A summer wedding turned out to be an easy feat when the elderly community of Healing Springs insisted on forming a planning committee.
Mrs. Reynolds was in charge, naturally. Miss Molly worked her magic throughout the entire process, matching people up left and right.
Karly stayed sober all the way through the ceremony, as promised. She finally let loose during the reception. Ava was thrilled to see her relaxing after the last two months of extreme wedding planning.
Ava couldn’t help but smile as she watched the crowd of people who had come to witness this most miraculous moment. She still had to pinch herself every once in a while to see if she really had managed to capture the heart of the most perfect man she’d ever imagined.
The man in question gently smacked her butt as she laughed at her ring bearer’s antics with the flower girls. Bear had been the perfect choice for the job. And Cole’s nieces adored getting him ramped up on the dance floor.
Cole wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck in a way that would quickly lead to something inappropriate.
“How soon can we ditch?”
“Cole Stanton! This is our wedding. We only get one, you know. We need to enjoy it.”
“I have enjoyed it immensely. Seeing you in this gown is a tease. I can’t wait to see what you have on underneath.”
“Who says I have anything on underneath? It’s pretty tight, you know.”
Cole growled and nibbled her ear.
“You two need to get a room,” a drunken Karly stumbled by, chugging a bottle of wine as she passed. “There are little eyes around here, you know.”
Ava smiled.
“Where are you off to?”
“I’ve got some business to attend to. Over there.” The bottle sloshed as Karly pointed to the left.
Ava watched her best friend stumble away.
“Hmm, should we worry that Ben is in her path?” Ava asked. “Looks like he’s waiting for her. Yup, he’s holding the door open. Is his hand on her lower back?”
“Sure looks that way. No fair that they can consummate before we can.” Cole moaned his displeasure.
“They’re not…”
“You think they’re going for a leisurely stroll? How well do you know our friends, Ava?”
She sighed.
“You’re right. You’re so right. I knew she had a thing for him. I didn’t realize Ben had a thing for her.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it a ‘thing.’” Cole tickled her sides. “More like a lapse of judgment. A moment.”
“They could be good together.”
“Ava, Ava. You are such a romantic.”
“Is there something wrong with that?” She turned to face him, looking up at his perfectly sculpted chin. She’d never tire of looking at his face. Never. She may never sleep again—she’d be too tempted to watch him to make sure he didn’t vanish in a puff of smoke.
“There’s nothing wrong with you at all.”
“Good answer.”
“I’m serious. You are flawless.”
She pulled his head down for a kiss.
“You ready to go make a baby?”
His whispered words caused internal reactions she couldn’t even comprehend. In the flurry of activity, they hadn’t talked about anything beyond the wedding date.
“Really? So soon?”
“Can you think of a good reason to wait?”
She couldn’t think of a single one.
“Everyone is having a good time without us. I say we ditch this place. We’ll have the band remind everyone about the open bar. The party entertainer will take care of entertaining the kids. We’re really not needed here.”
“Cole, you’re insufferable.”
“I’ve been called worse. By you.”
She smiled, drowning happily in his dimples.
“Okay, let’s make a deal. We run home, have crazy wedding sex, then get back in time to have another piece of cake.”
“You need to plan around cake?”
“Did you taste that cake? Best thing ever! I love how you had them add that filling that tastes just like my candies.”
“I think we need to refresh your mind about what is the ‘best thing ever.’”
“Oh, no doubt about that. You know I’d rather have you than cake anytime.”
“Prove it.”
His smirk and the challenge in his eyes filled her with such intense joy, she almost couldn’t stand it.
“You need me to swear off cake to prove how irresistible you are to me?”
“I would never ask such a thing. Perhaps we can find a way to incorporate the two loves of your life.”
“Mmm, now you’re talking.”
Ava had no other words as Cole kissed her deeply, and she didn’t put up the slightest hint of a fight as he dragged her out of the reception and into the life of her dreams.