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Chapter Forty Three

By the time we took pictures outside of the Plantation House, formed a receiving line and mingled in general, it was six o’clock. Nick pulled out my chair and we all took seats at the head table.

White twinkle lights were everywhere. The mermaid/turquoise theme had been brought inside. Turquoise sashes hung from the ceiling. Our centerpieces were large white floating candles with yellow roses interloped with turquoise ribbon.

“I had the waiter switch our champagne with sparkling grape juice at the last minute,” Nick whispered in my ear. “I don’t think anyone will notice the difference.”

I smiled and nodded. My fingertips ran around the rim of the glass.

I couldn’t help but think as I looked over to our parents table that it was extremely shitty that Jane didn’t show up for the wedding. I don’t care how much I fought with my children; I wouldn’t want to miss one of the biggest days of their life.

“Don’t worry about it,” Nick said, reading my thoughts. “I have all that I need in this room.”

The servers came out in groves and over the next few minutes, our salads and entrees were laid out. Our guests had an option of lobster or steak. I had chosen steak; Nick had chosen lobster. I watched as he tucked a giant plastic bib into the collar of his dress shirt. He caught my eye.

“What? I don’t want to get butter on my tux!”

I laughed. I saw the photographer snapping pictures. Nick’s lobster bib was going to live on forever.

I hadn’t taken but one bite of my steak when the sound of silverware hitting glassware rang through the room. Nick had just taken a bite of lobster. He looked up confused.

“Kiss, dummy!” AJ said, tapping his knife against his champagne glass.

Nick swallowed quickly; I kissed him softly. I could taste the butter on his lips as I pulled away. Everyone applauded and we went back to dinner.

Unfortunately, Mason thought banging on a glass was the best game ever invented. Every five minutes he was clinking his glass and he was so cute that at least two or three other people would chime in.

“If they keep this up we’re going to be eating dinner all night,” Nick whispered to me. “Not that I mind kissing you, but still.”

I laughed. “It’s okay, I understand. I think I’ve tasted more of your lobster than I have my steak.”

Finally, with barely half our meal finished, the waiters came out and took our plates. Nick looked sadly at the food as it was taken away. Fortunately, he didn’t have a lot of time to dwell. Kevin tapped his glass and stood up.

For someone who hadn’t known he was going to be best man until minutes before the wedding, he had still come prepared.

“Nick, Nick, Nick. Where do I begin?” Kevin said. Nick smiled up at him. “I’ve known Nick since he was twelve years old. He’s probably the most immature, disgusting booger I could have ever been stuck living with.”

Nick made a face.

“But, underneath all of that there has emerged over the years a guy with an enormous heart and a gentle soul. When he pulled me aside at a video shoot a year ago and told me that he had found “the one”, I had a hard time believing him...until I saw the way Nick and Liv looked at each other. There’s just something about you two that clicks. I can honestly say that I think after many years of searching and many, many girls later that you, my friend, have found your soul mate. And for that, I want to wish the both of you a warm congratulations. I wish you many happy years together.”

Kevin lifted his glass. “Cheers.”

Nick clinked my glass and gave me a wink.

“Cheers,” I whispered softly.

“Cheers,” Nick whispered back.

Angel tapped her glass and stood up.

“I’ve known Nick, well, all my life. There have been times in my life when I’ve hated his guts. Like the time he pushed me off of our pontoon boat and I broke my front tooth. He told dad that Jaws attacked me.”

Nick laughed and nodded sheepishly.

“But there have been many more times that I’ve been honored to call him my brother. Today is one of those days. A few years ago he confided in me that he feared he would never meet a woman that would love him for who, not what, he is. I could tell the moment that I met Liv that this was the real thing. I am so honored to have Liv as my sister and I want to thank her for bringing light back into my brother’s eyes.” She lifted her glass. “To Nick and Liv.”

I lifted my glass. I was trying my best not to let a tear fall. Nick touched his glass to mine; he looked up at Angel.

