Beyond Promise (24 page)

Sorry had to finish.

He texted immediately.

Finish what?

I giggled and wrote back to Ayden.

You’ll never know…

Ayden sent a picture of himself on the
balcony, again shirtless, and pouting into the screen. I couldn’t
stop laughing as I texted back.

You are one sexy beast. See you soon, Mr.
Rhodes.

His last text landed seconds later.

Not soon enough.

A knock at my door hurled through the room,
and I shoved down my embarrassment. It wasn’t the first time we’d
all swapped texts inadvertently, and I was sure it wouldn’t be the
last. I swung open the door to Gabby holding up Brandy’s phone in
one hand and her dress in the other while wiggling her brows. They
were both dressed in the matching pink bridesmaid sweats I’d bought
for them, and they promised they’d schlep around the resort wearing
them.

“Feeling extra frisky this morning?” Gabby
teased.

“Not anymore than usual,” I explained.

“Gross.” Brandy swatted at me, while
grasping her dress in the other hand. “He’s my brother.”

I pointed at my belly and furrowed my brows.
“You do know how these things happen, right?”

Brandy rubbed my belly. “Hahaha. Yes. I’ve
got a firm grip on the birds and bees.”

“Have you thought about names?” Gabby asked.
“Maybe Gabriella or Gabrielle Brandy Rhodes…”

“I don’t think so, my dear. That little
princess is going to be named Brandy Gabriella. Isn’t that so?”
Brandy’s eyes darted to mine.

“Not quite so.”

“Well, there’s got to be some sort of
shout-out.” Gabby sat on the bed and turned down the volume on the
television.

I shook my head. “We can’t decide.
Thankfully, we have months to toss around ideas, but I’ll be sure
to pass onto Ayden your thoughts. I kind of like the idea of
bringing back some oldies but goodies.”

“Like what?” Brandy asked, spinning in the
swivel chair.

“Violet, Agnes, Ethel, Myrtle, Tillie…”

Brandy’s forehead creased slightly. “All
cute names.”

Gabby nodded. “Yeah. All cute names.”

“I’m sensing a but…”

“Well, you don’t want to prematurely age
your daughter. Ethel is super cute, but I’m not sure I can imagine
a ton of first graders hollering for an Ethel.”

“I like the idea of being different, but you
think Ethel is too much?” I questioned.

“I think anything you call your little
Rhodes will be perfect,” Gabby added her two cents. “You could
start a fad, and Ethels could be everywhere by 2020.”

“Agnes isn’t far behind,” Brandy
mumbled.

I folded my arms and pretended to glare at
Brandy. “What would you name your niece?”

“How about Lula or Hattie.”

“Those are actually really cute,” I
said.

“What do you mean actually?” Brandy glanced
at my veil. “You already got the wrinkles out?”

“I meant actually because those are still
quaint names but extra cute, and yes, I got the wrinkles out. I’ve
got this flat lavender nail polish I thought we could do on our
nails.” I walked over to the dresser and slid it toward Brandy.
“Does that meet your demands?”

“Cute. I’ll go first.”

“How do you want our hair?” Gabby asked.

“I thought we could all do loose braids.” I
opened my suitcase and searched for the jeweled pins I bought. “And
then maybe slide one of these in? Just a thought.”

“Love it,” Gabby said, snatching a pin out
of my hand.

“So cute,” Brandy said, in complete
agreement.

“Thank goodness.” I sat on the bed next to
Gabby and stretched out my legs.

“It’s so refreshing to see how well your
wedding is coming together, and you don’t seem stressed at all,”
Gabby propped herself on her elbows and glanced toward the
beach.

“I was a tad nuts a couple months ago, but I
think having the distance and being forced to rely on someone else
helps. Not to mention what Ayden and I went through put things in
perspective.”

“I bet. I have to confess. I’m so grateful
for Carla’s help. She’s a great stepmom, but she is such a
perfectionist. Sometimes the conversations wear me out, and we
haven’t even gotten to the event yet.”

