Society Weddings (Corrigan & Co. Book 11) Read online

  “She’s not kidding,” Reina says, coming up behind me to hug me as well.

  “Thanks. I mean it.”

  “You’re welcome. Now let’s get you ready.”

  * * *

  Zack

  I’m standing on the field, waiting for Ains. There’s no countdown clock, and this is definitely not a baseball diamond, but I still feel like Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed. Despite knowing it’s irrational, I can’t help worrying that she won’t come out onto the field. I may be cocky to everyone else, but I know I’m the lucky one in this relationship. I also know I messed up when we were first getting together. A. Lot.

  “Knock it off, Zack,” my dad says from where he’s standing next to me as my best man.

  “What?”

  “Stop psyching yourself out. Ainsley is here, and she’s going to be walking out onto this field in just a few minutes. That’s going to happen.”

  “You’re sure.”

  “1000%. That girl loves you.”

  “I love her, too.”

  “I know. She’s perfect for you.”

  She is. Before I can agree with him, the music starts. My sister Sierra comes out of the tunnel first, followed by the Society women. They’re all in short, strapless dresses made of different colored swirls of purple fabric. Instead or flowers, they’re holding bouquets of “football roses” which are pieces of pigskin shaped to look like roses. When Stella showed them to me, I was mad that I hadn’t bought any for Ains before. She convinced me that the wedding was the perfect place to present them to her, so I calmed down.

  I’m not at all calm once the Wedding March begins, and Ainsley and her dad appear at the mouth of the tunnel. She’s in a cool pink dress. Yeah, I said pink. Never fucking expected that, but damn does it look perfect on her. She’s carrying the deep purple Calla Lilies I picked for her, and I can barely breathe. She’s here. She’s mine, and she’s here.

  I see the excitement and joy on her face when the surprise Scott helped me with materializes in front of us. There are all of the living actors from the Star Wars movies, good and bad, male and female, old and new. They’re in costume, holding light sabers over the aisle for her. She covers her mouth, and I see her crying. I paid all of my endorsement money for the year to get them here, but it’s totally worth it.

  I barely register her dad placing her hand in mine as I feel tears prickling in my eyes. “You look gorgeous.”

  “So do you. Thank you for this. All of this.”

  I shake my head. “This is for us. Both of us.”

  “The Star Wars was for you?”

  “Okay. Most of it is for both of us,” I tell her with a laugh, which she returns.

  We face my coach, who got ordained just so he could do this for me. Our wedding may not be traditional, but our vows are. We make our promises, and then I kiss her, soft and sweet. “I love you, Mrs. Taylor.”

  “I love you, Mr. Taylor.”

  We take all of the pictures we need to, and then I lead her to the locker room for her next surprise. I had custom jerseys made for us to wear, along with jeans. Our wedding party will be wearing them, too, because I want us all to be comfortable at the reception.

  “Oh my God, they’re perfect.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I also had Stella get us a huge plate, so we can share without getting seconds.”

  “Everything is perfect, Zack. Really perfect.”

  “It is when we’re together.”

  “Good thing we’ll be together forever, then, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. It really is.”

  Faith & Gavin

  Gavin

  “You look like you’re going to throw up,” my friend Jake Mason tells me, as I look at the text on my phone.

  “What? Oh, um, no. Just wedding stuff.”

  “It can’t be that bad, man,” one of my other friends, Caleb Hall says. “Faith is a cool chick.”

  “She is. It’s just not easy to mix her grandparent’s customs with the modern wedding she wants.”

  “Does she want a traditional wedding?” Jake asks.

  “Yes, and no,” I tell him honestly.

  We’re hanging out, drinking beers, and catching up while our women are out planning weddings. Well, Tegan’s not planning a wedding since she’s already married to Caleb, but she’s there for support. The women of the Society have more connections and resources than anyone on this planet, but planning eight weddings, all within a few months is still a lot for them to pull together. Especially since they can’t just abandon their regular work to focus on everything else. All of the guys have offered to help, but for the most part, they’ve told us they’ve got it taken care of. My number just got called, though, and I need to step up, and step in.

