Three Reckless Words: Chapter 28

Months Later

Planning a wedding is stressful as hell, so we decided against it.

Winnie woke up the next morning, wanting to get married right there in Solitude with an officiant sent out to us, but I convinced her my mom and brothers should get to see us off.

Probably a good thing.

Mom would curse me until her dying day if her eldest son got hitched without notice.

Even Rina’s okay with the whole affair after hearing about it from Colt.

I thought she’d be bitter when I called to tell her Winnie and I were engaged, but she just sounded amused.

“I knew it was coming,” she’d told me. “Just don’t fuck it up this time, Archer.”

This time.

I resented that because it almost implied I was at fault last time, but hell, why argue?

A man can learn from his mistakes. He can bury his darkest days. He can seize a second chance and make it thrive.

Colt aside, everything with Rina was a mistake.

Winnie is not.

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the way she loves me.

I don’t think I ever want to—not if it means losing my sense of awe that I could ever win a woman like this.

It’s a beautiful spring morning when our wedding day arrives.

We adhered to tradition and slept in separate rooms, even if I hated how weird it felt waking up without her by my side.

I’ve gotten used to having her morning bed head in my face.

Still, it’s just one day and I can’t be mad.

My phone pings with a text and even without looking, I know it’s her.

Winnie: I’m excited. Are you freaking out yet?

Me: Only because I have to wait at least twelve more hours to fuck you boneless.

I smile at her emoji-speak of laughing faces and hearts before I set my phone aside.

The only two parts of this wedding I had much say in is the officiant—goddamned Patton, who got himself licensed specifically so he could marry us—and the rings.

Oh, and the food, stacks of gourmet pizzas and snacks because we didn’t want white-glove fancy.

We’ve both lived enough of that.

I only wish I’d been able to talk my way out of getting stuffed into this monkey suit, but she wasn’t having anything less than her groom dressed like a prince. According to my brothers, that’s the best part.

“All the girls go on about the dude’s face forever,” Patton told me, “but watch hers when she sees you for the first time. Odds are, she’s never seen you look so good.”

I grin like the sappy, lovesick fool I am today and roll over, ready to get up.

Good timing too because someone’s banging on my door.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty!” Patton calls. “You up yet? We have less than an hour to get there and settle in.”

“Fuck off. Don’t rush me.”

He opens the door and sticks his head in, his hair sticking up all over the place.

Mom has Winnie and her friends over for a ‘bridal brunch’ before the ceremony. They’ll probably do their hair and makeup with plenty of time to spare.

“Not too late for a stag party,” he tells me. “Let me know and I’ll call the strippers.”

“And I’ll call your wife,” I growl back.

He winces. “Hey, I only offered for your sake. Last chance to be a dirty old man since you decided to tie the knot and try to be normal. Blah.”

“Like hell. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t rather see your wife, twerking her ass off.”

“Not for your eyes, I don’t.” He clucks his tongue. “But her and Junie are with Winnie now, so who knows what debauchery they’ll get into. Women are twice as crazy.”

“Oh, yeah. Mom will give them a workout flipping through her artbooks. I swear every one of those things weighs thirty pounds.” I smile.

“So are you nervous yet?” He gives me a once-over.

“No. Are you?”

He snorts.

“Hell no. I memorized all my lines just for you, Bro.” He beams at me like this is something to be proud of and not just a stunt he signed up for purely to screw with me.

Groaning, I flop back on the bed.

“I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to this,” I mutter.

He walks in and starts tossing my clothes at me, belting me in the stomach with my shoes.

“Tough luck, buttercup. It’s all about to go down and I’m gonna make you a married man. Have you heard from Winnie? How’s she holding up?”

“She’s alive. Reaching critical mass from the excitement right now, I’m sure,” I say dryly.

“As long as she doesn’t bolt.”

“Shut up. She won’t,” I snap, shaking my head. “Jesus. Are you always this good at wedding shit?”