“So tell me whose idea were those green
dresses? Yours or Carla’s?” Brandy’s brow quirked slightly.

“You don’t like them either?” Gabby
chortled.

“I didn’t say that. I was only curious.”

Gabby let out a deep breath and smiled.
“Anyway, whether it’s the final menus or flower selection, I
sometimes envy your method.”

“Your wedding is going to be off the
charts,” I assured her. “And every little thing will have been
worth it. I already know it’s going to be absolutely magical.
Anything Carla touches is magnificent, and you’re nothing short of
glorious so it’s a winning combination. And you have hundreds of
guests coming. Can you imagine trying to shuttle hundreds of
Carla’s friends?”

Gabby shivered at the thought. “I love how
it’s your big day, and you’re having to reassure me that mine’s
going to come out okay.”

“That’s why we’re the perfect fit.”

“The perfect fit,” Brandy added, finishing
the last coat of paint on her nails. “Next?”

Gabby reached for the polish and began
dabbing the color on her nails when someone knocked at the
door.

“So Gabby and I wanted you to have a little
extra pampering.” Brandy got up from the chair and glanced at me as
I began to squirm.

“What did you two plan?” I straightened my
posture and waited for Brandy to open the door.

“Round one is a pregnancy massage while
Gabby and I go take care of some last minute details down at the
reception area. And when we come back, hair and makeup will be up
to get us all shined up for the big event.” Brandy let the masseuse
into the room and pointed at me.

“You two didn’t have to do this.” I gave
Gabby a huge hug, as the masseuse set up her portable table,
complete with a hole for my belly. “But I appreciate it so much.
I’m feeling like the Energizer bunny right now.”

Brandy hugged me next and rocked me back and
forth. “Enjoy every second of the ninety minutes.”

“You guys went all out,” I gushed.

“I’m fancy like that,” Brandy teased.

“You have made me feel like a princess, and
I didn’t even know this was something I wanted.”

“Needed.” Brandy winked, and I exhaled
deeply, feeling the stress I didn’t know I had slowly releasing
from my body.

“See you in a bit,” Brandy called from the
door with Gabby right behind.

I followed the masseuse’s instruction
crawling under the sheet she held up for me and closed my eyes as
she began working on arms, and sleep slowly drifted over me as I
dreamed about walking down the aisle to marry the man of my
dreams.

“You’re so fancy,” Brandy joked, poking and
prodding at Gabby.

“That’s me. Miss. Fancy.” Gabby rolled her
eyes. Sometimes too much of a good thing was wearing, and Brandy
always knew how to push Gabby’s buttons. It was a fun spectacle and
a guilty pleasure.

Brandy turned her attention to me, and Gabby
breathed a sigh of relief.

“You are the most beautiful bride. Ever,”
Brandy gushed.

“Without a doubt,” Gabby agreed.

“Thanks to the hair and makeup team you two
hired.”

The balmy breeze brushed against my bare
shoulders, and my dress shimmered in the wind. I glanced at the
mirror the hotel had placed in my open-to-the-beach bridal room,
and I took in a deep breath. The stylist took my idea one step
farther and wrapped a loose braid around the crown of my head,
leaving the rest of my hair long and flowing down my back. I loved
it.

“You think?” I asked, suddenly shy about
what Ayden might think. I’d hidden the dress from him since I’d
picked it out with his mom, and now he was about to see it and me
for the first time.

“We know,” they both shouted. “You’re
angelic.”

I looked in the mirror and smiled as
excitement pulsed through my veins.

“I’m. Getting. Married.” The smile was
permanently etched onto my face.

I was sure of it.

Now, hopefully, I wouldn’t look like the
Joker in all of the wedding photos.

“Thanks for not making us wear a conch
shell,” Gabby said smiling.

Brandy furrowed her brows.