  “I need to call Faith’s grandfather. Can you guys excuse me for a few?”

  “Go on. And good luck,” Caleb tells me.

  I’m afraid that I’m going to need that luck, and more. Faith’s grandparents love me, but they also love the idea of a completely traditional Chinese wedding and reception. Faith wants some tradition, but she wants to do it her way. My brave warrior woman is afraid to disappoint the people she loves more than anyone but me, so she just told me she’s going along with them. I’ve never been one to shy away from a conflict, and I won’t start now. I press the name in my contacts, and hold takes some deep breaths.

  “Hello sir,” I say when he answers the phone.

  “Gavin, we just got off the phone with Faith. It’s wonderful to hear that you are happy to go along with our plans for the wedding and reception.”

  “We’re not, sir. I’m sorry to be so blunt, but Faith’s happiness is more important to me than anything. Having a completely traditional wedding will not make her happy.”

  He sighs before answering. “We know.”

  Excuse me? I hold my temper in check, and keep my voice calm. Years of training as a Senator’s son has prepared me for almost anything. “You do?”

  “Yes, Gavin.”

  “Then why have you been pushing her?”

  “We keep hoping she’ll push back. Before we…went away…she would stand up to us if she didn’t agree with what we said or did. Now, she just goes along with us. I know she feels guilt, but that is not hers to carry.”

  No, it is not. The guilt belongs to her stepfather, and a sadistic bitch. Both of whom are no longer breathing. Her mother holds some well-deserved guilt as well, but she’s truly sorry, and they’re working on their relationship. Her maternal grandmother is still alive, but if we never see her in person again, it will be too soon for Faith. Yeah, her family’s fucked up, but so is mine. My mother killed my father, and then went after Faith. The Society and I bought her off so she’d leave Faith alone, and while I could care less about the money, I would put a bullet in her head myself if she ever messed with my woman again. No question.

  “She’s not going to give you even an inch of pushback.”

  “We could tell her we hate you, and want her to break up with you,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.

  “Let’s not. I’m not 100% sure that she’d choose to fight for me again.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short. Faith’s love for you is strong and true. Just like yours for her is.”

  “I do love her, and we need to do something. We have to give her the wedding she wants.”

  “We will fly out to Las Vegas tomorrow and talk to her.”

  “Thank you,” I say, sighing in relief. “There’s something I’d like to do for Faith, and I need your help.”

  “Anything you need, Gavin. I’ll see you soon.”

  * * *

  Faith

  “Stop telling me everything will work out. Gav,” I yell out in frustration. “It won’t. Not with this.”

  “If you’re not happy with having a traditional wedding and reception, why don’t you speak up?”

  “You know why.”

  “You are not
responsible for what happened to your grandparents.”

  I am, though. If I had just kept my mouth shut, those bastards wouldn’t have gone after them. I thank God every day for the Society saving them, but it doesn’t change the facts. If I had just taken my punishment quietly, saving them wouldn’t have been necessary.

  “Don’t. Just don’t.”

  “Don’t what? Try to talk some fucking sense into you? Don’t love you? What exactly is it that you don’t want? Me? Us?”

  Is that what he thinks? I can’t let him think that. I reach out and run my fingers over his cheek. “I know I’ve been crazier than usual lately, but don’t give up on me. Please, don’t give up on me.”

  “I’ll never give up on you,” he tells me softly. “But I can only be your whipping boy for so long before there’s nothing left of me.”

  My eyes fill with tears as he gets up and walks to his dresser. I don’t move as he pulls out a t-shirt and basketball shorts. “Where are you going?”

  “I need to clear my head. I’m going to the school for a little bit. I have some recipes I should work on before the next session starts.”

  Gavin opened a free cooking school for low income students after everything happened with his mom. It’s been open for almost two years, and he’s had to hire eight other chefs to keep up with the demand of students who want to learn. He always oversees the menus for each session, so I know he’s telling the truth about having work to do. But I also know he’s going there to avoid me. I deserve it after the way I’ve been acting, but it still hurts.

