Renewed (The Fractured Series Book 3) (5 page)

“At least now
, if your father walks up here, he won’t catch us with no clothes on. There’s no way I can hide what I’m feeling right now.”

I looked down to see how tight Bryan’s pants were on Rob. He pressed his lips to my devilish smile.

“Can I brush your hair?” he asked.

I handed him the purple brush from my end table. He sat with his back against my headboard. He spread his legs slightly and patted the space between them. I hopped up on the bed and he began to run the brush through my wet tangles.

There was a knock at the door, but Dad didn’t wait for me to tell him to come in. He leaned in, no doubt expecting to find something other than Rob brushing my hair. I’m sure he was surprised.

Redness washed over his face. “Mom said dinner is ready.”

“Thanks. We’ll be right down,” I said, and he left, closing the door behind him.

“See?” Rob said. “Aren’t you glad we got dressed?”

“Not really, but I guess it beats getting my dad angry.”

Mom made some of her minestrone soup. She always keeps extra containers frozen in the basement. It felt good to eat something hot after being in the cold rain, even if I was warm being near Rob.

“I hope it doesn’t rain on Saturday,” Mom said in between spoonfuls of soup. “I don’t want the wedding to be ruined.”

“The forecast says it’ll be a sunny, beautiful day.” Dad tried to be a positive part of the conversation
, even though his tone was flat and even.

“Well, you know what they say about April showers.” She continued to worry.

“It’s just the ceremony that’s outside,” Bryan said. “Then we’ll be inside for the reception.”

“Still, I want it to be perfect for you and Jennifer,” Mom said.

Rob helped clean up as usual, and then we spent the next hour saying good-bye.

“I’ll call you at nine.”

“I wish it were nine already.”

I tried to busy myself with school projects until it was time for Rob’s call. I answered the phone on the first ring. It was even difficult to say good-bye over the phone. I finished my homework and went to bed thinking of Rob.

My hair was heavy with water as the rain beat down on me. I walked through the forest until I saw Rob. He was waiting in the middle of four large evergreens, wearing nothing. As I walked closer to him, I began to remove my clothes, tossing each garment onto the plants and growth on the ground.

When I was out of clothing, his strong arms opened for me to walk into.

The trees did little to protect us from the rain. But, I was uninterested in the weather. His mouth found mine and we kissed. The rain splattered on the rocks and plants surrounding us.

He took my hand and led me to a small cleared patch on the ground. I l
aid down, and my wet hair clung to my neck. He reclined beside me and brushed my curls away with his soft hands. His kisses started where he moved my hair. They traveled. One thing led to another, and…

Stupid alarm clock. I woke up before I could finish my dream.

Chapter
Nine

The limousine picked me up at eight o’clock. The chauffer put the garment bag with my dress and accessories in the trunk
, and we drove around to pick up the other girls.

“I called him,” Courtney said.

“Who?”

“Eric Bowman.” Her face beamed with happiness.

“So, what happened?” Liz asked. Each girl was focused on Courtney. We were all dying to know.

“We’re going to go out next Saturday. He asked if he could dance with me today.” She bit her bottom lip to contain her giddy excitement. The other girls and I congratulated her and wished her luck.

As we drove up to the reception hall, I saw tons of white flowers arranged in small vases along the masonry walkway.

The
Maitre‘d ushered us to a room where a cosmetologist and hairstylist took turns working on each of us. Mrs. Sutton came in, wearing a form-fitting, magenta evening gown. Diamonds dripped off her from every possible place. Her hair was perfect, as was her makeup and nails.
Expensive slut.

“Okay, girls. Who can I help zip up?”

Courtney, Michelle and Tanya formed a line. The cosmetologist was still working on Liz. And it was my turn to be tortured by the hairstylist.

By ten o’clock
, we helped Jennifer get into her wedding gown. It was made of a beautiful fine satin, with a sweetheart neckline. The corset pulled tightly at the waist, and I could see that Jennifer could barely breathe.

“It fit perfectly last week,” she whispered to me.

“Well, you are eating for two these days,” I whispered back. I loosened the laces in the back, and Jennifer thanked me.

The photographer pushed into the room where we were waiting and took several hundred pictures of us in various poses, including us helping Jennifer put her veil on. The florist distributed our bouquets of bunched pink roses before she excused herself to hand out the boutonnières to the guys.

I was anxious to see Rob. I’d never seen him in a tuxedo, and I couldn’t control my thoughts when I imagined how handsome he would look. I remembered the image of his father in his parents’ wedding picture. I wondered if he was thinking about them.

