feet.
“To the bride and groom,” he bellowed.
Everyone lifted their glasses and let out a cheer.
I clinked my glass with Ash’s, then took a swig while I gently squeezed her thigh under the table. She took a sip of her water, then leaned over, kissing me with cold lips. “Isn’t this perfect?”
I beamed, feeling proud. “It’s all coming together like I knew it would.”
White sheets billowed in the distance, shrouding the front of the cottage: my house. With Dad singing to get all the inspections passed early, we’d managed to finish the plumbing and the electrical. Tomorrow, they’d install the HVAC, and then start the drywall.
“We should be feastin’ outside every night, I say,” Badger shouted. “To our maids and this fine feast!”
The group let out a cheer again, and I had a feeling this toasting session would last until sunset.
After Badger had put down his mug, he leaned over and kissed his wife, Sandy, long and passionate.
I cleared my throat, to which Badger gave me a kindhearted sneer. “It’s all about the kissin’. That’s why we’re here, lad. Eyelashes and luscious lips that we can’t seem to keep our hands off of.”
“Barlemede,” Sandy spat, saying his true name almost as if a curse.
“How’s the food planning going?” I asked to rescue her.
“Good so far.” She nodded. “We’ve arranged a caterer, considering the large group.”
Ash sucked in a deep breath. “Did we secure the tables and chairs?”
“Yes, and the linens.” Sandy looked upward as if she checked off an invisible list. “Decorations are almost done, and the flowers, oh, I can’t wait to get started on that. Mistress Wynie has sewn her fingers to the bone, along with Gran and Maggie.”
“That’s good….” I guess.
Ash took my hand under the table and squeezed, leaning into me. “They’ve hand-stitch what looks like a million gems on my dress. I’ll never be able to walk down the aisle, it’ll be so heavy.”
“Or you don’t have to wear a dress at all,” I whispered in her ear while caressing her thigh.
“Fin,” she scolded, then looked up at me with a coy smile.
“Actually,” I added, “that’s what got us into trouble in the first place.”
Thinking about our time earlier this afternoon, when we snuck off to her bedroom, sent a thrill through me. And I hadn’t been able to think about anything else, other than scooping her up and christening every room in our new house — quite a distraction while working.
“Stop,” she chastised with a slight blush. “Focus. There’s an issue with the growing guest list.”
Galadriel marched over and plopped down in her chair next to Jax. “Oh my gods,” she said, exasperated as she dished a heaping plate of salad and fish.
Ash straightened. “What now?”
Since Galadriel had stuck her fin into the planning, drama followed.
“Mother has invited fifty more…” her eyes flicked to my parents, “guests. Where are we going to put them? The parking lot? I don’t know how we’re going to fit everyone in as it is.”
“Fifty?” I reiterated.
Tatiana and I were going to have words after dinner was over.
“You need to put your fi—” she stuttered. “I mean foot down. She’s… going overboard.”
“I’ll do it,” Sandy said in a calm voice. “Don’t add more to the bride’s plate.”
Jacob’s head popped up when he heard Nicole’s wail, then he excused himself and darted off. Watching him, I knew our life would mirror his soon.
“Who are the new guests?” Ash asked.
Galadriel leaned in, whispering. “Some of her friends that live on the outskirts by the Scotland gate. They hadn’t even heard about the wedding, which serves them right for being such hermit crabs. I don’t know why the water reception isn’t good enough for them. The rule was you had to attend Tatchi’s class first, and Garnet is coming with a date.” Galadriel made a face.
“She is? Who?” Ash asked.
I cringed when I heard
“To the bride and groom,” he bellowed.
Everyone lifted their glasses and let out a cheer.
I clinked my glass with Ash’s, then took a swig while I gently squeezed her thigh under the table. She took a sip of her water, then leaned over, kissing me with cold lips. “Isn’t this perfect?”
I beamed, feeling proud. “It’s all coming together like I knew it would.”
White sheets billowed in the distance, shrouding the front of the cottage: my house. With Dad singing to get all the inspections passed early, we’d managed to finish the plumbing and the electrical. Tomorrow, they’d install the HVAC, and then start the drywall.
“We should be feastin’ outside every night, I say,” Badger shouted. “To our maids and this fine feast!”
The group let out a cheer again, and I had a feeling this toasting session would last until sunset.
After Badger had put down his mug, he leaned over and kissed his wife, Sandy, long and passionate.
I cleared my throat, to which Badger gave me a kindhearted sneer. “It’s all about the kissin’. That’s why we’re here, lad. Eyelashes and luscious lips that we can’t seem to keep our hands off of.”
“Barlemede,” Sandy spat, saying his true name almost as if a curse.
“How’s the food planning going?” I asked to rescue her.
“Good so far.” She nodded. “We’ve arranged a caterer, considering the large group.”
Ash sucked in a deep breath. “Did we secure the tables and chairs?”
“Yes, and the linens.” Sandy looked upward as if she checked off an invisible list. “Decorations are almost done, and the flowers, oh, I can’t wait to get started on that. Mistress Wynie has sewn her fingers to the bone, along with Gran and Maggie.”
“That’s good….” I guess.
Ash took my hand under the table and squeezed, leaning into me. “They’ve hand-stitch what looks like a million gems on my dress. I’ll never be able to walk down the aisle, it’ll be so heavy.”
“Or you don’t have to wear a dress at all,” I whispered in her ear while caressing her thigh.
“Fin,” she scolded, then looked up at me with a coy smile.
“Actually,” I added, “that’s what got us into trouble in the first place.”
Thinking about our time earlier this afternoon, when we snuck off to her bedroom, sent a thrill through me. And I hadn’t been able to think about anything else, other than scooping her up and christening every room in our new house — quite a distraction while working.
“Stop,” she chastised with a slight blush. “Focus. There’s an issue with the growing guest list.”
Galadriel marched over and plopped down in her chair next to Jax. “Oh my gods,” she said, exasperated as she dished a heaping plate of salad and fish.
Ash straightened. “What now?”
Since Galadriel had stuck her fin into the planning, drama followed.
“Mother has invited fifty more…” her eyes flicked to my parents, “guests. Where are we going to put them? The parking lot? I don’t know how we’re going to fit everyone in as it is.”
“Fifty?” I reiterated.
Tatiana and I were going to have words after dinner was over.
“You need to put your fi—” she stuttered. “I mean foot down. She’s… going overboard.”
“I’ll do it,” Sandy said in a calm voice. “Don’t add more to the bride’s plate.”
Jacob’s head popped up when he heard Nicole’s wail, then he excused himself and darted off. Watching him, I knew our life would mirror his soon.
“Who are the new guests?” Ash asked.
Galadriel leaned in, whispering. “Some of her friends that live on the outskirts by the Scotland gate. They hadn’t even heard about the wedding, which serves them right for being such hermit crabs. I don’t know why the water reception isn’t good enough for them. The rule was you had to attend Tatchi’s class first, and Garnet is coming with a date.” Galadriel made a face.
“She is? Who?” Ash asked.
I cringed when I heard
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