sorry about that.”
“I’m not. It’s perfect. And very memorable. You really didn’t know about any of this?”
“No, but I’m not surprised. They’re completely out of control. Better get used to it.”
She laughed. “I can’t imagine anything that would make me happier.”
“Nothing?” he murmured, pulling her closer, giving her an opportunity to feel what dancing so close to her did to him.
“Well, now that you mention it, there is something ...”