“Dearly beloved,” I joke. “Maybe Preacher boy can marry you two again. I’m sure he probably still remembers one of his sermons.”
“Girl, please. You know I don’t like to hear men talk,” Selene says after giving Preacher the side eye.
“Okay, then I won’t talk.” Preacher gets closer to Selene.
“Eww.” She moves away.
“I could, though. I’m still ordained.” Preacher grins, and Selene scowls.
The room goes quiet, and I look at my friend as she stares into her husband’s eyes. Her expression goes from playful to confused to horrified.
“Oh, God, no. Ripley, no.” She raises her hands in the stop gesture. “Get that look out of your eyes.”
“Too late.” Her husband’s voice is raspy. His eyes rake over her body again, and he takes her hands. “You made this?” Ripley tilts his head in my direction.
“She did,” Daxton answers for me. He puts his arm around my waist and pulls me closer. “Beautiful and talented.” I blush when he kisses my temple.
“We’ll take it.” Ripley doesn’t take his eyes off Eden when he says those words.
“What? No! Not unlessyouplan on wearing this dress.” Eden’s head whips around to look at me. “We willnottake it.”
“We’ll take it.” Ripley pulls out his wallet and hands me a credit card, but I raise my hands and take a step back.
“I made that dress for my best friend. Your money is no good here. Consider it my wedding gift.” I hide behind Dax when Eden’s eyes narrow at me. “Sorry, but I planned this with your mother. This was all her idea.”
“Ripley, no. We said no to her offer to throw us a wedding, remember?” Eden’s words come out rushed, and they almost sound like a whine.
“You said no. I didn’t say anything. Call your mother and tell her that—”
“No! You don’t want my parents paying for anything.” My friend sounds so desperate that I laugh. So does Selene.
“Do I look like a pussy to you, Thorny? We’ll take the wedding, but I’m paying. Call your mother.”
“No. If you want the dress, we’ll take it, and I’ll wear it for you. We can have a private wedding at home. Just the two of us, and you can take the dress off.”
“How will the entire town know you have the baddest wife in Shadow Cove?” Selene asks.
“Shadow Cove?” Eden asks, clearly affronted.
“Sorry. The world,” Selene clarifies.
“Exactly. Call your mother,” Ripley orders.
“No,” Eden practically whines.
“I’ll call her,” I volunteer.
Chapter 59
Dax
It’s too easy, and nothing this complicated should be this easy. Paul saved his own ass by throwing the Brennans under the bus. Their business was raided the same day they received a shipment of guns, and the brothers were handcuffed and arrested by the police. There’s a bond hearing in a couple of days, and the Titans have assured me that they will get bail.
I’m not sure how they can make that promise, but their reach is deep. I know they have a judge or a dozen in their pocket. I don’t know how, but they’ve managed to live in this world, make a fortune, and remain under the radar.
My instinct is telling me to take Cori, Mom, and Josie on a vacation out of the country. At the very least, I can take Cori on a honeymoon and send Mom to visit Josie, but I’ve never been one to run away, and if we’re going to see this thing through with the Brennans, I want to be here to see it with my own eyes.
Besides, Cori is deep into the repairs at her shop. She’s interviewing two seamstresses, looking for a receptionist, alongwith two bridal assistants. She’s building a business from the ground up, and I want her to succeed. I also want her to get the credentials that she deserves, so I sit at my desk and review the design school application. Then the alarm beeps.
