Werewolves of New York (13 page)

A
week after they returned
, she rolled over in her bed and looked at Eli’s sleeping body. His eyes shot open. “What time is it?” He leapt out of bed and ran naked through her house looking for where he’d left his slacks in the kitchen.

“What’s the rush, Eli?” Rose called after him, leaning on her elbows having risen up to watch him run. He’d been acting funny for a couple days now so when he shouted, “I have to go!” and appeared in her doorframe already dressed, she wasn’t too surprised.

“Is this about that new building you guys got commissioned for?”

He beamed, buttoning up his shirt, his suit jacket hanging from his arm. He only had one shoe on. “What? Um, do you know where my other shoe is?”

She pointed in the direction of the living room. “You threw it and it slid under the couch during your strip tease. Which was hilarious.”

He made a face and cocked an eyebrow. “It was supposed to be sexy.”

Dryly she said, “Well, then you probably shouldn’t have sung
brown chicka brown cow
the entire time.”

He ran for the shoe. “You want me to do it again, that’s why you’re saying that,” he yelled through the walls.

“Oh, I definitely want you to do it again.”

With two shoes on, he reappeared, slipping on his jacket. “I’ll see you at the courthouse.”

She shot up in bed, searching her memory for what day it was. “But the preliminary hearing isn’t until next week.”

“Yeah, but there’s that thing…” he trailed off, shrugged and vanished. She heard the front door open as he called back, “eleven o’clock! Don’t be late!”

Climbing out of bed, she slid into her slippers and walked naked into the bathroom. Grabbing her toothbrush, she searched her memory for what he was talking about. Diana was now safely in a shelter getting help with the great therapists there, and attending their in-house Al-Anon meetings since it was revealed that Louise had a severe drinking problem. Rose had met with the defending attorney and she felt confidant that with evidence they had stacked up, the bruising, scars, and her recent broken arm, that she could get the maximum sentence for Louise. Plus a lifelong restraining order.

But there was nothing she should be doing today. In fact, she’d secretly hoped that she could spend the day with Eli.

A knock at the front door made her grab a robe and head to answer it. She called through, “Who is it? Eli?” as she tied the robe closed and padded to look through the…

“It’s Michelle! Open up! Oh good, you’re home.”

With a knitted brow, she opened the door, and the crease only deepened as she saw Michelle in a very pretty dark blue dress and heels. “It’s only ten o’clock in the morning. On a Thursday. Why are you all dressed up?”

Michelle laughed, walking past her into the apartment carrying a plastic bag on a hanger and a tote bag hung on her forearm. “Come with me. Have you showered?”

Rose closed the deadbolt and padded quickly after her friend. “Not yet. Eli just left. He was…”

Michelle whipped around. “He stayed here last night?”

“Yeah, he’s been here every night. Well, except the first night we flew back but only because I wouldn’t let him. Not that he argued, but we were we–”

“You’re rambling. Anyway, it can’t be fixed now. Come on!” Michelle disappeared into her bedroom.

Rose stared after her. “What can’t be fixed now? What’s wrong with him staying over?” When she walked into her bedroom, Michelle was uncovering a very sexy white silk dress that cascaded to the floor. Rose froze and held out her finger. “What is that?”

Michelle turned with a smile. “You are definitely NOT getting married today.”

Rose’s jaw dropped to the floor and she backed to the wall. “I’m not getting married.”

With the patience one uses when feeding a child foul-tasting vegetables, Michelle slowly advanced on her best friend. “That’s right. Breathe. You are definitely NOT getting married. And you need to put on this dress.” She pulled her phone from the tote bag. “Now.”

Rose rushed to grab the dress, ripping the plastic off of it and holding it up to herself while it was still on the hanger, looking at herself in the mirror. “I don’t have time to shower.”

“It’s okay. You’ll smell like him and believe me, that’s all he wants. To me, you smell like vanilla.”

“Really?”

“And a little bit of sex.”

Rose burst out laughing. “Michelle!”

“I just never want to lie to you again!” She laughed too and soon they were dressing Rose.

