Текст книги "Katherine in Gold"

Автор книги: J. B. Hartnett

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Текущая страница: 14 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

Katherine

We didn’t need to rehearse anything. Ruby was my official wedding planner, and, between her and the moms, everything fell into place. I had no concerns or worries about the next day whatsoever. So, the gathering at our place was just that, a get-together with our close friends and family. No strippers required, and no one got shit-faced drunk. If Holst told me he wanted a night out with strippers…I’d like to think I was secure enough and cool enough to give him my blessing. But I knew I wouldn’t be. I suggested if he wanted to go see strippers or even have that male fantasy of a threesome, I could hang with that, but I needed to be involved one-hundred percent. Then I told him about the time a beautiful women hit on me at a bar and that was the night I tried eating pussy. This led to awesome sex with Holst, and he hadn’t brought it up again.

When everyone left with salutations of “see you tomorrow,” we spent the night before our wedding talking in bed, not about anything in particular, just…stuff. Holst decided we should play a game we always said we would, but hadn’t since that night at the pizza place.

“Where would you like to go? If you could go anywhere, where would it be?” he asked.

I thought for a few minutes then told him, “Disneyland.”

“Seriously?”

“I’ve never been before.”

“How can you live in Southern California and not go to Disneyland?”

“When I was really little, there just wasn’t time. Dad worked seven days a week, so the Mouse was never really in the cards. Then I was older, and, well…I just never went.”

“Baby,” he said against my shoulder. He didn’t need to elaborate. A kid from where I was from not going to Disneyland was very rare.

“How about you? Where do you want to go?”

I was sure he’d say something wild like an African safari…or Mars.

He turned and looked out the window. “I’d like to go to a cabin up in the mountains. Somewhere with a lake where I can make love to you all day, swim naked, look up at the sky at night and just…be. No noise, no smell of coffee grounds.” He chuckled and turned his head back to me. “Just us.”

As the wheels turned in my head, thinking I could make that dream come true for him, sooner rather than later, I had to giggle.

“Is that funny?”

“No. I thought you were going to say Mars.”

He turned to his side and lightly brushed his finger down the bandage on my wrist. “If I wanted to go to Mars, I’d just take us to the desert. At least there, we can walk around outside.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “And the one-way ticket to death on a flight that takes, what, a year? A little less? That’s a really long time to be on a plane. Just sayin’.”

He was quiet for a while. I didn’t pay attention to the length of time; I just lay there, letting my thoughts drift and wander while I listened to his breathing.

“Can’t wait to marry you tomorrow, Katherine.”

I put my hand on his chest, moving my fingers through the tendrils of hair. “It is tomorrow, H. Happy birthday, by the way.” I loved that our anniversary would be on his birthday.

“I’ll need energy to blow out candles and marry you.” He chuckled. “We better get some sleep,” he said and kissed my lips. “One more question though,” he said, not moving his mouth from mine.

“Okay.” I smiled and traced his bottom lip with my tongue.

“Did you and Frodo kiss today?”

Zack.

Troublemaker.

“It wasn’t like that, but yeah. Just lips, no tongue.”

It was dark, so I couldn’t see the expression on Holst’s face, but his silence and the fact he wasn’t moving freaked me out.

“Before you start concocting scenarios in your head…Frodo and I had…a moment. He told me some things about himself that were so personal…it made me understand who he is, but more than that, it made me want to just…I don’t know how to explain it. It was like…kissing the Pope’s ring. I’m not saying he’s a holy man or anything. He’s flawed, but he’s been through so much and still sees the good in people. So, when he finished my tattoos, I leaned down and kissed him on the lips. And also, that Zack has a big fuckin’ mouth.”

“Katherine,” he said softly and moved his thumb under my chin and jaw. “He told you because you’re going to be my wife. He doesn’t feel it’s fair for one partner to carry the burden of a secret without the support of the other.”

“You know?”

“Since he started going to meetings again.”

“I’d never betray you, Holst. Not ever.”