“What do you mean? Dex had it worse. I spilled the beans to Mom about his fake engagement. I figured the poor girl would bail the next day.” He shrugs. “Still might be true.”

“You’re so full of shit.”

“I mean, I hope not. I’m pretty fond of those eclairs she’s been bringing over lately.” He grins.

Perfect timing.

Dexter appears in the doorway, already showered and dressed. “And I warned you about office romances. You didn’t listen.”

“Bastard. Glad I didn’t, we see how it worked out.”

“Only because you knocked her up before she ever called you boss. Without little Arlo around to give you an in, you would’ve been boned, my man.”

“Well, someone had to give Mom another grandkid, since you guys are being so slow with the babymaking.”

Dex’s face darkens.

I laugh, mostly to myself.

There’s one little piece of big news we haven’t shared with the world just yet. We only found out a week or two ago.

Winnie’s not far enough along to mess with the fit of the wedding dress, thankfully, so that’s good. Turns out, all that dirty talk about knocking her up wasn’t just heat-of-the-moment bedroom play.

We didn’t plan this, but it happened anyway.

We thought we’d announce it this afternoon at the reception my mother keeps calling a ‘little party.’

Family and close friends only and that’s fine by me. We’re going to mingle and eat deep dish pizza at Solitude before I grab my bride and blast off for the Pacific.

That was my idea.

Tropical islands are a nice break from the winter chill, plus there’ll be loads of exotic bees for her to freak out over. Makuna and Hawaiian honey colonies are all over the place.

Dexter swings his attention back to me. “Get dressed already. We need to be there by nine.”

I check the clock. “It’s half past seven.”

“So? You know what Mom’s like, and she’s coming over here as soon as she’s got Winnie in her wedding dress.”

I roll my eyes. “I thought the plan was for her to stay with the bridal party?”

“Like Mom was going to do that,” Patton says with a snort. “You’re her baby, the firstborn, and the last to get married.”

“Slacker,” Dexter adds, flashing a grin.

“Get ready. She’s going to be weeping all over you. When you guys got engaged, she told me she knew it was going to happen. But you know what else she said?”

I don’t think I want to know.

“About fucking time?” I suggest.

“How did you know?” Patton looks genuinely surprised. “But it’s Mom, so obviously she didn’t swear.”

“Obviously,” I spit.

“Anyway, if you’re not dressed when she shows up, she’s going to hit you,” Patton says.

“You’re not dressed yet either,” I point out.

“Yeah, but I’m just marrying you today, not getting married.”

I convince them to let me have breakfast first to quiet my gut rumbling, and from there we start the wedding prep.

Dexter wakes up Colt.

As a growing boy, he’s hit his ‘sleep in forever’ stage. It takes effort.

Once he’s alive again, though, we all get ready together.

“What do you think, Dad?” Colt asks, tightening his tie and turning to face me.

All four of us—my brothers, Colt, and me—are wearing matching suits. Now that he’s starting to fill out just a little, it looks good on him.

He also looks way too old to be my son.

“Looking sharp, Son.”

Dexter pats Colt’s pockets as he grins. “You have the rings, safe and secure?”

Colt rolls his eyes. “Yes, Uncle Dex. Trust me.”

“Don’t give me lip, kiddo. It never hurts to double-check.” Dexter pats Colt’s cheek affectionately. “Did I tell you about the time your uncle Pat was best man for—”

Patton looks up in alarm. “You do not need to tell that story.”

“Don’t I?”

To Patton’s visible relief, Mom chooses that moment to arrive, sweeping in and wearing a flamingo-pink floral dress and a wide-brimmed hat.

“Archer,” she says warmly, hugging me like she’s drowning. “Oh, you look so dapper today!”

“What about me, Mom?” Patton asks with a grin.

“You’re always lovely, but today isn’t about you, Patton.” She frowns.

“I can still look handsome,” he grumbles.

Mom sighs and kisses them both on the cheek, then turns to gush over Colt.