  “I could help,” I say, my voice wobbling a little.

  He hears that wobble, and immediately turns around. “I love you, Faith. Never doubt that. I just need a little time alone to get my head sorted out.”

  “Okay.” It’s not, but I’m responsible for what’s happening, so I can’t really argue. “I love you, too.”

  “I wouldn’t still be here if I didn’t know that. I’ll be back in a few hours. Try and get some rest.”

  He walks over and wipes away the tears falling from my eyes as he kisses me. I hold onto his wrists for a moment, not wanting to let him go. I know he’ll come back, but I still hate that he has to leave. I need to get my head together, and remember that it’s the marriage and not the wedding that’s important.

  I force myself to get up and take a shower after Gavin leaves. I can’t eat breakfast, though. Just the thought of food makes me ill. That alone tells me I’m making the wrong choices. I only stop eating—and cooking—when my life is in extreme turmoil. Times like now.

  There’s a knock at my door, and I brace myself for another lecture from one of my friends. They all agree with Gavin, telling me I should stand up to my grandparents and have the wedding of my dreams. They don’t understand, and I’m tired of trying to explain myself.

  When I open the door, it’s not my friends on the other side. “Grandfather? Grandmother? What are you doing here?”

  “We had no choice but to come here,” my grandfather says, squeezing my arm as they walk past me into the living room.

  “Why? I’m doing everything you ask of me?”

  “And that is the problem,” my grandmother says. “Where is the strong girl who stands up to us when she knows we are wrong?”

  “You’re not wrong.”

  “Yes, we are. You don’t want a fully traditional wedding, and we don’t really want that for you either,” my grandfather tells me.

  “What?”

  “We wanted you to finally stand up to us again. You are not to blame for what happened, Faith, and we were hoping if we pushed you on this, you’d finally be yourself with us again,” my grandmother explains.

  “But instead, you are pushing Gavin away because you are so unhappy.”

  I turn to my grandfather. “You’ve talked to Gavin? Did he make you come here and say these things?” If he did, we are going to have a problem. A big problem.

  “You really think I would threaten your grandparents in any way?” Gavin asks, standing in the doorway, looking angrier than I’ve ever seen him look before.

  I’m too far gone in my guilt and pity party to recognize that I’m still pushing him too far, so I just keep going. “There’s no other explanation as to why they’d come here and say these things to me.”

  “If you truly believe that, then there’s no reason for us to get married.”

  No. Oh my God, no. “You don’t mean that.”

  “Yeah, Faith I do. I can’t marry a woman who would rather accuse me of wanting to hurt the people she loves than face the truth. You are punishing yourself for things that aren’t your fault, and until you accept that you’re human and can’t control everything in everyone’s life, we don’t have a future.”

  “I don’t like ultimatums.”

  “And I don’t like being marginalized by the woman I love. Again.”

  Have I done that? Yeah, I have. “I’m sorry.”

  “So am I.”

  “Please don’t leave me. We can put off the wedding if you want, but please don’t break up with me.”

  I know it’s not PC or very liberated of me, but right now I don’t care. I may be a mess about everything else, but I know that I’m a strong, kick-ass woman. And I also know that I need Gavin. Not to fill some part of my life that society thinks he should, but because I love him. I don’t need a man to define me, but I need the one who completes me.

  “I don’t want to put off the wedding. Hell, I’d run to the nearest chapel and have Elvis marry us right now. But I can’t fight the ghosts who are holding you hostage. I’m just a man. A mere mortal.”

  “You’re everything to me. I’ll run with you to that chapel if you need me to prove it to you.”

  “You’d do that? What about your grandparents?”

  I turn to look at them, seeing that they look as scared as I feel. I know they love Gavin. “I’m going to marry Gavin today. We can try to find a Chinese looking chapel.”

