Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 53238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 266(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 266(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
I hate everything about this. The stuffy tux, the fussing...the damned bills. This rush wedding for show is costing me a mint. I’m also missing the Penn State football game.
The one thing I don’t hate is how happy the girls are. I’ve never seen them as excited as they were when Suki and I told them we were getting married. Olivia was confused at first. Since she’s old enough to see that we have no chemistry and never spend time alone together. But even she’s on board now, looking older than her age in her pale-pink dress, her hair styled in waves around her shoulders.
She latched onto Suki’s friends immediately--especially Mara. Olivia and Hallie were deadlocked in a fight about the pig’s name. I told them when we brought him home that he belonged equally to all three of them even though Olivia picked him out. Charlotte suggested we name him Bacon but didn’t care when everyone dismissed the idea.
It was Mara who told Olivia it would be cool for her to let the youngest sister name their pet, and Olivia immediately agreed.
“Hey.” Bash grabs my arm as I start to walk away.
I turn and look at him. “I’m good, man. I swear. I’m the one who asked her to marry me.”
“Yeah, but there’s legal stuff, and--”
He’s worried I don’t have a prenup. Little does he know the amount of back-and-forth between Dex and Michelle over the contract Suki and I signed spelling out the terms of this union.
“It’s taken care of. I promise.”
He shakes his head. “You’re insane. But don’t say I didn’t try to talk some sense into you.”
“I have to go get pictures done.”
I walk away, knowing he’s right. This is insane. But Chad has me backed into a corner, and this could be my only hope of keeping custody of the girls. Aunt Rosie is coming this weekend, when I have a rare Friday and Saturday night off, to stay with the girls so Suki and I can have a quick “honeymoon.”
That’ll be awkward as fuck, but I guess we should complete the charade.
The photographer poses me and the girls in front of the fireplace, the pig squealing in Charlotte’s arms like he’s being tortured.
“Charlotte, ditch the pig,” I say.
“No, he’s part of our family.”
The photographer snaps a photo I’ll definitely look pissed off in. We only have around a dozen guests and all of them are staring at us right now.
“Do you want me to hold him?” Leo offers.
“No,” Hallie answers. “I’ll take him. He loves me. He’s my darling.”
I swear the pig has put on five pounds already, and we just got him a few days ago. With her little hands, she can barely hold him. She wraps her arms around his midsection, his squeals getting louder as his legs hang down.
“Give me the damn pig,” I say wearily.
She passes him to me and I cradle him, trying to smile as the pig snorts and roots its nose around on my face. Bash and Leo are standing near the photographer, both taking their own photos. Fuckers.
Dex claps his hands. “Okay, we’ll have to finish up photos later. It’s time to move into our positions for the ceremony.”
My blood pressure ticks upward as I go to the small X Dex made for me with painter’s tape. My living room is large, but it still feels like a tight fit for a dozen guests, me, Bash and Leo, the girls, the pig and the flower arch thing.
I tug on the collar of my dress shirt. At least Bash and Leo are standing up here with me, both of them in suits because there wasn’t enough time for them to get fitted for tuxes.
I go to so many charity dinners that I own a tux. Fortunately, it still fits well even though I’ve been stepping up my arm and shoulder workouts this season.
My dress shoes feel tight and I’m sweating. The string quartet Dex hired starts up and I square my shoulders. I have to make it look like I actually want to be here right now, even though I wanted to exchange vows at the courthouse and be done with it.
Our handful of guests stand as Suki walks down the stairs. Once she turns the corner, I get my first look at her since yesterday. She’s on her friend Harry’s arm, her expression a perfect mixture of nervous and serene.
I, on the other hand, turn anything but serene, like a switch was just flipped inside me. She’s wearing a long, sleeveless, off-white dress with pearls sewn into the bodice and skirt in intricate, swirling designs. It hugs every one of her curves I’ve never paid attention to until this moment.
She’s not just beautiful--she’s stunning. Her hair is styled simply in a thick knot at her neck, a delicate tiara atop her head. Though her everyday look is very little makeup, today she looks like she belongs in a fashion magazine, the green in her eyes highlighted by her dramatic eye makeup.