Jennifer sat on a chair. She looked pale. I pulled the
Maitre‘d to the side and asked him to steal some fruit for Jennifer. I knew she had to eat. It wasn’t good for her or the baby if she didn’t. He returned with a full bowl and some napkins.

“Jen, can I talk to you for a minute in here?” I pulled her into a side room and closed the door.

“What’s the matter, Mandy?”

I handed her the fruit along with a fork. “Here, you have to eat something. You don’t want to faint at your own wedding.”

Mrs. Sutton knocked and then walked in, closing the door behind her. “Is everything all right?” The smile disappeared from her face.

“Yes, Mom. Mandy just wanted me to eat something, for the baby.” Jennifer smiled at me.

Without warning, Mrs. Sutton hugged me. It took me by surprise. I hugged her back, but I didn’t want to. My only thought was how she was ruining my parents’ marriage. I wanted her off me. “Don’t start crying.” I pulled back. “You’ll ruin your makeup.”
Good job. That was quick thinking, Mandy
. It worked. Mrs. Sutton backed away.

“Thank you for being such a wonderful friend to my Jenny.”

Yeah, even though my parents aren’t ‘professional’, and you’re ruining their marriage. Now, now, Mandy. Try to be mature.

“Soon to be my sister-in-law,” Jennifer corrected.

“That’s right,” Mrs. Sutton said. Tears collected in her eyes again.

I held up a finger. “Tears.
Makeup.”

“You’re right. Okay, I’ll go round up the girls. We’ll be starting soon.”

Some hotshot, German wedding planner lined us all up outside the chapel. Jennifer would be last, and I was ahead of her. Mom ran over to us from the ladies room. She was wearing a turquoise evening gown that didn’t leave much to the imagination.

“Mom, you look fantastic!” And she did. I thought she even looked better than Mrs. Sutton. Boy, she’s come a long way in less than a year. I felt my smile get wider
, and the wedding planner put her at the front of the line.

In a thick German accent, the wedding planner gave us our instructions. He was shorter than most of us, in his crooked bow tie. “Zee men
vill go furst. Zey vill valk out to zee altar at zee ent of zee chay-pel. Zee groom vill vait near the beeg bouquet of flow-eres. Zen I vill send zee ladies out. Goot?”

We all nodded, but I don’t think we had a clue what he just told us. I just knew I had to wait for my cue.

All of the guests must have been seated because the music changed. I shifted on my tiptoes, searching for Rob in his tuxedo. I was eager to see how handsome he looked.

The wedding planner walked over to us after the men were in place. It was our turn. In his thick accent, he pointed to my mother. “
Goh!” he said, and she walked through the doors that were held open by two of the staff from the reception hall. My father and Dillon walked down the aisle to escort her back to the altar. They both looked so handsome in their tuxes. One by one, the ushers came to escort the bridesmaids down the aisle. Tanya was ahead of me, and I saw Rob come to take her arm. He stopped when he caught a glimpse of me.

The tuxedo made him look older than his eighteen years. A warm ripple coursed through my body. Although he was there to escort Tanya, he didn’t take his shining blue eyes off of me. A smile brought out both of his dimples. The wedding planner used his hands to shoo them away.

When I stepped up to my starting point to wait for my cue, I looked up at the altar. My cousin Michael was Bryan’s best man. Under other circumstances, it would have been Jimmy, but he was in jail. I was glad for that, but sad for Bryan.

I heard my cue. Hundreds of eyes were on me as I paced myself and walked slowly down the white runner. I know I should have been looking around at the guests, but all I could see was Rob. It was as if a light shone only on him. I held my gaze for as long as I could but my line of sight broke when I had to take my place on the other side of the alt
ar, where the bridesmaids stood.

Again, the music changed – this time to the Wedding March. The congregation turned. Jennifer appeared at the beginning of the white runner. She didn’t look pregnant at all. Her tight gown pulled so no one would question why the wedding was taking place so suddenly after the engagement announcement. Her mother
had told her to hold the extra-large bouquet of white roses in front of her at waist level. The excuse the Suttons used was they didn’t want the wedding to interfere with Jennifer and Bryan’s college plans.
If the guests only knew the truth…

On either side of her, Jennifer’s parents escorted her down the aisle to the sweet sound of a violin. Mrs. Sutton gloated with each step. They stopped at the alt
ar, lifted the veil to kiss their daughter and passed her hand to my brother.

The ceremony was romantic. Jennifer looked radiant in her gown as she recited her vows. I was very proud of Bryan, who looked as if he was enjoying himself every moment
, and he beamed at his new bride when he said, ‘I do.’