“Why would she make us wear a conch shell?”
Brandy asked.

“Long story. But be grateful your BFF didn’t
blow it for you, or you’d have one on top of your head.”

Brandy shuddered, and Katie laughed as she
tugged on Gabby’s finger before pointing to a rogue crab the size
of a sand dollar that had crept up the steps and into our
suite.

Gabby jumped up and let out a half-scream as
Brandy knelt down to help the little fellow back outside, and Katie
began twirling in place to make her dress float. I hoped we all
made it down the aisle in one piece.

I looked in the mirror again just as Jenny,
the event planner, popped in to our little hut.

“That is one of the prettiest dresses I’ve
seen for a beach wedding,” Jenny said, as if it were fact.

I glanced at myself again and noticed just
how feminine the wedding dress turned out to be. It was actually
pretty spectacular for being so simple, if I did say so myself. The
chiffon draped delicately from the empire waist, and small silver
thread wove throughout the fabric. With every movement, I felt like
a princess, but I also felt like me. The dress was comfortable,
bordering on casual, yet elegant. I glanced at Brandy and Gabby.
Theirs looked equally as beautiful.

“You women look gorgeous,” Jenny said.

“Yes, they do,” I seconded.

“We’re ready when you are. Say the word and
we’ll begin.”

“Word,” Katie yelled.

“Yeah. Word it is,” I laughed as a fit of
butterflies flapped in my belly.

“Then word it shall be.”

“Is Ayden all ready?” I asked.

“He is. And he looks extremely handsome.”
Jenny patted my hand in a comforting gesture. She signaled over to
her assistant, and the music began like clockwork.

My world sped into a flurry of activity the
moment we uttered it was go time. I wanted to savor every second of
what I was about to do, but I already felt like I was losing
important moments to the goblin of time. The photographer began
clicking away toward the crowd and aisle, and Katie was chasing
after the crab that was now clawing its way back through the
sand.

I peeked through the greenery that the
resort had used around our hut for privacy. It wasn’t a big wedding
by any means. Only family and a few really good friends of ours and
Ayden’s parents had been invited, but it felt perfectly charming
and right for us.

My heart fluttered as I heard the music
begin, and I glanced nervously over at Brandy and Gabby.

This was it!

Really it!

“You look amazing,” Brandy whispered.

I went from being as cool as a cucumber to a
shaky, hot muddle of chaos. Gabby took a sip of champagne and I
playfully scowled at her.

“Would you like some?” she joked.

“Very funny,” I hissed.

Ayden’s parents walked down the aisle, and
an amazing flood of exhilaration ran through my body, but that word
wasn’t even enough to describe what I was feeling inside.

The music changed to the “Rhythm Of Love” by
the Plain White T’s, and I saw the man of my dreams slowly walk
down the sandy aisle. My heart hammered in my chest as the lyrics
filled the air. They couldn’t be more fitting for how we arrived at
this wonderful moment. If I could burst with happiness now would be
the time. I spied on Ayden through the leaves as he stepped up to
the altar and folded his hands in front of him. He looked down the
aisle, and it almost felt as if he was looking at me, but I knew
that wasn’t possible.

He was so damn good looking dressed in a
pale grey suit. His chiseled features were set in a serious
expression. I could tell he was nervous too, and I delighted in
that.

Brandy gave me a quick air kiss on the cheek
and a hug as she gripped her small bouquet of white orchids
dripping in pearls as Aaron led her out of the hut.

“You look beautiful,” Aaron whispered over
his shoulder, and my heart filled with joy as I watched him wait to
escort her down the aisle once the song switched to John Legend’s
“All of Me”. As the lyrics washed over me, my mind spun to the many
special moments I’d cherished with Ayden.

The moment we tackled each other in the snow
and got caught kissing by ski patrol.

The moment we found out we were
pregnant.

The moment he got down on one knee in Paris
and asked me to marry him.

The moment he punched Austin for calling me
a name.