Running my fingers over his knuckles, I look up at him through a lust-filled haze and nod in reply. Being around him for hours on end and only getting to look at him in his suit without getting to touch him the way I’d like has been torture.
We tell the group where we’re headed and where they should meet us in thirty. As we’re making our way out, I see Jax and Walker whispering, and I definitely wouldn’t put it past them to have something up their sleeves for later.
My grandmother opens the door to their hotel suite and asks, “Is everything okay? We weren’t expecting to see you until morning.”
My giddy smile must reassure her, but just in case, I tell her, “All is well. Perfect, actually. Where are Gemma and Gunner? We’ve got some news to share with you all.”
“They’re just eating dinner with us. Come on in.” My grandmother waves us in and we follow her down the hall to their kitchen and dining room.
“Scar! Benny!” Gunner shouts as he tumbles off his chair and runs straight into Bennett’s arms. “What are ya doing? Thought we were having a slumber party here tonight.”
“You still are, Champ, but Scar and I have some news to share.” As Bennett holds Gunner, I turn to face my grandparents and Gemma.
Clearing my throat, I announce, “Bennett and I have decided we’d like to elope tonight. We would love it if the four of you would join us as witnesses to our ceremony.”
My grandmother gasps and claps her hands together. “Oh, Scarlett! That’s lovely news. We’d be thrilled!” She stands from the table and wraps me in her arms.
“We’re still planning to do a reception in Paris,” I tell them. “We just didn’t want to wait that long tobe married.”
“That sounds lovely, Firefly,” my grandfather says, and hearing his approval nearly brings me to tears. I hadn’t thought of it until just now, but I realize a huge benefit of us getting married is that he’ll be in the right frame of mind. Who knows how much his dementia will steal from us by the time July comes around. He wraps me in his arms and I bask in his embrace, sending a silent prayer that he’ll be able to join us in July.
“Love you, Pop Pop,” I say through the emotion squeezing my throat.
He pulls back and takes my hands in his. “Love you more, Firefly. Now let’s get you married.”
Gemma comes barreling over to me and Bennett and wraps us in a group hug with Gunner still in Bennett’s arms. “Family hugs for the win,” Gemma says and my heart swells.
I pull Gemma in for a hug just the two of us and ask, “Will you be my maid of honor, Gems?”
She rolls her eyes at me. “As if I’d ever let you ask anyone else. Of course!”
While the four of them get changed, we tell them to meet us at the chapel so we have time to make a quick stop at a jewelry store down the strip.
“This place has to make a killing,” Bennett murmurs as we walk into the jewelry store only a block away from the chapel.
“I’m sure it does. We’re most definitely not the first to make a last minute decision to get married here and be in dire need of rings.”
“So, what are your thoughts on me having two rings? One for everyday use and then a silicone one for when I’m on the ice?” Bennett asks me as we sit with a salesperson.
“I love that,” I tell him as we browse through their selection of tungsten and then silicone rings for him. He decides on a charcoaltungsten ring and a black silicone one. I, on the other hand, have no clue what my wedding band should look like.
“How about this one?” Bennett asks, holding up a gold band with intricate marquise and round-cut diamonds in a half eternity band. “It kind of looks like a tiara a princess would wear but for your finger,” he says as he holds it up for me to try on, which has me giggling at his description.
I slide it onto my finger, noting how it fits perfectly, and admire it next to my elongated cushion-cut engagement ring. “They look like they were made for each other,” I admit.
“You’re tossing me a beach ball with that one, aren’t you?”
I wrinkle my brow in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Come on, you can’t say that and expect me not to say ‘kinda like us.’”
“God, have you always been this cheesy?”
“Never in my life.” He shakes his head in spite of himself.
“You’re right—you’re the perpetual grump turned down bad simp.”
“Should I put that in my vows?” he muses.