Once introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Stewart, the guests were herded into the reception area and the party began. Trays of food never ceased. Neither did the pictures or compliments. During their first dance as husband and wife, I knew Bryan would be
all right. Rob invited me to the dance floor. It was the first time we were together all day.

“You look incredible,” he said, eyeing me up and down.

“You clean up pretty nicely yourself,” I said.

He held me in his arms. He didn’t let go all night. And I didn’t want him to. Each moment was unforgettable. I could have stayed like that forever. But, the party had to end at some point. We waved good-bye to my brother and Jennifer as the limousine pulled away to take them to the airport so they could start their
long-weekend honeymoon; a gift from Jennifer’s parents.

Mom and Dad walked over to Rob and me hand
-in-hand to tell me Dillon was going to my grandmother’s hotel room for a sleepover. I took the hint they wanted me to do the same at Rob’s.

“Can you believe that? I’ve been kicked out of my house for the night.”

Rob smiled. “I guess you’ll have to stay with me.” His voice was playful.

When we got to his house, I kicked off my pretty shoes. Being in them all day was not my idea of fun. Rob sat next to me on the off-white couch.

“How are you holding up?” I asked.

He looked at me. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I know how hard this must be for you. You handled yesterday with such grace, and today you were fantastic. I know it hurts, Rob.”

His eyes moved to his hands. “It’s going to take time.”

“Do you want to come to counseling with me? I’m sure Gina can help you, too.”

“I’ll be fine, Mandy.”

“Rob, I don’t want you to push this too deep inside. You have every right to feel this way. You haven’t grieved.”

Turning in his seat, he faced me. “I’ve had a whole year to grieve. I’m sad
, especially when nice things happen and I know they aren’t around to share in it, like today. I’m going to have good days and bad days. The days I’m with you are the best. And I’m getting better. I promise.”

“Rob, I want you to do whatever you have to. Don’t be afraid to be who you are. They were your parents. You loved them. You’re allowed to miss them, and show it.”

He smiled at me. “You’re wonderful, you know that?”

“That’s because I love you.”

I picked up my shoes from the floor, got off the couch, walked to the steps, and began to walk up.

“Where are you going?” he asked getting off the couch to follow me.

Mid-way up the staircase, I turned. One eyebrow arched on my forehead. “I have to get out of this dress.” I offered with half a smile.

“Would you like help?” He caught on quickly.

“Absolutely.” I continued up the stairs.

I didn’t stop until I was in the middle of the white shag carpet in the master bedroom. Lifting my hair from my neck, I waited until he unzipped the dress as I held it in place. I turned to face him as he flung the jacket of the tuxedo onto the chair at the back of the room. He loosened the bow tie and unbuttoned his shirt. My heart fluttered with excitement.

“Did I tell you that you looked amazing in that dress?”

“About a hundred times.” I smiled.

“Well, you did.”

“Know what I like about this dress the best?”

He shook his head.

“I had to buy special underwear for it.” I let go of the dress and stood before him in a white lace teddy and stockings. A low moan escaped his lips as his eyes drank me in. He forgot about his shirt and grabbed my waist.

Then he showed me how special my underwear was to him, too.

The music began. I walked down the aisle. Looking to the left and the right, the seats were empty except for a couple in the front row. I marched forward and saw it was Rob’s parents. A dark figure stood at the end of the aisle. It was Rob in his tuxedo. I ran to his outstretched arms. I nestled inside them.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too.”

That was it.

It was the best dream I’d ever had.

When I woke up, he was still sleeping. His face was relaxed and smiling. He was peaceful. Lying next to him, I wondered what he was dreaming about. I imagined what it would be like to live here with him. My head filled with thoughts of baking cakes in his kitchen, hosting barbecues in the yard, and decorating for each holiday.

As carefully as I could, I tried to get out of the bed so I wouldn’t disturb him. With one foot on the floor, I was stopped when he grabbed my arm.

“Where are you going?” His eyes were still closed.

“I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I wasn’t asleep.” He opened his eyes slowly. It was like watching someone open a present. His blue eyes were like crystals. I melted when he looked at me. “Don’t go,” he begged. And I granted his request.

Cradled in his arms, we quietly enjoyed being with each other. With my head on his chest, I listened to the rhythm of his heart. It was soothing.

“What were you thinking before?” he asked.

“Just about us.”

“What about us?”

“I was just imagining what our children would look like
.” I lifted my head to see his reaction.

His smile grew wide. “If they’ll look like their mother, they’ll be gorgeous.” He kissed the top of my head.

How’d I get so lucky?