“Love you, Ang,” he said warmly. She blew him a kiss and sat down. I leaned over and gave her a hug.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

“I mean every word,” she said sincerely.

My mom and Bob both delivered speeches, thanking everyone for coming. They had obviously been comparing notes on stupid things Nick and I had done when we were kids. To show just how much we were meant for each other, Nick and I had both drawn all over ourselves with permanent marker when we were little. In my case, I had just seen a Reading Rainbow episode about Indians and I thought their war paint was cool so I tried to copy it. In Nick’s case, he wanted a tattoo and he couldn’t think of a better way than with permanent marker.

“This is what we get to look forward to,” Nick whispered. “If both of us have done something stupid, that stupidity’s getting passed onto Brooklyn.”

I laughed. “Not if we only buy washable markers.”

Nick’s eyes sparkled. “True.”

As Bob sat down, Nick tapped his glass and stood up.

“On behalf of Liv and I, we’d like to thank you all for coming here today and sharing this special day with us. Special thanks go out to our parents because without you we wouldn’t be here today,” Nick grinned and raised his glass. I laughed as we all gave a salute to the parent’s table. My mom gave me a thumbs up.

“I also want to thank the bridal party for providing their support and love not only today but every day of our lives. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.”

AJ stood and took a bow. Rochelle looked at him like he was crazy.

“And last but not least, I want to raise a toast to my wife. Livvy, not to go all Jerry Maguire on you, but you do complete me. I am an incredibly lucky man. You have graced my life not only with your amazing heart and soul, but you’ve also given me the most beautiful daughter a man could ever hope to have. To quote the amazing band Journey, my search is over, you were with me all the while.”

I stood up and kissed him softly.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“I love you,” he whispered back. He took his seat. I picked up my glass. They had saved probably the worst speech maker for last. I looked out at the crowd and then back at Nick. As long as I concentrated on Nick I could get through it.

“I’d like to make a toast to my husband, Nick. You’ve put up with my crying spells, my chocolate cravings you’ve waited patiently while I’ve changed my clothes for the 100th time, and you still decided you wanted to do it forever. I still can’t believe I’m standing here today with you, but I can’t imagine any other place I would want to be.”

I took a deep breath and unfolded a small piece of paper.

“I’ve spent a few days looking through poetry books trying to find the absolute perfect words to describe how I feel about my love for you. This poem is for you.”

I love you like I love a day when everything goes right
I love you like I love to lay and watch the stars at night
I love you like I love the rain its lustful calm embrace
I love you like I love to laugh until it hurts my face
I love you like I love to drive with no real destination
I love you like I love the thrill of pure infatuation
But most of all I love you like I love a cherished friend
Who holds me tight, dries my tears and loves me to the end

I made it to the end, but I still began to cry. Nick stood back up, wrapping his arms around me tightly. He pressed his face into my hair. When he pulled away I could feel wet teardrops on my hair.

“You’re a big reservoir of saline,” Nick said cupping my face. I laughed as he brushed away my tears. “You’re rubbing off on me.”

I smiled. “That’s alright. I like a man who can cry.”

At that moment, our DJ for the evening called us out to the dance floor. Nick took my hand and led me outside. I took a moment to look around in awe. The outdoor dance floor overlooked the ocean. Valeria had carried out the wedding theme outside. Lights twirled around the railings and turquoise and yellow lanterns hung from the support beams.

When we had made it to the center of the dance floor, Nick wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. My arms looked around his neck.

“So, Mrs. Carter,” Nick whispered. “I seem to remember someone tell me a long time ago they can’t dance. I hope you’ve changed your mind since then.”

My smile widened. My fingers ran over the back of his hair. “I think I’ll make an exception tonight.”

I had let Nick pick out our wedding song. The first few notes of Journey’s Faithfully began to play. In all honesty, we could have had the Hokey Pokey for our wedding song. Once I looked into Nick’s eyes and we began to dance, everything, even the music faded away. I felt a strong sense of relief and accomplishment. The weeks of stress and worry faded away like chalk being washed off of the sidewalk. I felt my whole body relax. .

