“I can’t believe you’re getting married in Bex Dane’s penthouse,” Vi says as we line up outside the doors to the balcony. “One of the biggest celebrities in the whole world and we’re just… standing in his living room.”
My sister looks like her head is about to explode.
“How is this my life?” Vi squeals.
“This isn’t your life. We’re just borrowing this place.”
She slowly turns to face me. “I don’t get it. You’re so calm.”
“I’m nervous.”
“No, I mean about meeting Bex Dane. And about marrying Jarod Cross’s son. We’re like… our family’s going to be royalty now.”
“Rock stars are just people,” I tell her.
“Yeah, super rich, super hot, super talented people. Let’s not act like any of this is something normal people get to do.” She gestures to the suite.
I hook my arm around hers. “Royalty or not, I wouldn’t have wanted to do this without you. Thank you for being here.”
“Of course.” Her eyes meet mine. Sparkling brown. Soft and innocent. “I’ll always be here for you, Cadey.”
My bottom lip trembles.
I feel strangely emotional.
Maybe it’s the nerves.
The enormity of what I’m about to do is finally settling on me.
I’m going to be a wife.
I’m going to be Dutch Cross’s wife.
The world still has so many obstacles in our way. It almost feels like we should wait to conquer them all before we take this step. But I’d rather face those obstacles with him, than alone.
And that’s a big freaking one-eighty from the way I’ve always been.
He’s changed me.
I think, in some ways, I’ve changed him too.
Music strikes up. It sounds like drums and a bass guitar. I’ve never heard such a beautiful resonance from an instrument that deep.
My eyes widen. “Is that live?”
“I think so,” Vi says.
“That must be our cue.” I shake out my sweaty hands, accept the bouquet from my sister, and take our first step.
“Are you happy, Cadey?” Vi asks.
Another step.
“I am.”
“I wish dad could have been here,” Vi whispers.
“He’s here.” I smile down at her.
She smiles back.
None of us mention our mother. Right now, I just want to focus on what I can. Mom is… she’s someone I don’t have to handle alone anymore.
And there’s comfort in that.
I’ll deal with her when I get back home.
“You look smoking by the way.” Vi winks. “Dutch is going to faint.”
“Let’s hope not. His tux is a rental.”
Vi giggles.
We turn the bend and I finally get to see how the balcony’s been decorated. A dazzled exhale gets trapped in my throat.
Bex Dane’s people managed to transform this balcony into a wedding destination. Delicate white flowers. Beautiful arches. White cloth tastefully draped over white pillars.
But nothing is as breathtaking as the backdrop of the New York skyline. I don’t even want to think about how much it costs to see a view like that every day.
Finn and Zane are to the side. Zane is playing an electric drum kit, looking sharp and mischievous as always. Finn has on a white shirt and black pants, but the simple outfit looks like a fashion statement as he plucks his bass guitar.
My eyes skip over the brothers and land on the man at the end of the aisle.
Dutch.
He’s wearing a black suit and a bowtie. His hair is slicked back for the first time since I’ve met him.
As our eyes collide, something strange happens.
All the nerves in my stomach settle.
It’s like I’m right where I’m supposed to be.
Vi and I get to the front of the aisle. She breaks off to stand behind me while Finn and Zane stand behind Dutch.
The officiant is a small man with a long, Santa beard. I don’t know if they just grabbed a Salvation Army Santa off the street to do this or if that’s just how he grows his facial hair. It doesn’t matter.
My entire focus is locked on Dutch.
As the officiant speaks about love, commitment and forever, Dutch leans forward and says soft enough that only I can hear, “After I marry the hell out of you, I’m going to rip that dress off.” His fingers tighten around me.
My heart beats faster and heat washes over my skin. The memories of him touching me last night are still sharp around the edges. Am I marrying a man or a beast? And why doesn’t that scare me anymore?
“We’ll be traveling home right after this,” I mumble.
“Then we’ll have our honeymoon on the plane,” he murmurs.
I shudder, my body tightening with the promise burning in his eyes. I can already feel his body pressing into me and my heart trembles in anticipation.
“Dutch,” the officiant says.
Dutch cuts him a hard glance.
“Your vows?”
He nods. “Cadence Cooper, I’m going to love you, honor you and serve you for the rest of your life. Words don’t mean a damn. So take this as day one of me showing you—and I’m going to show you every day going forward—why you’re the most important person in my life.”
“Aw,” Vi says behind me.
I squirm and push at my veil. “I didn’t write vows.”
“That’s okay. Just say what’s on your heart,” the officiant says.
I look up at Dutch. “I won’t promise you that I’ll always say what you want to hear. Or that I’ll always do what you tell me to do.”
“You don’t do that already,” Zane mumbles.
Vi laughs.
“But I will promise you that I’ll be with you through thick and thin. The world might not understand us, but they don’t have to. We’ll make our own world. And we’ll rule it together. There will never be a Dutch Cross without Cadence Cooper.”
Dutch looks touched. My heart flutters when I realize I’m the only one who brings out that soft expression.
“With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Dutch yanks me toward him and kisses me like he’s branding me. Like he’s drinking from an everlasting fountain. Like it’ll never be enough.
I faintly hear cheers but, inside my heart, fireworks are going off.
“Cadey.” Vi tugs at my sleeve.
I realize that what I think are fireworks is actually my phone’s ringtone.
“Cadey, someone’s been buzzing your phone for a while,” Vi admits. “I didn’t want to tell you before the wedding, but they haven’t stopped. I think it’s important.”
“Who is it?” Dutch grunts, looking like he’ll strangle whoever’s on the other end of the line.
“It says ‘Miss Jamieson’.”
Zane’s head whips up and he barges over.
I glance at Dutch. “What do you think she wants?”
“I don’t know.”
Vi purses her lips. “Do you want me to—”
“Answer it,” I say, my stomach quivering.
Finn joins us.
We’re all crowding over the phone, waiting.
A foreboding feeling rolls over me.
Dutch senses it and grabs my hand, squeezing my fingers in encouragement.
“Put it on speaker,” Zane growls.
Vi does what he says.
“I’m here, Miss Jamieson.”
“Cadence?” Miss Jamieson sounds harried and nervous. “Thank God. You finally picked up. Where are you?”
“I’m in New York.” I glance at the curious officiant, the stunning skyline and the bright blue sky.
It’s my last chance to enjoy the view. This pit in my stomach isn’t going away, and I have a feeling all this beauty is going to collapse around me when this call is over.
“You need to catch a flight back. Now,” Miss Jamieson insists.
Dutch wraps an arm around me.
I smile at him. I’m not alone. Dutch is here. Vi is here. The Kings are here.
“Why? What happened?”
“I don’t want to tell you over the phone…”
“You can say it.”
She inhales a deep breath and lets it out. “I don’t know what’s going on, but your mother…”
Vi’s eyes widen and she flings me a desperate look.
Miss Jamieson croaks, “your mother is dead.”