“I figured he must have told you. But the way Zack tells it is much more interesting, so I expect there’ll be talk around the campfire for years to come.”

“Oh, I’ll be having some fun at Zack’s expense. Mark my fucking words.”

Mark.

“The painting…that was amazing what he gave to us.”

“Yes, it was. Get some sleep, baby.”

“Love you, H.”

“Love you, Katherine.”

The next morning, we woke to pounding on our front door. As a rule, pounding on my front door sends me into a confused panic. Is it the cops? Did someone die? Is the car being towed? I know I didn’t win anything, because I never enter contests, so who the hell would be pounding on the door unless it was bad news?

Then, I did panic, because I suddenly remembered. “I’m getting married today!”

The pounding continued, but that didn’t stop me from scooting out of the covers, standing on the bed naked, holding my tits in each hand, and jumping up and down. “We’re getting married today!” I screamed at Holst, my voice a squeal, which was so unlike me, but I couldn’t help it. I was happy, and today, I was getting married.

“Come back down here.” Holst laughed, covering his crotch protectively with his hands.

“You come up here.” I laughed. “When do we ever jump on the bed naked? Then we can say, ‘Hey, remember the morning of our wedding, we were jumping on the bed naked?’”

“Fine.” He laughed with me and stood with his semi-erect cock finding a home between my legs.

“Good morning.” I winked.

“Kiss me,” he demanded, and as I did, I felt that semi go straight up hard, and it was awesome. In fact, so awesome, I’d completely forgotten about the pounding on the front door.

Holst had both hands gripped tight on my ass, kissing me deep. I had one hand on his ass, the other one between us around his shaft when I heard the voice of Cam say, “I brought you guys doughnuts and coffee, and, by the way, Kath…we’ll call this even. See you in three hours.”

“Lock the door and pocket that key,” I yelled out.

“If I don’t get my dick inside you right now, I’m gonna come on your thighs.”

“Awesome,” I said, and as soon as the front door closed, my fiancé backed up, still standing on the bed with the support of the wall, and slid inside of me.

“Put your foot on the headboard, baby.”

“Oh, this is fantastic,” I murmured and did as I was told. I closed my eyes as he thrust up and deep at the new angle. “So fantastic,” I repeated.

“Rub your clit. I’m gonna be quick.”

“Why?” I breathed. “Why quick?”

He stopped, planted inside me. Both of us panting in the heated moment. “That was Cam. My mom and your mom will be here any minute…and they both have a key,” he reminded.

“Yeah, quick, fuck me, quick.” I laughed.

And not long after, just as I cried out and came, Holst followed, and so did a hearty knock at our front door.

***

I stood, staring out the window of a Sunday school room, surrounded by women. My mother, my future mother-in-law, Becky, Tori, Dee, and Ruby. Ruby arranged for everyone to have champagne cocktails, and when a knock came at the door, I was calm as can be. We had only five or ten minutes until go-time, but I was Zen-bride. As my mother carefully opened the door, Cam stepped inside.

He looked so handsome. He was always good-looking, and there was a time when I would have loved nothing more than to take him home and keep him as a sex slave for a while. But, thankfully at that time, he was married, and when he wasn’t, he only had eyes for Tori…because, well, that would be awkward.

I asked Tori to be my matron-of-honor, but I had no other bridesmaids. I wanted everyone to have a good time, relax, eat, drink, and be freaking merry without the pressures of being a part of the bridal entourage. I had another reason for doing this though: Holst had asked Frodo to be his best man. I felt that, by releasing Dee from any bridesmaid duties, she wasn’t being constantly pushed in his direction, and later, when I told her that Frodo was best man, she thanked me. I was feeling guilty about it, not wanting to spell my reasons out, but she understood.

But Cam…he was dressed in a tuxedo. Black on black with a thin, gold tie and a cream rose in his lapel. He matched Holst and Frodo and carried a cake box from Shebang Meringue.

“Whatever’s in there is gonna be so damn good,” I said.

“Kath?” he said. “Would you do me the honor of allowing me to walk you down the aisle?”

