Chapter 10

Samantha

I would recognize that obnoxious voice anywhere.

Bill, my ex, stumbled forward, twirling a nearly empty champagne glass. I could tell it wasn't his first alcoholic beverage of the day. "I want to congratulate you on your wedding. I hope this one goes better than your last."

I was so mad I could spit. "Yeah. You and I both."

Some clueless waiter walked by with a tray and offered Bill a glass, which he snatched up instantly.

"Dude!" Kyle held his arms out from the sides of his body, staring at the waiter, who seemed to now realize something was amiss.

He shrugged, his face coloring. "Sorry."

I decided to use a more direct approach. I plucked the champagne flute out of Bill's hand and threw the contents out onto the lawn. "Uh-uh. You aren't Garth Brooksing me today, Bill."

He appeared confused, which is how he generally looked. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Friends in Low Places," Kyle and Dani said at the same time.

Bill stared at them with his brow furrowed. "I repeat, what the hell are you talking about?"

Kyle and Dani looked at each other. He gave her a nod and Dani answered. "Garth Brooks is the asshole who shows up at his ex's wedding to cause a scene."

"Exactly." Kyle took a step in his direction. "I think it's time you leave."

Bill swayed. "You want me to leave, little referee boy?" He rubbed his hands together. "The roughing I'll give you will be totally worth the game misconduct."

"Okay. Let's see about that." They closed the gap between each other, jaws tight and eyes snapping.

"Hold it." Everyone turned to Tucker.

Now Kyle looked confused. "What? I'm kicking his ass. He deserves it."

"No. You'll mess up your tux. I'll kick his ass." He moved near Kyle.

Kyle held up his hands, his brow wrinkled. "But you're wearing a tux, too."

Tucker's gaze dipped to his shirtfront. "Oh yeah." He removed his suit jacket and handed it to Dani, who looked like she wanted to say something, but shut her mouth. He talked to Kyle as he rolled his sleeves up. "But you don't want a black eye for the wedding pictures."

"Dude," Kyle said, exasperated. "You're in the wedding pictures, too."

The crowd parted as Ryan elbowed his way to the front, stepping over to his father. "How about me, then? I ain't wearing no tux, and I ain't going to be in no pictures." He jutted his chin out.

"Ryan." I was both horrified and... proud.

But Ryan wasn't done talking. "Why don't you just leave her the hell alone? You messed up her life. She put it back together and made it far better than anything she ever had with you. Leave her the hell alone!"

Panic rushed through me and I moved between them. "Okay. Okay. No one's getting dirty here or getting any black eyes." To be honest, I wanted a piece of Bill, but I thought it might be bad luck in my wedding gown. "Bill," I said distinctly, "is leaving."

His jaw was tight as he stared down his great big Italian schnoz at me, but he lifted his gaze a fraction. I could feel Tucker and Kyle move behind me. Bill slowly lifted his arms out to the sides. "Okay, Sammy. Have it your way. I'll leave." He turned around to grab another flute from a tray, but this time the waiter dodged him.

Bill held up a finger, shaking it at the waiter and chuckling. "Uh-uh-uh."

I saw it coming, but I was helpless to stop it. Bill grabbed the edge of a tablecloth at the cake table and kept walking, not looking back as the cake, plates, and candelabras crashed to the ground. Kyle about took off after him, but Tucker clamped his hand around Kyle's forearm. "This is your wedding. Your one and only wedding. And he's not worth bruising your knuckles over."

Tucker's words sounded distorted. I put a hand over my stomach. Cold sweat dripped out of every pore and my knees buckled. "Kyle?" He and Ryan were at my side in an instant, keeping me from going down.

Ryan looked at Kyle.

Kyle shifted to better hold me. "Let's get her to a table."

They helped me over to a chair and lowered me into it.

Ryan squatted beside me, his gaze searching my face. "Mom? Are you all right?"

I patted his arm, drained of all energy. "Fine, baby."

