“I forgot the collars, the rings,andmy shoes.”
I force myself not to react, but my heart stills in my chest. He forgotthe rings?
“Do you remember what they look like? Dalton and I will gorightnow and find something similar. I can send Saltzy?—”
“No, we got them back,” he clarifies with a sniff, rolling out his shoulders.Thank god.“Fork picked them up, but the very minimal things that I’m in charge of, I keep fucking up.”
“Because you’re nervous,” I tell him, and he glowers up at me, full of guilt and self-loathing. “You’re allowed to be nervous, too, man. That’s not a bride-exclusive emotion.”
“Hello?”
A familiar voice enters the room and we all go still. Declan snaps up in his seat, eyes wide, ready to duck under the island if he has to so that he can avoid seeing her before the ceremony.
But she isn’t in the room. It’s EJ, holding up his phone with her on the other end, a cheeky smile on his mouth as he munches his pastry.
“Hey, P,” he says cheerily.
“Hi, Eej!” she says, just as happily. She sounds relaxed, surprisingly enough. The girls have been up and getting ready since seven. Things must be going much better up there.
“Your groom misses you and wants to say hello.”
He passes the phone to Declan, whose eyes are still glazed with tears.
“Hi, Lucky.” His voice is quiet and full of relief.
There’s a pause. “Hi, baby. You okay?”
“I missed you last night.”
She lets out a long breath. “I missed you, too. I can’t wait to see you.”
A little smile pulls on his lips and I glance at EJ. He did the right thing. He flashes me a wink, like he knows.
“We’re going to have the best day ever. Me and you,” he says.
Seth smiles gently, rubbing Dec’s shoulders.
“I’m so excited,” she answers, her happiness leaking through the phone. “The second I see you in a tailored suit, I’m going to run and thank your parents for making you.”
He laughs under his breath, and the rest of us do, too. Crisis averted, I think. With a few simple words from his Lucky Penny.
“I can’t wait to marry you, Lucky,” Declan says in the softest voice I’ve ever heard from him.
“Counting down the seconds, baby,” she says, and he shuts his eyes. “Now, tell your groomsmen to get a drink in you to shake off whatever nerves you're working through. EJ, vodka-water for him. Now. There are different flavoured water enhancers in the cupboard. His favourite is grape.”
EJ immediately whirls around toward the fridge. It’s a little early for a beverage, but I think this is an exceptional circumstance.
“No pop or beer until the reception. Two drinks each,max,before the ceremony. Guys, bring him to do the thing that we talked about. Seth and Forker, make sure the rings, his clothes, and his vows are ready to go.”
Seth and Forker both nod like she can see them.
“Boston, get his stuff from your room.” His eyes snap to me and I smile innocently. The Wy-Guy and I were in charge of one thing, which we’ve all kept secret. She knows as well as we do that there is one easy way to calm Declan down.
“On it, Pen,” I say.
“Good. Declan?” she says, her voice commanding.
“Yeah?” he says breathlessly as a drink is placed in front of him.