My mom burst into tears. Loudly.

Tori shouted to her husband, also crying, “Love you so much right now, Brawny!”

I stared at Cam, his scruffy hot-guy look totally working for him with the tux. “I did not see this coming,” I whispered.

He raised one eyebrow and, with a smirk, asked, “Is that a yes?”

“Totally,” I replied. But I didn’t cry. I could not start crying now. “Dee? It’s time, babe.”

Lark made stunning accessories to match the gowns she designed. Tori’s wedding dress was phenomenal. No one had ever seen anything like it, because it was a bright, flamingo pink that started dark and lightened…like the petals of a rose, Cam had said. I loved her dress. It was totally her. But my dress was totally me. I wondered if Lark had some kind of crystal ball, but I knew for a fact she was a gun when it came to these accessories. She made cuffs that went around the stems of the bridal bouquet called cluster corsets. I ordered three: one for my bouquet of creamy roses and two for each wrist. I let the skin breath as long as I could, and now…

It was time.

Dee laced up each wrist corset, hand-embroidered with gold floral details. One cuff had a cursive H the other a cursive K. The very last thing to do was place a gold filigree crown on top of my head. The box of little cakes forgotten, it was Cam who pulled the parchment-colored tulle with golden sheen and stitching over my face and little crown. The gold pearl-drop earrings my mother bought were the final accessory. I’d almost forgotten them until she stepped up and lifted the veil so I could put them on.

“There,” she said, tears in her eyes. “Perfect.”

Then, I thought it was as good a time as any. “Mom…” I began.

“Nope. No way. I’m happy I’m here and a part of your life, finally. Go, Katherine…and be happy,” she said.

I turned to Tori, Dee, and Ruby. “Am I good?”

“Dude,” Tori whispered.

I smiled back and turned to Cam with a wink. “I’m good.”

He offered his bent arm, and I took it. The glimmering fabric with its golden tulle beneath whooshed as I walked. And out of the corner of my eye, I spied the lacy, golden top as it caught the afternoon sunlight and reflected on the windows of the hallway.

When the woman in charge gave the signal, we were ushered outside the church, around the back, and entered the front doors. A fussy baby girl, Nico’s daughter, Maree, was being rocked back and forth by him.

“It’s all arranged,” he told me covertly. “Truck is packed up. Lark and Teensy took care of everything. My neighbor’ll have it all ready for you guys.”

“Thank you, Nico. So, so much,” I told him.

The music started, and Tori took her place in front of me, wearing a beautiful gold satin A-line dress with the same shimmery tulle underneath. Her hair was up in big curls, and, with red lips, she looked like a million bucks.

I turned to Nico, who was rocking back and forth from one foot to the other, and asked, “I heard there was a story about that cabin. Can you tell me about it? I have about two minutes.” I laughed.

“Yeah.” He grinned. “I had a friend, a man. He saved me after someone beat the fuck out of me… Long story.” He smiled. “But he came to see me, and something about him, we just had a connection. He and his wife lost a son, and they owned that cabin. He left it to me before he died, with one condition…‘only bring your forever girl there.’ You’ll see what I mean, babe. It’s the kind of place you go to share with someone who has your heart.”

“Thanks, Nico,” I whispered, trying to contain my emotions.

“You’re up.” He nodded toward the door.

Cam held me tight and proud, and we began our ascent as the organ swelled. “This is a practice run for you. One day, you’ll be walking Lana up the aisle.”

“I hear she’s marrying a younger man,” he said.

I glanced over briefly to see his smile. I just tried not to fall, and focused on one step at a time, because, right there, not far from me, was Holst. Dapper didn’t even begin to describe how incredibly handsome he looked.

“Her marriage is already arranged?” I giggled.

“I was told by your soon to be husband the man’s name is Jack Ryan Rutherford? Did I get that right?”

I nodded and whispered, “Baby badass.”

Cam took my hand and gave it to Holst, who stood, stunned, not moving.

“You’re freaking me out,” I told him as quietly as I could.

