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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Simmi
“Oh gurl, you gonna rock that cowboy’s life for the hundredth time when he sees you making your way down the aisle.” Kylie’s exuberance is infectious.
“Reckon it’ll be your turn next,” Fran adds as she winks at me.
I shake my head. “It’s Anna’s special day.” I smile, then walk up to Anna and help her mom and sister-in-law to with the last fiddly parts of her veil and dress.
It’s been a few weeks since Mom’s and Dad’s naked bonfire dancing. They’re all healed up and have behaved since I left them to stew in jail. Jay and I, well, he’s asked me to move in with him. I haven’t said yes yet. I’m still too comfortable knowing I have a back door in case.
“Oh, you look prettier than all the stars in the heavens,” Anna’s mom says as she steps back. The woman who, when I first met her, was a total bitch toward her daughter seems to have mellowed.
“Yeah, Mom, you look spleen... plen... ack, beautiful.” Her son shouts as three little men dressed in the most gorgeous ivory tuxedos burst through the door.
“So pleased to see you’ve managed to keep yourselves clean.” Anna smiles as she kneels and hugs them.
“Oh, Anna mind you don’t get yourself creased up,” her mother said, fussing.
“Yeah, Rhett promised he’d take us surfing up at the Whitdays if we make you happy today,” Ernie said.
“So, we haven’t moved until Pops said we could come in and see you,” Matty adds.
Anna shakes her head. “It’s the Whitsundays. And thank you.” She gives each of them one last kiss on the cheek, leaving behind a coral pink smudge.
“Why don’t you three, and you boys and your mom stand together?” The sister-in-law smiles, camera in hand.
We group together, then pose. All of us look a million bucks.
Eventually, we make our way out of one of Anna’s now completed couples’ cabins on her property. Her dad is beaming, and the sister-in-law ushers her mother around the cabin to where all the guests are seated and waiting with the groom.
As we walk down the aisle, I catch Jay staring at me from his seat. His expression is dark, deep even. It’s that look a man gets when he knows what he wants, and nothing will stop him from getting it. A thrill shoots up my spine and I give him a fleeting grin before I come to stand on my designated spot beside Kylie and Fran.
***
“You look ravishing,” Jay whispers in my ear before twirling me out, then tugging me back to him as we make our way around the dance floor.
The sun has set, and the heat’s subsided. It’s getting a little cooler in the evenings now, but not so much that you’d want a jumper.
“I must say you look rather debonair too, Doctor,” I tease, and he growls softly in my ear.
“I’m going to have fun peeling you out of this tonight.”
“Wait until you see what’s waiting beneath this for you,” I reply, and feel his delighted response.
“I think I need to go sit down before I shame myself.”
He chuckles and positions me in front of him as we make our way back to our table.
“Beautiful wedding,” A woman with dark auburn hair says.
“Like a fairy tale.”
I can’t help myself. I’m so taken in by the fairy lights, the indigenous decor, and flowers, I feel like I’ve stepped into Neverland with my very own prince.
“Well, I see you’ve brough Simmi instead,” A nasal irritating voice shatters the spell as Doris takes a seat beside me.
“I think you’re at the wrong table,” I say, glaring at her as I pick up my half full glass of champagne and down it.