I’m not surprised my son steals the show until she says, “You boys all look amazing, but Archer is the star of the show.”

“Thanks, Mom. How’s Winnie?”

“Glowing. She’s more radiant than ever,” Mom says cheerfully. “Try to keep it together when you see her. But remember, there’s no shame in crying.”

I shake my head.

“If she doesn’t bail,” Patton whispers.

“No way. If Salem didn’t, it’s not happening,” Dexter mutters right back.

“Boys!” Mom snaps her fingers. “Stop it. You’re grown men and you should know I won’t have your bickering today.”

Patton nudges Dexter, who nudges him back pointedly.

Mom ignores them both.

“Are we ready?” I ask.

“Almost. Don’t you want a photo or two first?”

I really don’t. We’re going to be bombarded with at least a hundred more soon, but for Mom’s sake, fine.

Colt groans, but Dex grabs him by the shoulder and raps him across the head with his knuckles. “Come on, horsey. Less attitude, more smiling. If we have to put up with it, so do you. Consider it a Rory rite of manhood.”

“You’ll love the memories when you’re older,” Mom reminds us and pulls out her phone. “Okay, guys. Line up and show some teeth.”

We assemble into what almost passes for a line.

Colt grins at the camera. Mom hums a little in appreciation and snaps her shots before getting Colt to take some with her and my brothers.

Then just the three brothers.

Then Colt and me.

Winnie and I opted to have a real photographer focus on our candid moments. No formal sit-down pics to make the wedding photography less burdensome.

Phones are good enough for most things these days, and we didn’t want a zoo. When Winnie said she wanted a low-key wedding, I was quick to agree.

“There,” Mom says, flicking through the photos with a misty-eyed smile. She reaches up to pat my cheek. “I’m so proud of you, Archer. You’ve achieved so much and helped your brothers find happiness. You deserve your turn.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“You deserve Winnie, too. I couldn’t have picked a better girl.”

Damn it all.

My throat tightens with the emotion I’ve suppressed all morning whenever I think about her and what’s happening today.

Winnie Emberly.

My soon-to-be-wife.

“We’ll see about that,” I say after a heavy second. “I’m glad I have her and she wants me. I know I’m a lucky man.”

“Archer, please. She’d have to be blind and deaf not to want you.”

Either way, I have no doubts.

Soon, she’ll be mine in every sense of the word, and it just feels right.

Mom pauses, looking up into my face with a tiny, sad smile.

“You know, your father would’ve loved to see you today. He would have adored your wife.”

That fucking lump in my throat.

I was barely grown and out in the world when he died in that plane crash, really.

It was such a long time ago.

Sometimes, I almost forget about him, which is the worst part. Pain has a way of scabbing over memories, and you have to fight through the scar tissue to sort the good from the bad.

I’m grateful as hell she reminded me.

Today, it’s not so bad. When I woke up, I heard a small plane humming overhead, just like the kind he used to love.

I think that’s Dad, wherever he is, giving me his best wishes.

“Thanks, Mom. I know you’re right. I love you.”

“Love you too, honey.” Her voice trembles as she kisses my cheek.

I arrive at Solitude with time to spare, which helps us make sure everything’s in order.

Not that there was much setup involved.

A few rows of chairs, a wooden arch Mom insisted on having because it ‘makes everything look so special.’ She attached a pair of painted cardinals Colt carved to the top, a bright-red male and a soft-brown female.

And, of course, a bee-inspired backdrop.

Could anything be more fitting?

It’s too early in the season for real bees.

I just arranged the bee boxes so they’d show the messages I painted on them when I proposed and moved them closer to the middle of the garden where the ceremony will take place.

Colt also carved up a bunch of small wooden bees painted gold and hid them in the flowerbeds around the property. I can see them glimmering in the sun, drenching the entire property in specks of glitter.

Later, I’ll ask Winnie to find them if she doesn’t notice.

It’s just the sort of thing she’ll love. Plus, a friendly mental break from the wedding spotlight.