  They nod, and then I’m pulled into a strong set of arms. “I don’t need to get married today. I just need you to be happy on our wedding day. Happier than you’ve ever been before.”

  I tell him the truth. “Every day with you makes me happier than I’ve ever been before.”

  * * *

  Gavin

  Saying that the last few weeks have been crazy would be an understatement. Once Faith admitted that she deserved her dream wedding, it was full steam ahead. With all of her friends rallying around her, Faith has pulled it off. And so have I. I have some surprises for her, and I can’t wait for her to see them.

  I stop in the kitchen at Cyndi’s Vegas home, which she offered us for the wedding. She still lives in Chicago, but she bought this place when Corrigan & Co. moved its headquarters here. It’s got a lush, beautiful garden, despite being in the middle of the desert, and Stella has turned it into Faith’s dream. I looked out the back windows when I walked in, and saw Chinese lanterns and modern centerpieces. Once I check on the food, I’ll take a closer look at everything else.

  “Is everything going okay?” I ask Levi. He was one of the first teens to graduate from my cooking program, and now he works for us part-time while he attends college.

  “Yeah, man. It’s pretty much perfect. We all know how important the food is for you and Faith. We’ve got this.”

  “I know you do. Thank you.”

  “Nothing to thank me for. You know how much you’ve helped me with your program. This is the least I can do,” he tells me with a smile. “Your ingredients are all ready for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  I greet the other guys and girls working in the kitchen. It really does mean a lot to me to have my students and former students prepare the appetizers and meal Faith and I created for tonight. Her grandfather should be here soon to help me with what I want to create. It’s a special meal for the two of us, one that will mean more than just something good to eat.

  “Sorry I’m late, Gavin. Traffic was horrible,”
Faith’s grandfather says, rushing into the room.

  “It’s fine. I have everything prepped. We just need to put it together, and then I can go and get changed. Wouldn’t want to keep Faith waiting at the altar.”

  “No. We definitely don’t want that.”

  We work together, with him showing me how to do the things I’m not sure of, and me doing the same with him. When it’s done, we both take a few bites, and decide that everything is, in fact, perfect.

  “Thank you for helping me with this.”

  “Of course. This dinner is something very special for both you and Faith. She will be very touched that you thought of this.”

  I hope so. I don’t have time to dwell on whether she will or not as I hurry through getting ready. I change into my suit, and dress shoes, before heading out to take my place under the elaborate arch that’s been erected. As I turn towards the assembling crowd, I see that Faith has had photos of our fathers placed on chairs in the front row. I also notice her mother is already seated, and we smile at each other. Faith’s grandparents will be walking her down the aisle to me, and as I hear the music for the bridesmaids starting, I turn to the men next to me and smirk, knowing they’re all anxious to see their ladies.

  There is no best man and no maid of honor. Our friends are equally important to us, and we weren’t going to try and pick one to have a special place of honor. Faith’s girls have been with her for years, and their guys have become my best friends. It’s an honor for us that they want to share the special night with us, and as I see Alex start down the aisle in a white dress, I wonder what else Faith has in store for tonight. I can’t wait to find out.

  * * *

  Faith

  In a traditional Chinese wedding, the bride will change at least twice. She starts with a red dress, changes to an “Western” white dress, and then wears a ball gown. Because I’m me—more modern than traditional—I flipped this part of the tradition on its head. I’m wearing a deep maroon dress that is almost purple for the wedding. It’s sleeveless lace from my collarbone to my thighs, with sheer organza falling from there to trail behind me on the floor. My bridesmaids are the ones in white. Sleeveless organza dresses with some swirling pattern on them. Their dresses start at the neck, and after a fitted top half with an overlay, they flare out a little. Not exactly to a princess silhouette, but not mirroring my own, either. After the ceremony, I’ll change into a fire engine red gown. It’s also sleeveless, with a mix of shiny fabric with a subtler satin pattern, ending in layers of tulle from thigh to floor. I’m still covering all the bases, just not in the expected way. Totally me.