“Please be seated,” the minister said to the congregation. “Sir?” he asked, shaking Holst from his stupor.

Then Holst came close to my ear and whispered, “The day in the bridal shop, I wanted this, Katherine. I could picture you standing here, but I never imagined you could be any more beautiful than you were that day, and yet…here you are.”

“Don’t make me cry,” I requested.

“Thank you for marrying me, Katherine.”

“You’re gonna make me cry.”

The minister leaned in to us and asked quietly with a smile, “Would you like me to make it official so you can commence with your tears?”

“Please.” Holst smiled back at him.

“Shall we begin?” The minister laughed, and the entire church laughed with him.

I told the minister where the ring for Holst was and the story behind the tattoos, which he thought was “a touching story and gesture” from a bride to her groom. I didn’t know about that, but I needed him to bless the ring or whatever, and tell Holst what to do.

“Do you, Katherine Loraine Symes, take Holst Rutherford to be your husband?” We didn’t think all the “for as long as you both shall live” crap was necessary. We knew we were in for the long haul. Sickness and health and rich and poor…that was all moot.

“Absolutely,” I replied. But later, everyone would say I shouted the word with great enthusiasm, and my mother commented her shock that the words “fuck” and “dude” hadn’t made it into our vows somehow.

“And Holst, will you take Katherine to be your wife?”

“Absolutely.” He grinned.

“You may place the ring on her finger. It’s symbolism, no beginning, no end, an eternal bond and commitment of your love for each other.”

It was then Holst placed the ring on my finger, a single band of gold that was right at home with the engagement ring.

“And Holst, now I would ask that you turn your bride’s hands over.”

His ring was tied to one of the cuffs. He smiled down and began to unlace the ribbon and release the ring. He placed it in my hand as the minister continued.

“Your bride gives to you, not only this ring to symbolize her eternal and unending love, but asks that you now remove the cuffs from her wrists.”

Holst’s eyes went to mine as he gingerly loosened the ribbons, and only when he’d pulled both of them off, his ring carefully waiting on my thumb, the minister said, “You may now give Holst his ring and your gift, Katherine.”

I took the ring from my thumb and slid it onto his finger. Holst turned my hands in his own, still holding my eyes, until he moved his thumbs down the raw skin and finally looked at the tattoos. I had two ankhs, the same as what Holst wore on his legs, but on a smaller scale. He would never forget the challenges he’d faced in his life, and I wanted him to know, I felt no shame, no judgement, only solidarity, only love, and only the belief that, like the ankh, my love for him was eternal.

He said nothing, but tears streamed down each cheek as I reached up and said gently, “I love you…so much, H. Kiss me. Kiss your wife.”

“You may kiss the bride.” The minister chuckled.

Holst let go of my hands but only for a moment, only long enough to lift the veil over my face.

“My Katherine,” he whispered.

“Your Katherine,” I confirmed.

And when his lips touched mine, the taste of salty tears and the touch of our tongues, I was happy for my new life. I was grateful for the pain of my past. And I was humbled by the power of true love. Because right then, with congratulatory hoots and laughter, my heart was full, and if I hadn’t experienced the others, I wouldn’t have appreciated the enormity of the love I shared with my husband.

Tori

Now, there’s sneaky, and there’s sneaky, and people who know me, know I’m not very good at sneaky. Not only that, I’m a terrible liar. But the day I fainted when my husband proposed to me…well, that was the day I watched my best friend stomp around and overreact to each and every word a man named Holst said to her.

We weren’t exactly party girls. We didn’t just sleep around willy-nilly, but Kath was always more open-minded and free-thinking than I was. She’d been hurt and never told me why, but I knew it was something awful. Something she didn’t want to keep reliving by drudging it up and talking about it.

But she’d never acted like she did when Holst was around, and I knew he was different. He was her knight in shining armor.

Cam and I had this fairy princess and prince thing going, and it’d worked out well for us. So why not for my best friend?

