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I swell with pride, knowing all my hard work and well, Kiki’s grand ideas, will all soon be coming to fruition.
Yasmin calls for Sparkles, and the dog trots down the aisle. I may have rolled my eyes when Sparkles sits perfectly at the dais like she does this every day. Who knows, I could see Yasmin doing this daily with her dogs.
The whole crowd ooh’s and ahh’s when they’re pronounced husband and wife by Kiki. Even though I can’t get behind this particular dog wedding, I can definitely get behind Kiki. Get your mind out of the gutter. But, I’d do that too.
She’s got a brain wealthy of ideas, and I’m the lucky son-of-a-bitch she shares them with. I’m the lucky man who gets to be close to all her genius. All her pure awesomeness. Seriously, she’s life-changing.
I’ve been thinking a lot. And I’m ready to uproot my whole life to be with this woman. As I sit here and watch her, long brown hair flowing in the breeze, her blue strappy dress accentuating every sexy curve I know she has, and a smile to light up the whole enchanted evening. This girl is like ice cream on a gloomy day. Mint chocolate chip, to be exact.
I’ve never been in love, but this is damn near the closest I’ve ever been to it. And staring at her right now as she tries to help two dogs back down the aisle, I realize I’ve already fallen so hard for her there’s no escaping it.
She touches my shoulder as she passes down the aisle and it sends a shockwave straight through me. And without a shadow of a doubt, I know I want this whole thing with her. Life. Love. Marriage. Hell, even a happily ever after.
* * *
After parties for weddings are sick. Now imagine that times ten. Yes, for a dog wedding. Like this is insanity, and my father’s whole back yard has been turned into a nightclub with flashing strobe lights and a dancefloor.
Urban and Henry involve me in a conversation for most of the night as I keep catching glances of Kiki every time she passes by.
And I swear she takes my breath away each time she smiles. I wonder if that feeling of eagles swarming in my chest will ever go away when I look at her.
Her and her friends are busily keeping food stocked, and drinks full, and I just want to grab her hand and take her back to my hotel more than anything in the world.
But, I play the game.
I socialize with Henry because we need his firm. Laughing at all his pompous jokes. His snide remarks. Man, this guy really is an ass.
How had I never noticed before?
I tell a few people about the dog beer we’ll be launching in just a few short months. The amount of interest is insane, and I’m excited to tell Kiki.
A while later, I find myself standing alone, overlooking the party like a bystander not wanting to get too close.
“Great party, isn’t it?” my father asks, stepping up beside me. He looks out over the water, holding his cigar away from his mouth. “Want one?” He holds out another in his hand, and I take it from his hand.
“Great party.” And only because a great girl orchestrated it.
He hands me the cigar cutter, and I chop off the tip. “Let me light that for you.” He produces a lighter, and I breathe in the sweet taste of oak and chestnut.
We stand quietly together, sucking on our cigars and looking out over the calm waters of the Intracoastal. There’s so many things I need to say to him, but I can’t muster up a single word. It’s been too long. The animosity has grown into something unrecognizable, even to me.
It eats away at me, leaving nothing but sticks and bones, and I try with everything I can to pick up the pieces and work through the madness in my mind.
Is my dad a bad guy? Absolutely. But, maybe parts of me have been shut off to the idea of a healthy reunion for so many years.
Maybe he’s right about hate not being the opposite of love. Maybe I’m fucking growing up, and need to put the bad blood behind me. My mother has. Why can’t I?
“Kiki’s a great girl,” he says, breaking down a barrier to try to extend the tiniest of an olive branch my way.
“Yeah, she’s definitely something else.” I chuckle a little at the thought of Kiki dancing and singing.
“Hold onto a girl like her.”
“Like you held onto Mom?” The daggers can no longer be contained.
“Now what happened between me and your mother was a long time ago. I’ve apologized, and she’s forgiven me, why can’t you?”
“Because you never apologized to me.”
He doesn’t say anything for a while, before breathing out a measly, “I never realized you expected an apology too.”