Dani spread her arms wide and herded our guests to the other side of the lawn. "Let's make our way into the big tent. There are plenty of hors d'oeuvres."

Max and Alex came forward, shooting glances in my direction. "Is there anything we can do?"

Dani peered back over her shoulder at me. Our gazes connected and I gave my head a slight shake. She turned back. "Let's give them some room for a minute." She slid between them, turning them around and placing her hands on their shoulders. Whatever else she said, it was lost in the noise.

Kyle looked at Ryan. "Hey, bud. Do you think you could go get her a glass of ice water?"

Ryan looked hesitant, but he nodded and rose. I planted both elbows on the table and put the tips of my fingers to my temples. Kyle's hand was on my back. I started to shake.

Kyle squatted beside me as Ryan had. "Hey, hey, hey." His voice was gentle.

Tears came out of nowhere. "He ruined it. He ruined everything."

"No, he didn't," Kyle insisted. "We can still dance in the fountain."

I raised my head and stared at him. He brushed away my tears with his thumb. I laughed, feeling a bit wacky.

"That's my girl."

I looked over at my cake. It took me forever to find a guitar the right size to stick on the top, with a pair of ice skates. Now all of the layers of the cake were separated, each slid off their base, the guitar was cracked in half, and the ice skates were nowhere to be seen. I let out a whimper.

"What? The cake?"

I nodded.

"I'll get you another one."

I chuckled. "They don't just keep extra ones hanging around, you dumbshit, in case someone happens to decide to get married at the last minute."

His smile widened. "I know. I know." He patted my leg, then stood, offering his hands and tugging me to my feet. "Trust me."

Ryan arrived with the water and I drank it, staring over the rim at my husband and shaking my head at him, but the corners of my mouth rose. When I was finished, he took the glass from me and set it on the table.

"Now. Let's go and show these people how we Scolfields boogie."

I screamed when he swept me up, then looped my arms around his neck and relaxed against him. Everyone cheered when we entered the tent, but he didn't stop at the dance floor as I expected him to. He continued to march across the lawn and it came to me, I knew what he was doing. I kicked my shoes off and screamed in delight right before he lifted me and set me in the fountain. Of course, everyone was staring at us as Kyle hopped over and joined me. He looked back toward the tent and waved his hand with a flourish. The bandleader caught on, said something to the other musicians, and the music started up. With a grace I didn't know he possessed he drew me into him and we danced in the fountain.

I couldn't believe it. This feeling of bliss after a catastrophe.

"You never cease to amaze me."

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh, no. The amazing's for later." We laughed and he put his forehead on mine as we swayed to the music. The horns and violins were beautiful, and I knew an electric guitar or two waited in the wings. He moved his lips to my ear. "No one messes with my woman."

A half hour later, as I was circulating among our guests, I noticed Kyle peel off a wad of bills and give them to Ryan. The kid was grinning ear-to-ear, so I knew they were up to something. An hour after that, a cart was wheeled in. Ryan must have cleaned out every grocery store and convenient mart in the county. Ding Dongs were stacked, taller than my cake even was, and it looked like... Reddi Wip?...was sprayed in the spaces between. He'd even patched the guitar somehow and found the skates.

Around midnight, after most of our guests headed out, Kyle brought me a Ding Dong. I laughed. "This is perfect. It looks like a hockey puck."

The servers were milling around cleaning tables, but it was as if we were all alone. Kyle leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet onto our table, putting his arm around me. "Well, things didn't turn out quite like we wanted them to, but I'd do it all again and again to be the one sitting here with you at the end of the night."

"Hmm..." I swiped some Reddi Wip off my plate and stuck my finger in his mouth. "I think it's time for you to amaze me."

He moved his feet, let the chair fall back on all four legs, and leaned over to kiss me. Maybe this whole marriage thing could work out.

Yes, we're loud. We're unconventional. We're off-beat.

But, damn it, we're the Scofields.