Hearts the Last Beat (Angel Fire #6) - Ellie Masters Page 0,85

then places the necklace around my neck.

“How do I look?” I hold up my hair and stare in the mirror.

“Like a million bucks.” Spike drags me out of the jewelry store.

Our next stop is a dress shop where he has me try on several dresses before picking out the one he likes best. It’s a beautiful gown, formfitting, with no room for anything underneath.

I think that’s the point.

Next stop on our tour is the courthouse. We exit the limo and get in line. It’s funny and not at all glamorous, but perfection nonetheless.

There are about twenty couples in front of us, dressed in anything from cutoff jean shorts and cropped T-shirts, to tuxedos and wedding dresses. We’re somewhere in the middle. My dress is more of an evening gown than a wedding dress, and Spike’s clad in a dark suit rather than a tuxedo.

Despite the line, it moves quickly. The clerks at the Vegas courthouse have this thing down to a science. In less than an hour, we’re back outside, officially married according to the state of Nevada, but we’re not quite done.

Spike takes me to ‘The Chapel of the Stars,’ for the official ceremony. Evidently, Spike splurged on the whole wedding package, coordinated through the hotel. I’m a little bummed the gals aren’t here, but too excited by the idea that in a few short minutes, Spike and I will finally tie the knot—even though we already have the license.

“You know, we could skip the chapel.”

The limo pulls up to a quaint little chapel. Done up like everything in Vegas, the lighting outside is over the top. The small building has been assaulted with Art Deco, another over-the-top Vegas flare.

“No way am I not marrying you in a church.” It’s a little white church. Not my dream wedding, but perfect. “You ready?”

“Let’s do this.” I grip his hand, maybe a bit harder than normal, but I’m a bride. I get to be a little nervous.

Spike is not how I imagined my groom. The black suit fits him like a glove, but his face definitely looks like a meat grinder took a go at him. We had so many funny stares at the courthouse.

His eye is nearly swollen shut. It’s black and blue, only a shade lighter than the bruising over his cheek and the rest of his face. He has stitches at the corner of his brow where I ripped out the piercing and stitches over his cheek. His lip is nearly double in size and he winces when he walks.

It’s perfectly imperfect.

Definitely memorable.

“You ready?” Spike pauses at the threshold, perhaps giving me this one last chance to back out.

“Ready, Freddy.”

He opens the door, then hesitates. “Are you upset it’s just the two of us?”

“I’m okay with it.”

But I kind of wish Skye was here. Mitzy too. And even Holly. I feel like maybe the two of us can be friends given time. I don’t know Piper that well, but she’s tons of fun, and a lot like Mitzy. I doubt she even knows this is happening. She and Bent have been absent these past couple of weeks.

“You know I love you, don’t you?” He gathers my hands in his.

“I feel it everywhere.”

“Good. I don’t want any doubts.” He glances over my head, looking inside the chapel. “Come. I think they’re ready for us.”

I take in a deep breath and glance at the man I love. “You look like crap.”

“Well, you look like an angel.” He draws me inside the chapel, where an older woman greets us with a warm smile.

“Kaleb Crowne?”

“That’s me.” He grins and looks at me. “That’s my real name, by the way.”

“Good to know.” I can’t help but laugh.

I swear, Spike’s more nervous than I am.

“Right this way.” The woman guides us to a set of double doors. She puts up a hand, stopping Spike. “You go that way, sweetie.” Pointing to a side door, I assume that will lead to the front of this tiny chapel where he will wait for me to walk down the tiny aisle.

“See you in a second.” He kisses me on the cheek, then disappears behind the side door.

“Nervous, honey?” The woman takes a look at me and brushes my hair off my shoulders so it all hangs down my back. “You’re a beautiful bride.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re only missing one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“One second, okay?”

“Okay?”

A funny grin is on her face as she disappears back behind her counter. When she reappears, she holds a beautiful bouquet of white roses with sprays