Oh, no, I was getting a weird vibe as my cheeks grew warm. I swallowed hard and took another gulp from my glass. She knew, she knew, she knew.
My eyes darted around the room. I needed to say something. “Daisy, have I told you how much I love, uh, the, um, way you display your broccoli in that basket?” Dear God, I sounded like a fruit loop. “I mean, most people would put them in a drawer, but you have it right there on the counter. Very cool.”
I chugged the rest of my drink, hoping Zoey would reappear soon.
She smiled and patted my hand. “Honey, you’re fine. I don’t know anything for sure, and I’m not asking. But I know my boy.”
Shit, shit, shit!
She laughed. “Calm down. I just wanted to tell you that in only a few days, there’s a peace within him I haven’t seen before.”
I had no words.
“Jax has always had a little wall up. It comes from all he went through as a child before he was with me, and I’ve never been able to crack that shell entirely. He’s carried himself all his life like someone who is ready for a punch. Waiting for someone to hurt him and his guard is always up.”
Still, no words.
“It’s none of my business, but I wanted to let you know one thing.”
Was this it? Was gun-toting bridezilla going to take me out for rolling around with Jax?
“His peace is because of you.” Her head nodded. “He hasn’t had that before, and he goes hard after what he needs; he has since he was a little boy.” She ran her finger around the top of her champagne glass. “I want you to know that he will fight for you, Madison. Andnobodyfights like Jax.”
I didn’t know what to do with that. I felt her eyes boring into me, and nearly whipped a cartwheel when Zoey finally entered the house, saving me from further conversation.
I was relieved when Zoey and Daisy chatted on and on while the make-up artists did their thing, while at the same time my mind circled around Jax over and over again.
Once the beautification was complete, I stood in front of the mirror in my bedroom, wearing my bridesmaid dress. It was deep burgundy, and long. Of course, it had a plunging neckline because it was Daisy’s wedding, after all. The dress looked fabulous on Zoey, but it required some work for me, even after the fitting a few days ago. I was relieved Zoey had an extra push-up bra, but even with that, it required a fair amount of tissues tucked in just the right places to pull it off.
The ladies downstairs did a phenomenal job with my hair and make-up, which looked flawless. My hair was in a half up-do and curled in the back. I liked it so much I took a picture of it in case I needed a new look for the future. And for my Instagram followers.
Zoey and I poured Daisy into her dress, which was a full blown ball gown that was skin tight on the top and covered with bling, bling, and more bling. She looked beautiful and was giddy when we zipped her up and helped her with her veil.
“I tell you what. I never, in a million years, thought I’d be blessed with a man like your daddy. And don’t you worry a bit. I’ll always take care of him.”
She was beaming.
“Girls, I’d kill anyone for that man. I came into this world kicking and screaming, covered in someone else’s blood, and I have no problem going out the same way.”
Not what I expected from the blushing bride, but right, wrong, or otherwise, I felt my dad was in good hands with this one.
Ten minutes later, a car pulled up out front, and we helped Daisy and her huge-ass gown into the backseat.
We arrived at the church, greeted by flowers everywhere. At a glance, one may not be certain if it was a wedding or funeral, but she’d pulled off whatever her vision was.
Daisy, Zoey, and me, along with a flower girl from hell, stood outside the sanctuary behind a door. I peeked inside to see what appeared to be the entire town waiting for Daisy and my dad to be united forever.
Or at least until someone pissed off Daisy because, apparently, she could easily be pushed into a gun-toting maniac if she deemed it necessary. Aerosmith’s song ran through my head, but it was now “Daisy’s Got a Gun.” It made me laugh.
Piano music filled the church, and I looked back to see Zoey adjusting her girls and Daisy putting on a thick coat of frosted pink lipstick before tucking the tube down her cleavage.
I didn’t know who Anna the flower girl (Spawn of Satan) belonged to, but she kept dumping her rose petals on the floor, and when I’d bend down to pick them up, she’d beat me with her little basket. Geez, what was her damage? I was trying to be cool, but she was starting to really piss me off.
The door in front of us opened, and all eyes turned to the back of the church. In front of the altar were my dad, Austin, and Jax. Jax was so drop-dead gorgeous in his tux, it was almost sinful.
The flower girl started to walk down the aisle, but instead of dropping the flower petals on the floor, she was throwing handfuls in the faces of the guests, giggling as she went by. The innocence of a child, my ass.
As I started to stroll down the aisle, my gaze locked with Jax’s. He had a grin on his face while I felt my damn cheeks catch fire yet again. Images of the past days streamed through my mind. From him being all lit up on edibles and the fireworks any time he touched me, to the arrival of Grant and my she-shed, I felt like I’d been living a dream on steroids.
