guys,” she hooted while Walt, the photographer, had a field day.
There was another knock on the door. This one more discreet. Once again, Dottie did the honors, and a slightly chubby lady with long, straight hair and an old hippie’s fashion sense strolled in with Arianne on her shoulder.
It was Tanya Welcher, Ned Wanamaker’s live-in girlfriend . She was in love with Ari and had volunteered to do baby duty during the festivities.
“We’re all set,” she announced. “Daddy fed her, and she has a fresh nappy. Doesn’t Mommy look beautiful?” she asked the baby.
Another knock. This one not at all discreet. It was Reed hollering, “Hurry it up, twerp. The troops are restless and anxious to party.”
“It’s my wedding,” she hollered back to everyone’s laughing delight. “Not a party.”
Reed laughed and followed up by hollering louder. “Let’s go!”
This was it. She asked Tanya for the baby and covered Ari’s face with lipstick kisses and then it was time.
Dawn and Lorelai kissed her and went to take their seats. Dottie lingered long enough to make sure she was all right and then exited with Tanya and the baby. One of the colorfully dressed bridesmaids took Nic’s hand and led her away to go meet up with her brother, and Jack.
Her matron-of-honor was a guy named Clay. He was married to Sandy. Sandy did all their costumes.
“You ready?” He looked her up and down and waited for Summer to answer.
“Absolutely.”
A bride and her wedding party of drag queens making their way in heels through the Malibu estate was just comical enough to warrant Summer’s nonstop giggles.
Reed waited for her at the doorway leading to the patio where just beyond the walkway was the aisle leading through her wedding guests to a gloriously decorated wedding arch.
“I wish Dad could see you,” he murmured. “You clean up nice.”
She hugged his arm. “Shit, I’m actually nervous.”
He laughed off her worry. “Think of it like a gym competition. Eyes on the prize. Shut everything else out.”
When they left the house and slowly walked across a wide lawn and down a flower-strewn aisle, she filled with emotion. The harps were majestic and the song perfect. Colorful summer bouquets and sunflowers were everywhere. The air was filled with their scent mingling with the incredible aromas coming from a parade of food trucks lined up outside the reception tent.
The minute she saw Arnie, her emotions broke and a tear roll down her cheek. Reed patted her hand where it rested in the crook of his arm. “Go claim your family, Summer.”
She wanted to run straight into Arnie’s arms and never let go, but somehow, she kept gliding forward until they reached the elaborate floral arch framing her and Arnie against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean.
Reed solemnly shook Arnie’s hand before handing her off. After that, she barely remembered much. She recited her lines and slid a band on her new husband’s finger. Ari squealed with happiness when the minister pronounced them husband and wife. She came back to earth with an ecstatic thud when her husband rather boldly kissed her to seal the deal.
Ari shrieked and laughed when the minister said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Wanamaker.”
A loud cheer went up followed by the song she and Arnie decided was their wedding anthem.
They danced and cavorted through Fitz and the Tantrums. Her dragalicious bridal party hooted and clapped with exuberant approval. At the end of the song, Arnie picked her up and swung them in circles while their guests applauded.
“Happy, Mrs. Wanamaker?”
“Ecstatic, husband.”
Official pictures were staged. Congratulations shared. Tears shed. She met Dr. Hadley Ortoma and Dottie’s hunky Marine boyfriend, Avery. Arnie promised Cy he’d help with fundraising for the veteran’s center, and to her astonishment, Reed shared his decision not to re-enlist.
If there were a way to make the day more perfect, she had no idea what that would be.
His wife teased Arnie for the hundredth time about having kept the identity of their celebrity DJs a secret till the last moment.
He grinned and let her in on the rest of the musical secret.
“Your bridesmaids have a special performance coming up. I think you’ll enjoy what they’re bringing to the party.”
Stan stood, tapped a fork on his drink glass, and cleared his throat to make another toast.
“Sometimes, you have to work at a happily ever after.” He winked at Summer and gave Arnie a snarky look. Lofting his glass high, he proclaimed, “To fugly shoes and pretty waitresses. Arnie and Summer.”
She laughed and smiled into her husband’s adoring gaze. They twined their arms—something they practiced in advance—and sipped the champagne.
“I’ve got another surprise for you,” he told her.
His drag buddies filed onto the dance floor and lined up. They looked like a dress-up fashion show wearing headsets.
Summer giggled and sat straighter, her attention riveted.
The DJs cued up the music. Arnie watched with an enormous grin as Summer’s drag queen bridal party put on an epic tour de force rendition of “Teenage Dream.”
His wife shrieked her approval and sang along from her seat. It was, in his estimation, as close as he was ever going to get to a perfectly placed cherry on top of a cloud of sweet whipped cream.
It was done. He found Summer and put a ring on her finger so there’d be no mistaking they were a family.
He was happy, truly happy and looking forward to their new life.
A sharp elbow in her side made Dottie jump. Avery was gesturing with widened eyes and tilted head. She casually looked where he indicated and felt her stomach bottom out.
Quietly, she muttered, “Fuck.”
It only took a glance to realize Milo and Jade gave off every impression of a large disturbance on the way.
Avery leaned close. “Those two have shitty timing.”
“Tell me about it,” she snarled. “Save my seat.”
Marching away from her table, she made a direct line toward the dueling nerds and prayed she could stop what looked to be an impending explosion. She had to scramble when Jade stomped out of the tent with Milo close on her heels.
“What the fuck is your problem?” Jade screamed into Milo’s face as Dottie stepped into the middle of a verbal melee.
“I know you think I’m a bimbo, but you don’t have to rub it in to everyone who’ll listen.”
Milo sputtered, “I didn’t say anything of the sort.”
Jade growled. “Oh, so introducing me to your friends as a teenage mother is a compliment?”
Dottie groaned. How stupid was Milo? Judging by Jade’s angry reaction, he was stupid and then some.
There’s more to come! Look for
NIGHTWIND book 4~ Milo and Jade’s story
Coming in 2021
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Acknowledgments
Team Halliday
Getting sh*t done since 2015
alphabetically by location
Australia – Fiona
California – Diane
Georgia – Amy
Texas – Cheryl
Jenny Sims
Thank you for being you
Halliday Harlots
You’re simply the best
Thank you for making our corner of the internet such a great place
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author Suzanne Halliday writes what she knows and what she loves – sexy contemporary romance featuring strong men and spirited women. Her love of creating short stories for friends and family developed into a passion for writing romantic fiction with a sensual edge. She finds the world of digital, self-publishing to be the perfect platform for sharing her stories and also for what she enjoys most of all – reading. When she’s not on a deadline you’ll find her loading up on books to devour.
No longer wandering because the desert southwest finally claimed her, these days instead of digging out from a snowstorm you can still find Suzanne with 80’s hair band music playing in the background, kids running in and out, laptop on with way too many screens open, something awesome in the oven, and a mug of hot tea clutched in one hand.
Suzanne is the proud mother of USA Today Bestselling Author Ella Fox.
Also by Suzanne Halliday
NIGHTWIND SERIES
Before Dawn
After Midnight
Finding Summer
JUSTICE BROTHERS & FAMILY JUSTICE SERIES READING ORDER