Well, I got to thinking, and those thoughts were realized when I bought a pair of boots and decided that the guilt of paying so much for them would go away if I buried them deep, deep in the back of my bedroom closet.

Kath and I had been living together at the time, so I went downstairs and asked our neighbor, Terry, if he had a ladder, a small one, and told him about my ridiculous boot guilt. He said he understood completely. I went back upstairs with the ladder and began to push the long box back on the shelf. But it hit something, another box. Curiosity got to me, so I opened the box, one that had been there for a good long time by the layer of dust on it. I’d never gone to so much trouble, trying to hide things in the closet, so I’d never really looked up there before. It was an awkward spot, built into the wall, and impossible to get to without the help of a ladder.

Kath wasn’t home, so I couldn’t ask her what it was. At first, I thought it was something left by old tenants. But then I opened the special black case to find a doll. This wasn’t just any doll. This was a really expensive doll, and the case was actually her wardrobe closet…one that included a gold and cream dress.

A wedding dress.

I tried to forget I’d seen that damn doll, but then, after Cam proposed and I saw the tension between Holst and Kath…I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I bought my wedding dress before I even had the groom. Well, I kinda had the groom; I had one in mind anyway.

Eventually, I secretly took that doll and her dress to the owner of Beachy Bride and creator of my own wedding gown, Lark. It wasn’t easy, keeping it a secret from everyone. But I told Lark, “It all starts with a dress. Kind of makes you want to believe in happily-ever-afters…doesn’t it?”

“Yep,” she agreed.

And now I stood next to Lark, my partner in happily-ever-after crime, who was watching over two toddlers, her twin boys who were tearing up the dancefloor.

“Do you have the doll?”

“It’s under the table.” She grinned.

“Thanks so much.”

“Who’s next?” she asked.

“I think it’s gonna be Ruby.”

“Time to bring Kath into the know,” she suggested.

“Yeah,” I agreed.

I found the box in a giant bag and went to the dance floor. “Can I steal your bride?” I asked Holst.

“Of course.” He smiled, then shouted, “Mom!”

Becky twirled her way over and began to dance with her son, who, I couldn’t help but notice was a really good dancer. Cam could slow dance, but actually dance dance…Holst was better. But I’d never tell my Brawny that.

“What’s up?” my smiling bestie asked.

“I know I said it before, but you look so beautiful.” I smiled.

“Oh, this old thing?”

She giggled as I led her to Lark and said, “Okay, ladies. Let’s do this.”

“Do what?” Kath asked, still smiling.

We convened in the sacred meeting place of women…the bathroom…and I handed her the bag with the box inside. I grinned wide and said, “Open it.”

She hefted the box from the bag, and when her hand touched the clasp on the side, her eyes went straight to mine. In a soft voice she said, “You. It wasn’t an accident…the dresses being so similar.”

I shook my head, but kept smiling. “It starts with the dress. Am I wrong?”

“No.” She smiled, but didn’t open it. “You’re not wrong. But you should keep this…for Lana. It’s gonna have quite a story, this doll.”

“You might have a girl, Kath. You never know.”

“No.” She shook her head again. “I’m having a boy. His name’ll be Jack Ryan.” She laughed and carefully caught a tear before it could mark her face.

“So…” Lark began. “We think Ruby’s next. I can design anything, and my girls can sew it right up. She’s petite. Not as petite as Dee, but…”

“Dee,” Kath said. “Dee has to be a cocktail dress. Like one of those wedding dresses from the fifties. Poofy, not floor length…”

“That’s a tea-dress, actually. And don’t worry,” Lark assured. “When she and Frodo get their shit together, I’ve got my sister covered.”

I think, with that statement, knowing that Lark felt the same way that Kath and I did, we both breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh!” I said. “On the inside of her tackle box, she has this photo of a woman in this awesome dress. I think it’s purple, like an eggplant color. And she has roses everywhere.”

Lark smiled wide. “Take a pic with your phone. I’ll see if I can find the original, and I’ll get to work.”

“Happily ever after,” Kath said to me.

“Yep,” I agreed. “Happily ever after.”