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give it up for Nick and Olivia Carter!” the DJ said as the song ended. Everyone burst into loud applause. Nick dipped me and kissed me softly.

For the next hour or so after our first dance, things were a blur. There were so many guests, so many people that I had never met before, that I got pulled from one group to another. After awhile the faces became a blur. For a good deal of that time, I was separated from Nick as he got pulled in opposite circles. After awhile, I scooped up my dress and snuck back into the hall as everyone partied outside.

Compared to the noise outdoors, the room felt startlingly quiet. I sank down into a chair and rubbed the heel of my foot.

“Great minds think alike.”

I jumped in surprise and looked up towards the head table. Nick was sitting in one of the chairs, using another to prop up his feet. His tux jacket was gone as were his shoes and socks.

“Is it against proper protocol for the bride and groom to hide out at their own wedding?” I asked with a grin. Nick laughed.

“Even if it was, I don’t give a damn,” Nick said. He patted his lap. “C’mere.”

With a laugh I stood up and made my way over to him. He gently pulled me down on his lap. His hands ran the length of my dress.

“This dress is sexy,” he declared. His fingers played with the thin straps criss-crossing my back. “How long do you think it’s going to take me to get you out of it?”

A rush of pleasure coursed through my body. “Who said I was going to let you take it off?”

His eyes darkened. “Who said I was going to ask for permission?”

His head lowered to my neck as his hands moved in concentric circles along the bare skin of my back. Compared to the warm, muggy evening outside, the delicious shiver from the air conditioned skin made his touch just that much more erotic. As he came up for breath, my lips pressed against his own. I heard a low moan start from the back of his throat.

“A-hem.”

“A-hem.”

“A-hem.”

It took three loud coughs before I realized someone else was in the room. Nick held onto my bottom lip for just a second before both of us turned. Howie was standing there sheepishly holding up his cell phone.

“I just thought you guys might want to know that Brian just called.”

Nick bounced me back up to a sitting position. My hands rested on his shoulders for support.

“I’m guessing that means the baby’s here?” Nick said with a smile.

“Kayleigh Danielle Littrell,” Howie said, grinning. “Six pounds, one ounce. Eighteen and a half inches long. Born about twenty minutes ago.”

I looked up at the clock. It was nine o’clock.

“How’s Leigh?” I asked.

“Mom, baby, and freaked out dad are doing well,” Howie responded with a laugh. He looked around the room. “How are you guys doing in here?”

I blushed. Nick’s arms tightened around me.

“Perfect.”

Howie snorted. “Well, they’ve been calling you guys to the dance floor for the last ten minutes to do the garter and bouquet toss.”

My eyes widened. “They have?”

Howie slid his phone back into his pocket and began to walk towards the door. “Yup. Of course, I can tell them you’ve started the honeymoon early…”

I slid off Nick’s lap. He stood up, shaking down the legs of his pants.

“We’re coming out,” Nick said rather reluctantly. “Just hold your horses.”

Howie paused. “Hey speaking of horses…AJ and I are giving you two a mission.”

“A mission?” I asked.

“You two have to get the garter and bouquet to Kevin and Addy.”

Nick grinned and rolled his arm like a baseball pitcher. “I’ll do my best.”

Howie winked and headed back outside. I frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

I sighed.

“Nick, I can’t throw to save my life. I just chuck and pray. The word ‘aim’ is not in my dictionary.”

He laughed as we walked towards the door leading outside.

“Just do your best. The boys and I should be able to handle a small detail such as aiming.”

I smiled. “Well, if I’m not mistaken Mr. Carter, you have pretty good aim.”

He laughed and wrapped his arm around so that his hand was resting on my stomach.

“Yeah, I’m just good like that.”

I took his hand and twirled. By the time we made it out to the center of the floor, we were holding hands. I prayed I’d be able to get the bouquet to Addy.

Something told me that was going to be the hardest part of the whole evening.