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“No, Mom,” I lie in an outraged tone.
“Oh, thank God!” she whispers.
Rashida looks at me from behind my mother, widening her eyes and nodding her head.
I wink at her, and she fist pumps the air.
“It’s time to go, ladies,” the wedding coordinator says, poking her head through the door again.
“Show time,” I say as my mom tugs me into the hallway where Marco is leaning against the wall opposite our room.
As I’m rushed down the hallway, I hear Marco call after me.
“Piper!” he calls out.
I look over my shoulder and he says, “I love you.”
I smile at him even as my mother gasps and hollers, “No, no, no, no, no!”
How I’ve missed that beautifully crazy face of his and that thick, Italian accent. Mom always said he looked insane and out of his mind. Rashida agreed that he looked like a deranged lunatic.
They were both right but so wrong. Yes, Marco DeLuca is crazy as hell, but I love his crazy ass. I get him. All he’s ever wanted was for someone to accept and love him for him and not try to change or make him over.
When we gather downstairs with my other bridesmaids and my mother is paired up with my brother, Rashida whispers, “So, what’s it going to be? Are you going to become Mrs. Piper Paxton, or are you going down there to tell him you’re in love with another man?”
“Can you imagine people calling me PP for the rest of my life?” I joke, causing Rashida to laugh as my father steps up and takes my arm.
My father smiles down at me and whispers, “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“You know that I’ve got your back.”
“You always have,” I say, smiling up at him as we proceed down the aisle.
My daddy is the only one who knows what I’m about to do. My mother would have a damn fit if I told her but my daddy will protect me from whatever is about to come, including my mother’s wrath.
Kenneth stands at the end of the aisle smiling at me and my gaze flits to Kortland and Toya. She’s wearing a sad smile and Kortland is shaking his head. He and Kenneth aren’t even on speaking terms anymore. They constantly butt heads and Kenneth takes every opportunity to disrespect his younger brother.
Everything is a blur from that moment on as my daddy places my hand in Kenneth’s and we turn to the minister. I don’t hear his words or his instructions about what a marriage entails.
Kenneth turns to me and smiles at me as he says his vows.
“Piper Juliette Chambers, the day that I met you I knew that I would marry you. Although I knew that neither of us were ready for that sort of commitment yet, I understood that I would need a talented, creative, and feisty woman by my side for the brilliant future that I had planned.”
Lying bastard!I smile despite the thoughts flowing through my mind.
“As the years passed, I had the pleasure of watching you grow and you surpassed my wildest dreams. I prayed that God would mold me into a man worthy of your love and one who was strong enough to lead and guide you, and that he would give me a vision for our future broad enough and beautiful enough that you would never grow bored. With this ring, I pledge to always protect you, love you, shelter you, and encourage you to follow your dreams,” he says, sliding the ring on my finger.
My heart beats wildly and I look out at the audience oohing and ahhing. My daddy gives a nod and then I turn to look at the minister who smiles his encouragement. Instead of accepting the ring that’s being handed to me I reach inside of the hidden pocket in my wedding gown.
I pull out a small sheath of papers and a photo. Kenneth frowns as he watches me unfold the paper.
“I thought you remembered your vows by heart,” he whispers.
“I did,” I whisper back. Smiling I go on. “Kenneth Edmond Paxton, I fell in love with you the moment that I laid eyes on you. I was just a boy crazy little girl, but I wrote our names down in entwined hearts in my diary and my first name and your last name in every notebook that I had.”
The audience laughs and I go on.
