Total Control (35 page)

Lill, Pete, and the kids continued to demonstrate what it meant to be a family. We had to get used to not seeing each other as much, since I’d moved from my apartment above Bridget right to Ethan’s, but we continued to talk almost every day, and saw each other about once a week. Ethan and Pete grew very close, very quickly
, and I was sure they were meant to be real brothers.

Shelley finished up her last summer at The Lock, saying it was time for her to spread her wings and fly. I told Ethan she was gonna be surprised when she found out her wings were taken from her and the only way she was gonna fly was with her broom. Ethan tried not to laugh, but he couldn’t help it. He said he felt bad about how he’d unintentionally hurt her, and that she was one of the best employees he’d had
. He made sure she was generously compensated at the end of the summer, and that was one of the many things I loved about that man. If he appreciated you, or something you’d done, he’d make damn sure you knew it.

***

As I looked back at everything that had happened that year, it was hard to believe, since it had gone by so quickly. I couldn’t believe our big day had finally come. Ethan wanted to get married in the c-store parking lot, since that was the first place he’d laid eyes on me, but he knew it wouldn’t be big enough, so he decided on the first place he’d “looked into the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen,” the beer stand in the arena. It had been exactly a year ago to the day, and he tried to time it so we’d be saying “I do” as close to the exact time we’d first talked as he could. It made me laugh to myself.
He’s such a romantic.
He’d planned every detail. All I had to do was pick out a dress.

The Lock looked amazing. Thousands of clear lights were strung above the heads of our guests, w
ho were seated on chairs that had been draped with elegant white satin covers and backed with huge white satin bows. Giant bouquets of white lilies lined the mock altar, and the candelabras were lit and glowing beautifully against the night. Ethan didn’t want to use any other light sources, just the little clear ones and the candles, saying it would be more romantic that way, and he was right, it was breathtakingly so. The aisle was white marble, which Ethan had trucked in from somewhere, and the same lights that were above us had been strung along it.

A dance floor had been set up in front of the stage, and a huge white
tent for the reception was beyond that. Thousands more strands of clear lights lit both of them, and I loved the way Ethan’s vision had come to life. The tables and chairs in the tent were all elegantly draped in white satin and lilies made up the centerpieces throughout. Fine white china plates and sterling silverware wrapped in white linen napkins sat at the head of the buffet line as people in white uniforms awaited our arrival.

My dad put his arm through mine and asked if I was nervous. I shook my head, but couldn’t shake the huge, cheesy smile that had been plastered on my face so long it was starting to hurt. “I’ve never been more relaxed in my life,
Dad. I’m marrying my best friend, a man who shows me how a husband should treat his wife every day.” My dad’s face lit up and a smile as big as mine came over it.

“Your mom and I love Ethan like a son. He’s everything we’d always hoped you’d have someday, and more.” I knew that already, because they’d told me that several times before, but at that moment, it made me even prouder to become his wife.

I kissed Dad on the cheek and we watched as each pair stepped out onto the marble aisle. First, Carly and Joey; she dropped real flower petals and he carried a little satin pillow with the gold rings attached. Jo and Sean were next; they both looked over at me and winked before they started their walk to the front. Dana and Trey were both giddy as they met up, and then slowly began making their way to my soon-to-be husband. Lastly, our maid of honor and best man, Lill and Pete, stepped together like only they could. You could see the love radiating from them. They glanced over at me, tears in both their eyes, and nodded approvingly.

After a few moments, the music changed. “That’s our cue,”
Dad said. He squeezed my arm. We stepped onto the marble aisle and turned to face the hundred or so friends and family who were standing now, waiting for us to walk. My eyes followed the aisle, all the way to the front, where they met the most amazing man I’d ever known. My knees got weak, as they still did every time I looked at him. He looked sexier than I’d ever seen him. My butterflies went crazy. His tux was all white and fit him like a glove.
Mmm.
He blushed at the same time I did and our smiles turned to naughty grins for a second. He still had the same effect on me a year later, and I knew it’d still be there in fifty more.

Our eyes were locked when my dad handed me o
ver to him. Ethan shook his hand and I gave him a kiss. I handed my bouquet to Lill so I could hold both of his hands the entire time. I was lost in him, and he was lost in me. We were the only two people there, no one else existed. He kept whispering things to me while the preacher was talking. “You’re so beautiful,” and “I love you so much,” and “I’ve never been as happy as I am right now.” After the third time he whispered, the preacher cleared his throat. It startled us, and we had to hold in our giggles. We got lost in each other again while we said our vows. I meant every word, and he knew it. He meant every word, and I knew it.

“I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride
.”

Ethan took my face in his hands and said, “It would be my pleasure.” He kissed me slow and sweet, just like a husband should kiss his wife. Then he leaned me down and kissed me hard and seductively, just like a husband should kiss his wife.

We couldn’t be apart for more than two seconds the rest of the night. We knew we had the rest of our lives to spend together, but we were like magnets, our guests would have to pry us from each other to get a moment with us individually. Finally, they realized it was a lost cause, so they let us be in our own little world.

While we danced to “What You Give
,” I whispered to him, “I can’t wait to show you what I’m wearing under this dress.”

“Tell me
.” His eyes were hungry.

I raised my eyebrows teasingly.

“Please,” he begged.

I smiled
. “Your favorite outfit from Victoria’s Secret, only in white.”

He threw his head back
. “Mmm. I’ll be putty in your hands.”

“We should’ve tried to refrain from sex
for longer than two days before our wedding,” I told him. Then we both laughed hysterically. Our original plan was to go sex-free for two weeks before, so it would be special on our wedding night. Well, that turned into ten days, then one week, then five days, finally we decided it was special every time, so it didn’t matter.

As soon as the last guest left, we grabbed a bottle of champagne and headed for the house. Ethan picked me up, carried me over the threshold
, and took me straight to my spot on the counter. Lucky was excited to see us and jumped around playfully with Ethan as he tried to pour two glasses of champagne. I laughed as Ethan coaxed him out to his huge fenced-in yard with a treat.

We held up our glasses and Ethan made a toast. “To my wife, the love of my life, my everything.” We clinked our glasses
. Ethan took a swallow of his, and I gulped mine down in an instant. “Why, Mrs. Lockwood, are you in a hurry for something?” He always teased me about my lack of patience.

“
Well, yes, Mr. Lockwood, I am.” I’m sure he was expecting a dirty little something like I’d normally have said, but I surprised him. “My someday finally got here, and I’m anxious to start my happily ever after.” His face turned soft and he set his champagne down. He picked me up off the counter and carried me to our bed, never taking his eyes off mine.

We made love until the sun came up. It was the most amazing night of our lives and the beginning to what turned out to be a
very
happily ever after.