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They hadn’t known each other long, but had it been long enough? She was in love with him, but she couldn’t pretend she’d lost her baggage anywhere between last spring and now. It was still possible for Sutton to fuck things up between her and Charlie.
She winced at the thought. Probably shouldn’t think the f word in a church.
Tatum enjoyed the mass, though it did run a bit long. Then again, where did she have to be? There was nothing she would rather do than sit here with Charlie and his family. She paid special attention to the bride and groom when they exchanged their vows. Tried to picture herself at the front of a church with Charlie. One thing was for sure; he’d already proved his staying power in the bad times.
Then again, the bad times right now had been blips on the radar. Sutton had been laying low for quite a while. Tatum wished she could believe that was a good thing, that Sutton had gotten clean and was living a better life for herself and her daughter.
“Hey.” Charlie brushed his fingertips over her arm and leaned closer. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?” she whispered with a peek in his direction.
“You’re frowning.” He linked his fingers with hers as they stood for the blessing and the closing hymn. “Stop thinking.”
He knew her so well. She liked that. But he didn’t know Sutton. And that was what worried her.
“That was beautiful!” Everleigh announced when they were outside the church, waiting for the bride and groom to come out. “I’ve never been to a Catholic wedding.”
“Don’t get your hopes up,” Mal told her as he handed her a bottle of bubbles. Tatum flinched when Everleigh looked at her. “When we get married, we’re going to the beach. Bare feet. Casual clothes. You in a sundress. Cocktails with umbrellas.”
Charlie shot Tatum a look of surprise, but Everleigh looked at Mal with stars in her eyes.
“You’ve given this a lot of thought.”
“You bet I have,” he said with a nod. “Even more thought to that honeymoon.”
Everleigh blushed, which didn’t happen often. Charlie and Tatum ducked their heads together and laughed.
“Don’t blow too many bubbles,” he told her as she uncapped her own little bottle of bubbles.
“Why?” She shook her head.
“Because you’ve got bigger things to blow later.”
Tatum cackled and then slapped her hand over her mouth when Mal and Everleigh looked back at them.
“You are bad, Charlie Murphy!” Tatum leaned into him and kissed the corner of his mouth.
“What do you want?” He spoke quietly, and the crowd gathered outside waiting for Roman and Aria buzzed with excitement, so she doubted anyone could hear them.
“Well, if you’re taking requests, I’d like a little bit of your tongue all over my body.”
“Jesus.” He groaned and squeezed his eyes closed. “I can’t just adjust my dick out here in front of the church.”
“You asked,” she reminded him.
“I meant what kind of wedding do you want?”
Now she felt like she had stars in her eyes. “I have no idea, Charlie. I’ve never been the daydreamy, swoony, can’t-wait-to-be-a-bride-type.”
“Well, maybe you should start thinking about it.”
Her eyes burned with tears, but she refused to cry them.
“Okay, well, I can’t stand here and cry in front of everyone. It’ll ruin my eyeliner.”
The crowd buzzed again and then roared with excitement and applause as Roman and Aria appeared at the door hand in hand. Tatum felt Charlie’s eyes on her as she blew into the tiny bubble wand.
37
