No for what?!
Momma frowns as she asks the question I’m thinking, “Told him no for what, Jimmy?”
Looking away from momma, he smirks at me. “Well, your husband to be insists that he needs to see you… right now.”
What? Why?
Is he about to call off the wedding?
Panic must be written all over my face because Daddy shakes his head and laughs. “Oh no, baby. He’s not going anywhere. He just wants to see you for a few minutes.”
Momma snaps, “He can’t. It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding!”
Giggling, I shake my head. “Momma, we slept in the same bed last night…”
She glares at me, but her lips twist. “Oh, hush.” She turns to the room and tells everyone to get out for a few minutes, then tells Daddy to “go get that exasperating man.”
A few minutes later, his knock echoes at the door. It opens slightly as he calls out quietly, “Baby, can I come in?”
“Yeah, you can.” He walks in and his eyes widen. They start to glisten as he looks at me and his voice cracks. “Wow… you look amazing. You’re so beautiful, baby.”
I check him out, too. He looks so sexy. I nod and stare at him, my own eyes welling. “Back at you, handsome.”
Crossing the room, he takes my hands in his, linking our fingers. “I had to see you. Had to make sure you were actually going to marry me.”
Laughing at him, I squeeze his hands. Cocking my head, I look at him softly. “Of course I am. You think I’d get all dolled up like this if I wasn’t?!”
Leaning down, he kisses me softly, careful not to mess up my makeup. His lips are butterfly soft against mine as he whispers, “I love you.”
I whisper back, “I know and I love you, too.” Then, I remember. Squeezing his hand again, I say, “Wait… I have your gift. One sec.” Holding my dress I turn, grabbing envelope off the vanity and pass it to him with shaking hands.
He takes it and asks, “You want me to open it now?”
I nod and chew my lip as he breaks the glue seal. He reads the front of the card and his brows crease before he slowly opens it. His eyes widen and he drops the card as he holds the photo, staring at it and then at me. His voice is wondrous as he says, “Really? This is for real?”
Smiling, I nod. “It is. I took three tests this morning… All came back positive.”
Reaching out, he grabs me and pulls me to him, sweeping me off my feet and kissing me. I kiss him back with my hands cradling his cheeks. He leans back and grins at me. “You know people are going to talk when out pops Baby Carrington Number One in about nine months.”
Laughing, I smile at the man I love more than anything. He touches my still flat stomach with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on his face. “Oh, let them talk. Guess we’ll start filling those bedrooms pretty quickly…”
Another knock comes to the door and my Momma sternly says from the crack, “Ok, Blaze. Time to go. You’ll see her in thirty minutes! And, you better not have messed up her makeup or hair or I’m going to beat you with my shoe.”
Blaze’s momma yells as backup, “And, I’ll help her! Get out. Don’t you know you’re getting married in half an hour?!” The door opens and our mothers walk in followed by my bridesmaids.
Leaning down, Blaze kisses me once more before holding his hands up in surrender to all of the smirking women in the room. “Fine! I’m leaving.” He gets to the door and stops, turning to look back at me. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” My heart soars as I laugh. “Go, they’re not playing. I don’t want a husband who’s all black and blue.”
He winks and looks at me with complete love as he tucks the photo I gave him into the inside pocket of his tux before patting it and pressing it to his heart. “I’ll see you in thirty minutes, beautiful!”
As the door shuts behind him and everyone in the room starts fussing over me, I smile and mutter, “I’ll be there.”