After a half hour of hair combing and putting it up, then back down, putting on only lipstick then rethinking it and doing her whole face, scrubbing her armpits in the bathroom sink, anything she could think of. Rose let Michelle help her into the dress she was definitely not getting married in. It fit her very snugly, but she loved it. “Did he buy this?”

Michelle nodded zipping up the back and surveying the result in the mirror. Rose looked beautiful as she slipped on the strappy silver heels and turned to see her reflection. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and her eyes were so bright!

“Are you sure I shouldn’t wear my hair up? I think it…” She caught Michelle’s gaze in the mirror and pointed at her. “Stop crying!”

Rose shoved down the rush of tears that threatened to explode from her, too. “Oh my God, Chelle! I’m not getting married today!”

“I know!”

Her heart was so scared yet so full, she didn’t know what to do with herself. “Where do I go now? What do I do? I’m fucking terrified!”

Michelle took her hand and grabbed both of their purses. Rose balked. “I need my little purse!”

“There’s no time!”

“There’s time! I can’t bring that big brown honker! NO!”

Giving up, Michelle rushed back to the bedroom and Rose followed. “WHERE IS IT?”

“IN THE CLOSET. THERE! THERE!”

Rose waved her hands like she was about to fly and Michelle emptied out the old contents and shoved her friend’s wallet, phone and lipstick inside the tiny silver purse with the crystal bedazzled straps. “Better?”

Rose exhaled, “Yes!” and they ran out of there.

E
li stood
where Nathaniel had a month ago with his packmates flanking him this time. He made them all wear ties, only his was white to match her dress and his shirt. He stared down the hallway of the courthouse with a big fat grin on his face.

“You’re not nervous?” Nathaniel asked.

Eli shook his head and reached over and hit Dontae, who’s somber face needed a smack. “Hell no. I’m
not
getting married today. What’s there to be nervous about?”

Darik laughed and Nathaniel chuckled. Even Dontae smiled and shook his head. “You’re truly ridiculous,” he muttered.

“Yeah, but you love me. Here she comes. I’d know that laugh anywhere.” He rocked back and forth on his black dress shoes, his tux tugging against the seams it was so made for his body. He couldn’t move too much in it, but he knew she’d fucking love it.

Around the corner came Rose and Michelle, with the latter crying. “I’m sorry! I’m trying to stop.”

Rose rolled her eyes and smiled at Eli, rushing to meet him as he stepped forward. “I don’t know what her problem is. Nothing big is happening.”

He kissed her nose. “Right? Just a normal day for us.”

She made a face like
duh,
and glanced to her left as she spotted someone she recognized. “Oh, hi Thomas!” A pale guy in a suit who had a stick up his ass gave her the once over and frowned, passing them by without a hello. Eli stared after him and she caught the protective look that flashed over his eyes. “No, don’t mind him. He’s just pissed because I always kick his ass in court.” She looked around. “Well? What now? Go get some food?”

Nathaniel opened the door to the City Clerk’s office and motioned for the ladies to go first. “After you.”

“Oh, are we going in here again?” she asked with innocence.

Eli shrugged. “Yeah, I thought we’d ask them about the wood-paneling. Let’s check it out.” He took her hand and winked at Dontae who was staring at them like he was disgraced. He held up the rear of the group, closing the door behind them as Nathaniel headed for the clerk, an older gentleman who didn’t recognize the recent groom at first.

“Oh yes! Yes. You’re back.” He looked at the group. “Everyone looks nice.” The female witness, county employee nodded agreement, a smile of recognition in her eyes.

“This is going to sound weird,” Eli heard Nathaniel whisper. “But these two are going to have the strangest vows you’ve ever heard. Can you just humor me and act like they’re normal.”

The old guy frowned, but nodded. “Okay…”

“Great!” Nathaniel walked over to Eli and Rose and positioned them in front of each other. “Not that this means anything, but would you guys just stand like this.”

Michelle dropped down to arrange the hem of Rose’s gown, muttering, “Where is he?”

“Who?” Rose asked, looking around. “Everybody’s here.”

The doors swung open and in ran a teenage delivery guy with a bouquet of white roses. “Sorry I’m late.” He gave Rose a once over and handed them to her. “These must be yours.” Running back out the door, he called back, “Sorry again!”

