plenty of space for the ceremony. And the Santa Elvis performing it. The big bewigged guy wore a belt bearing so many sparkly stones it was a wonder his pants stayed up. That thing had to weigh a ton. Vases full of red roses covered every available surface, the heady scent filling the room. A roaring fire burned in the corner. It was perfect, beautiful, and there were so many happy, familiar faces all gathered around, waiting to share the moment. Anne finally had the family she deserved.
In the corner, a string quartet started playing, and Santa Elvis opened his mouth. His rendition of “Love Me Tender” was wonderful. Or so I was later told.
Ben stood to the side with Jimmy and David, all of them dressed in similar dark suits. Only Ben had actually ditched his jacket and tie. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, leaving the ink on his thick arms exposed. God, he was glorious. So … manly, for want of a better word. Everyone else faded into the background. He looked so damn fine. It hurt, and angry or not I’d have told him as much, had I been able to find my tongue.
He looked up and found me staring. There was no censure in his eyes. Just the same, embarrassment threatened to flood me, turning my face to red. But he stopped and stared at me too. If our breathing and hearts were beating in exactly the same rhythm, it wouldn’t have surprised me. It was crazy. I should have known better by now.
There was just me and him.
Things were said and I heard my sister’s laughter.
His gaze strayed down over my dress then back up again. Little lines appeared beside his eyes, his face tensing. As for me, my jaw ached from all the things I was holding in, all the words left unsaid. Or maybe it was just more of the same, the urge to convince him that there was something real between us that was worth the risk. Some jumble of sex and friendship and I don’t know what. The fabled connection.
In all likelihood, he still wouldn’t want to hear it. The man made my head and my heart hurt.
“No, you’re not doing it right.” The pronouncement split my focus, my gaze darting to the front of the room. Something was wrong in wedding town.
“ I’ll do it,” Mal told Santa Elvis.
The King just shrugged. Guess he got paid either way.
“Of course you, Anne, take me, Mal,” he proceeded, my sister still held high in his arms. “You’re my Pumpkin, my whole damn world. You get my music and all my weird moods, and you think I’m funny when other people are just shaking their heads wondering what the fuck I’m on about. I think it’s cute when you have your little hissy fits, but if you need me to listen and take shit serious, I promise I will. Good times or bad, you’re with me and I’m with you. No matter what, we’ll always work stuff out together, okay?”
“Okay,” said my sister, raising a hand to wipe a tear from her face.
“You’re the only woman I want or need, and no way are you into any other guy, ’cause you got me and I’m awesome. We good?”
“We’re good.”
“Right,” said Mal. “We’re married.”
“They’re married!” shouted Santa Elvis, throwing in a hip swivel just for fun.
Music started up again and the room filled with the sounds of clapping and cheering. Mal’s and Anne’s mouths were melded together. I wanted that, what they had together, and without a doubt it would be worth waiting for. After spending seven years believing love had to be just so much bullshit, I couldn’t give up on it again now. That was the truth. One day I’d find someone else who made me feel like Ben did.
I just had to wait it out.
Santa Elvis started beating out “Viva Las Vegas” while those assembled went wild. Everyone apart from me and Ben. Shit. I’d pretty much missed the entire ceremony. Thank goodness, Mal’s dad appeared to be taping it. Worst sister ever. I went to start clapping, like everyone else, then remembered the posies of flowers still gripped tight in my
In the corner, a string quartet started playing, and Santa Elvis opened his mouth. His rendition of “Love Me Tender” was wonderful. Or so I was later told.
Ben stood to the side with Jimmy and David, all of them dressed in similar dark suits. Only Ben had actually ditched his jacket and tie. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, leaving the ink on his thick arms exposed. God, he was glorious. So … manly, for want of a better word. Everyone else faded into the background. He looked so damn fine. It hurt, and angry or not I’d have told him as much, had I been able to find my tongue.
He looked up and found me staring. There was no censure in his eyes. Just the same, embarrassment threatened to flood me, turning my face to red. But he stopped and stared at me too. If our breathing and hearts were beating in exactly the same rhythm, it wouldn’t have surprised me. It was crazy. I should have known better by now.
There was just me and him.
Things were said and I heard my sister’s laughter.
His gaze strayed down over my dress then back up again. Little lines appeared beside his eyes, his face tensing. As for me, my jaw ached from all the things I was holding in, all the words left unsaid. Or maybe it was just more of the same, the urge to convince him that there was something real between us that was worth the risk. Some jumble of sex and friendship and I don’t know what. The fabled connection.
In all likelihood, he still wouldn’t want to hear it. The man made my head and my heart hurt.
“No, you’re not doing it right.” The pronouncement split my focus, my gaze darting to the front of the room. Something was wrong in wedding town.
“ I’ll do it,” Mal told Santa Elvis.
The King just shrugged. Guess he got paid either way.
“Of course you, Anne, take me, Mal,” he proceeded, my sister still held high in his arms. “You’re my Pumpkin, my whole damn world. You get my music and all my weird moods, and you think I’m funny when other people are just shaking their heads wondering what the fuck I’m on about. I think it’s cute when you have your little hissy fits, but if you need me to listen and take shit serious, I promise I will. Good times or bad, you’re with me and I’m with you. No matter what, we’ll always work stuff out together, okay?”
“Okay,” said my sister, raising a hand to wipe a tear from her face.
“You’re the only woman I want or need, and no way are you into any other guy, ’cause you got me and I’m awesome. We good?”
“We’re good.”
“Right,” said Mal. “We’re married.”
“They’re married!” shouted Santa Elvis, throwing in a hip swivel just for fun.
Music started up again and the room filled with the sounds of clapping and cheering. Mal’s and Anne’s mouths were melded together. I wanted that, what they had together, and without a doubt it would be worth waiting for. After spending seven years believing love had to be just so much bullshit, I couldn’t give up on it again now. That was the truth. One day I’d find someone else who made me feel like Ben did.
I just had to wait it out.
Santa Elvis started beating out “Viva Las Vegas” while those assembled went wild. Everyone apart from me and Ben. Shit. I’d pretty much missed the entire ceremony. Thank goodness, Mal’s dad appeared to be taping it. Worst sister ever. I went to start clapping, like everyone else, then remembered the posies of flowers still gripped tight in my
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