Soon, we’re ready.

Colt stands beside me as my best man—did you really think I’d give my dumb brothers the honor?—the rings tucked safely in his pocket.

Patton stands at his podium with an oversized Bible in front of him, grinning like he’s about to swear in the president. He doesn’t even need the Bible to do his job, he just said it seemed more ‘official.’

Whatever.

I don’t care if he grows ears like the jackass donkey he is during our ceremony, just as long as we’re married by the end of it.

As long as I get to call Winnie my wife by sunset.

The minutes creep by so slowly.

I’m not an impatient man, but I’m counting every second.

“Dad, are you nervous?” Colt whispers.

“Not quite. More excited, I’d say.”

“Is that why you can’t stay still?”

Behind him, in the front row, Mom dabs at her eyes again. The waterworks have started early.

It’s an interesting contrast.

My last marriage was drab and small, set at a courthouse in Kansas City after Rina insisted on saving money, with about as many people but less than half the joy. Mom objected until she was blue in the face, but with a kid on the way, I settled.

This time, it’s different.

Everything about it, especially the way I feel standing up there, like I’m waiting for my whole life to start.

“How about you, bud? How you feeling?” I whisper back.

Colt grins at me. “Good! Unless she gets cold feet…”

I snort. “C’mon, you’re almost as bad as your uncles.”

He’s about to protest when the music swells, and I turn to see pure sunshine in human form standing at the end of the Rory red carpet.

Holy fuck.

My bride materializes in a sleek white dress, off the shoulder and A-lined, with a modest skirt that fits her like a cloud. There’s something different about it, though, and as she gets closer, I see why.

Bees.

Of fucking course.

Hundreds of tiny bees are embroidered into the skirt and bodice.

If it were anybody else, I’d throw back my head and laugh. But because it’s my Sugarbee, my breath stalls in my lungs.

Most of her auburn hair is piled high on her head in an elegant updo, but a few curls hang down, brushing her bare shoulders. She wears the tiara like a princess, the big silver bee in the middle catching the light and throwing it back, making her glow.

Fuck me.

She’s wearing minimal makeup, but somehow, whatever she has on makes her eyes pop.

Stunning isn’t good enough.

I can’t even find a word that does her justice.

I love this woman with my whole soul and I don’t know how to stop.

I don’t want to.

She’s everything wrapped up in one neat honey-sweet package, and it’s like time grinds to a halt as we take each other in.

We lock eyes in silence and I watch her bashful smile.

There’s no one beside her.

A high definition camera livestreams the wedding to her parents back in Springfield, but she’s opted to walk down the aisle by herself. It’s the most she’d agree to at this stage of mending their relationship.

Her father isn’t handing her off to me today. She’s presenting herself like the smart, lovely, independent woman she is.

Her wide-eyed gaze travels from my suit to my face, her red mouth parting slightly, and although I can’t hear her, I can imagine the way she gasps.

It does terrible things to my cock.

She beams, too, so bright it’s almost blinding. I can practically taste her happiness every time she breathes.

I remember what Patton said about watching her face.

And I’m already grinning back at her like I’m deranged, my face split with joy, my stupid smile spurring hers on.

As she reaches me, I lean in. “I love your dress. Almost wish I could leave it on you.”

“Well, yeah. It’s bees,” she whispers back.

She’s gilded in the morning light, a patchwork of sun and soft shadows.

If our family—my family—wasn’t watching, I’d have kissed her until she gasped and melted by now.

Patton clears his throat, as if the smarmy prick can read my thoughts.

I take Winnie’s hand and face him.

Save it for later, you idiot, his eyes warn.

Winnie looks at him with a grin and his face softens.

There’s no denying he’s taken a real shine to her, just like the entire family. I think if we got into a fight, they’d take her side, no questions asked.

Can’t say I mind.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to celebrate the union of Archer Rory and Wynne Emberly in legal matrimony,” he starts, holding out his arms, no doubt loving the attention. “Friends and family, please bear witness to this union.”