Eli smiled down at his blue-eyed beauty and she held the flowers like she didn’t know what to do with them. It made him chuckle and he took them from her and handed them to Michelle as she stepped back to stand by his packmates. He took Rose’s hands and jogged his chin to the clerk, whispering to her, “He’s going to say some things. Just ignore him for the most part.”

She stifled a laugh and nodded. The clerk knitted his brow up, and began. All the normal, “We are gathered here today…” and “Does anyone here object to this…” Eli shot Dontae a look as his hand went up then.

“Kidding,” Dontae called over with a wink.

Eli focused back on Rose, but the clerk grabbed his attention with a loud cough. “Did you have your own vows?”

Eli nodded, and met Rose’s eyes, smiling down at her. The room seemed to blur around her, only the two of them mattered now. “Rose,” he said with feeling. “I promise not to stand by you forever until we both die, and never to protect you, and definitely I will not be there when you need me. I will not…love you…” he held her eyes. “Or hold you when you have our babies, or be there for you when you cry, I promise when you win cases, I will not give a rat’s ass.”

Rose blushed like he’d just said the most beautiful things she’d ever heard. “Eli, I swear…no, I vow to never remain at your side, never devoted to you. I vow to always fight everything you do.”

“I like it when you do that,” he interrupted.

She paused and glanced to the clerk. “Can I start again?”

The old guy was flabbergasted. “Be my guest.”

Their friends couldn’t help but laugh because the guy’s face was so comical.

Rose cleared her throat and held Eli’s eyes before she took a deep breath. “Eli Jackson, I vow to do everything you say, to remain docile and timid, to always be predictable. I promise with all of my heart to not…love you…and to not have as many babies as you want to fill me with, and I will most assuredly never, ever show you how much you mean to me and how happy I am that you came into my life.”

He kissed her hands and they both looked at the clerk for what was next.

He stared, removing his glasses, his eyes flitting back and forth between them. “Rose Hendricks, do you not take this man to be your loyal husband, to love and to cherish from this day forward until death do you part?”

She nodded. “I most certainly do not.”

He paused and turned to Eli. “And Eli Jackson do you…not…take this woman to be your loyal wife to love and to cherish from this day forward until death do you part?”

“No way. Uh uh.”

He put his glasses back on and sighed. “Um, I do not pronounce you husband and wife. And you may not kiss the bride?”

The room went up in applause and Eli and Rose looked over to find other people had come in, hoping to get married after they didn’t. Their friends were clapping and whooping and hollering. Darik shouted through cupped hands. “Whatever you do, don’t kiss her!”

Eli grabbed Rose and kissed her deeply and with such passion that fresh applause broke out as she went limp in his arms. He picked her up. Glancing back to the man who didn’t perform the ceremony, he asked, “All the paperwork is in tact right? This is really a done deal, right?” The clerk nodded, both he and the female county employee caught up in the excitement of something old as time done in an entirely new way.

“Yes, you’re really married.”

Rose tucked herself up against him as he carried her through the ten or so strangers who’d watched it all. Then he realized what they’d forgotten. “Hang on!” He stopped before their group went out the doors.

“What, Eli?” she asked as he set her down. Michelle walked up to stand by her side as he looked to his ex-roomie and demanded. “Give ‘em over.”

“Oh, shit! Sorry.” Nathaniel searched his pockets and produced two rings.

Eli dropped to his knees and held up a diamond ring with a slender silver band. Rose’s eyes went wide. “You like it?” She nodded happily. “Rose Hendricks, will you go back in time and marry me ten minutes ago?”

“I will.” She looked at him with love and touched his cheek. “Except it’s Rose Jackson.”

“Yeah?”

She bit her bottom lip and nodded with a cute smile. “Yeah. I want to take your name. Can I have that ring, please?” He slid it on and laughed. “I meant the other one.”

“Oh, well let me just take the diamond off you then,” he joked, acting like he was trying to remove it.

She hit his shoulder pretty hard and said, “Give me your ring, dummy!”

He handed it over and rose up to tower over her. She slid it on his finger and looked up. “I love you, Eli.”

He picked her up and whispered for just her, “I love you, too, Rose.”

T
he End
.