Keelee sighed, “We’ve had every type of wedding between us, haven’t we? A Tuscan Villa for Dani and Justin. Beachside for Ember and Joey.”
Jasmine pointed across the room. “And Jewell and Zane.”
“Actually, we got married on a boat,” Jewell reminded her. “We had the reception at your house.” She glanced at Ember and lifted another donut. “Best dessert bar ever.”
Ember snorted. “That was all Justin and Dani.”
“Your boat was beach-adjacent,” Keelee amended.
“True,” Jasmine laughed. “Chad and I got married in a small chapel in his hometown. Keelee and Adam tied the knot in a church in South Dakota. The same one Jade got married in.”
“Mike and I married in Switzerland. Where we met.” Taty smiled and blushed.
“That is so romantic.” Tori smiled. “A judge married Jacob and me, and we consummated the marriage on my office floor.” There was a moment of silence before every woman in the room cracked up laughing. “Hey, we didn’t know if he’d be coming back. It was… so not romantic. But damn, it was hot.” Tori’s laughter joined everyone else’s.
Jillian raised her hand before she spoke. “I hijacked Joy’s wedding day.”
“Like those two men would get married on different days.” Joy glanced at Faith. “Where did you get married?”
“Well, originally, we planned to get married in Vegas.”
“Except for the Russian interruption.” Tori nodded.
Faith shrugged. “So, we said our ‘I do’s in South Dakota. Probably the same Justice of the Peace that married the two of you.” She pointed to Joy and Jillian.
“Who else here is planning on having children?” Tori sipped her coffee before she added, “I’ve been pulling the lion’s share of this grandchild bearing thing. Time for you ladies to get into the groove.”
“I want a kid.” Joy’s words snapped every head in her direction and silenced all conversation. “What?” She narrowed her eyes and then shrugged with a muttered, “Whatever.”
“No! I think it’s wonderful that you want a baby!” Tori spoke in a hurry, trying to eliminate the silence. “You’d make a fierce mom.”
“That’s the truth. No one would fuck with your kids, that’s for sure.” Jade nodded. “You go for it. I’d like to see Dixon as a dad. I think between the two of you you’d raise some awesome kids.”
“What about you, Taty?” Jillian asked.
Taty blushed an adorable color of pink. “Mike and I don’t use protection. If it happens, it happens, but so far, no luck. So we wait.”
“I want a couple of kids someday,” Dani added. “Soon, but there are things Justin and I want to do before we have children.”
“Base jumping off of Mount Everest. Talk about kick-ass parents.” Jade widened her eyes. “You two do you, you know what I mean?”
Jewell nodded and added, “I’m not against kids. Just not sure I understand their programming.”
“They don’t have any,” Tori chuckled.
“See, that would be a problem.” Jewell shrugged. “Maybe someday.”
Jillian took a drink of her coffee, “Drake and I haven’t really talked about it. I’m in Jewell’s camp. Maybe someday.”
All eyes turned to Jade. “What? Kids? Me? Ah, that would be a big no. They scare the shit out of me.”
“They scare the shit out of all of us.” Ember laughed and reached for a small crescent roll. “They don’t come with a manual or a programming script. We all play it by ear and hope for the best.”
“Well, see, that right there, that sucks. Manuals should be mandatory.” Jade got up and headed back to get seconds. She lifted the dome cover off a dish. “Jazz, I think I love you. Look at the size of these strawberries! In December!”
Chapter 3
Ember sat in the pew and watched as Dr. Maliki Blue and Poet Campbell exchanged vows. Poet's dress was simple and breathtaking at the same time. A silk sheath with an ivory lace overlay that fit her athletic body like a glove. For the third or fourth thousand time since puberty, Ember wished she had that type of figure. Poet, Keelee, Tori, all the King women… tall, slender, and minus the curves that were the bane of her existence. But Joseph really loved her curves. She slid her attention from the couple to her husband. The Tom Ford tux was stunning, not in small part due to the man underneath the fabric. Her husband. As if he sensed her looking, Joey's eyes found hers. The smoldering intensity of his gaze still took her breath away.
As soon as Mal and Poet turned and made their way down the aisle, Jasmine and Chad exited the sanctuary in the opposite direction. Chad's song had been beautiful and she wished they could stay for the reception, but Chad wanted the event to remain focused on Mal and Poet, and with his celebrity, it probably wouldn't have if they'd stayed.
Ember leaned over to Faith, who had been sitting beside her during the ceremony. "I'm concerned about the photographer." She'd been watching the man snap pictures during the ceremony. Pictures that included Joey.
Faith glanced over at the man and smiled. "That's Paul. He works for Guardian. It was one of the things Jason required of Mal for the wedding. He's taken family pictures of us and of Reece's birthday parties. Those pictures are going to be scrubbed. Just like the guest list was."
Ember blinked. "Guardian vetted the wedding guests?"
"Every last one of them," Faith chuckled. "You get used to it."
"I guess." Ember's gaze swept over the people in the church. She saw it then. The security teams around the outside of the crowd. Men in suits that were not engaged in conversation but were actively watching the crowd. Wow, she'd been at the ranch and then at The Rose for so long she had forgotten the steps taken to protect the Kings that worked in D.C.
Faith nodded to Joseph, who'd escorted the maid of honor to the narthex of the church. "Is Joseph going to the reception with the wedding party?"
"Yes, all four of them are riding in the limo. I was going to catch a ride with someone."
"You can ride with us." Faith tapped Jason on the shoulder. He turned from his conversation with Jacob and put his arm around his wife. "Ember is going to ride with us to the reception, okay?"
"Absolutely." Jason smiled at Ember. "He wore a tux."
Jacob smiled and nodded at the photographer. "I have proof."
"I want a copy of every picture of him wearing it, please!" Ember smiled widely at the thought of framing a picture of them together in formal wear. The photographer had taken several of them together before the ceremony.
Mal and Poet entered the reception to rousing applause. Maliki swept her into his arms and they danced their first dance together as man and wife.
Ember felt Joseph behind her. She leaned back into his arms.
"Have I told you today how much I love you?" he whispered against her hair.
"I think you said you loved me when I left the room this morning for breakfast." Joey's fingers rippled over her ribs, tickling her. She wiggled away from him, laughing. "Go, you have to do the best man thing. You are required to give a toast, you know."