Page 122 of Mountain Pine
“Hey Carly! Get over here!” Dean yells.
Without another word, she saunters over in her beautiful sapphire blue gown and tosses her hands up. “What?”
Conner and Nick bum rush her and they all end up holding her as she lays across their arms and poses like a sultry minx for Grace.
“Next!” Dean yells after they gently put Carly down on her feet.
Grace backs up. “No! Wait! I’m the photographer!”
“I’ve got it!” mom yells, taking over.
The guys grab Grace and it’s pure mayhem and a lot of laughing.
“Next!” they all yell at once as Conner saunters towards me.
“Oh no.” I get up from my chair and try to run. Squealing and laughing, I make him chase me across the property and he catches me behind Cabin three.
“Got ya.” He pins me against the building and smiles, out of breath.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I melt into the kiss we share and then…
“Ahh!” I’m flipped into the air and hauled back to the crew.
Once we have enough content for a lifetime, everyone settles down and enjoys the rest of the night. The catering is phenomenal, and the weather stays perfect. By nightfall, the entire sky is glittering withstars.
“You ready to break away?” Conner whispers in my ear.
“Mmm hmm.”
He scoops me into his arms and carries me to the cabin we’ll be in tonight. Our honeymoon is on hold until winter. We’re going to the Caribbean so we can soak up as much sun as we can.
“Oh wow,” Conner and I say at the same time.
“This is a Carly job.” Looking around, I can tell by the way things are perfect but not quite. If Grace had done it, there would be a lot of extra going on in here.
There are petals and candles and a fire going. Blankets by the fireplace and the bed has a million condoms all over it.
Conner points at them and laughs.
There’s a note on the side table next to a remote that says, “Hit play.”
“If a glitter bomb goes off, I’m killing Nick,” Con grumbles, holding the remote.
“Push it.”
Conner braces himself and hits the button, but the only thing that happens is music plays. “Phew!”
The song stops, mid-lyric, and I hold my breath.
“Hey husband, it’s me, your wife. I thought it would be easier to record this because I keep messing up when I try to get it all out in one shot so…”
His gaze swings to me with surprise and confusion.
I glance away and run my fingers along the foot of the bed.
“I’m really proud of you, Conner. Of the man you’ve become. Of the boy you once were.”
He sits on the edge of the bed, his hands dropping to his lap.