Winnie glances at me. I roll my eyes.

Show-off, I mouth at her.

Let him have his moment, she mouths back.

He’s already married.

Patton glares at us and clears his throat loudly.

Snorting, I squeeze Winnie’s hand as we look at him again and try to keep our faces straight.

We haven’t written long vows, thank God, so the ceremony finishes relatively fast. You know how it goes.

I promise to love her for the rest of my life, to have and to hold to my very last breath, and she promises I’ll always be her first and last, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.

Even then, I’ll find her again.

Come heaven, come hell, or a hundred more lives in the Great Beyond, I will always claim this woman.

“I choose you,” she says, her voice shaking. Mom lets out an audible sob behind her. “I choose you today and tomorrow, next week and next month, next year and all the years to come. Every day I wake up, every moment, I choose you, Archer. I choose you forever.”

Damn, she’s good.

There’s not a dry eye in the house by the end.

Finally, Colt steps up and presents the rings to Patton, who directs us to put them on.

First, I slide mine on Winnie’s finger. It’s white gold and it matches the ring that sits beside it.

She doesn’t know it yet, but I had them engrave a small bee inside our rings.

I don’t give a crap how eccentric or overdone it seems. I’ll lean into my wife’s life obsession because I know I’ll always be manic about loving her.

Then it’s my turn.

She slides her ring on my finger, and there’s this heady feeling of release, of relief, of finally being able to breathe again.

I don’t wait for Patton to tell me I can kiss the bride.

I wrap my arms around her and crush my mouth down on hers. And yeah, maybe I’m a little emotional and watery-eyed, but no one can tell besides Winnie.

She pulls away and wraps her arms around my neck. “I hope calling you husband never gets old. Because I already love it, hubby.”

“How do you feel about wifey?”

“Hate it!” She wrinkles her nose and kisses me again.

We’re both laughing, though.

Only our second kiss as husband and wife.

Only our first morning on the edge of eternity.

It shouldn’t feel different, but it does.

That quiet inner voice whispers she’s mine now in every conceivable way. I can feel the ring on my finger, a promise written in gold.

In time, I know I’ll get used to it, but right now, I’m hyper-aware it’s there. Another physical reminder I have a wife.

I have a new life and she’s fucking it.

Cheers erupt around us.

Patton wraps his arms around us both. “I hope you guys are happy,” he says over the sound of loud whooping. That’s Colt. “Be gentle with him, Win, okay? He’s old.”

“Bastard,” I snarl.

Winnie grins at us.

“I’ll be careful,” she promises. “I used to help my grandpa with his walker so I have plenty of practice.”

“That’s it.”

And I grab my wife around the waist and haul her over my shoulder as she screams before I stride down the aisle through the happy crowd.

Someone’s taking photos and people shower us in flower petals. Her best friend Lyssie dumps a huge handful over Winnie’s head.

And Winnie laughs her sweet ass off, wiggling uncontrollably against my back.

This is heaven.

The moment I want to remember.

Somehow, I know that when I look back on this day, this will always be etched in my mind.

And even if I live long enough for a damn walker, I know it’ll still make me smile.

The pizza is amazing.

We hired caterers from the top pie shops in town to serve up a feast.

Mom thought it was a shame we settled for a fancy pizza party on our wedding day, but Winnie tells me she wouldn’t stand for anything else.

We spend the rest of the long, lazy afternoon dancing and laughing and playing party games.

Winnie squeals every time she finds Colt’s hidden bees.

It’s silly and carefree and every kind of awesome.

Then comes the last big moment of the day.

“Okay, people,” I say, coming to the front. “Can everyone pipe down a second?”

“Speech!” Patton calls from the back, clinking his glass. Arlo stands up in his lap and claps his hands, joining his old man in yelling, “Speech! Speech!” over and over.

Sigh.

“You heard my vows. That’s all the speech you’re getting today.”

Winnie holds up a champagne glass of her nonalcoholic cider and comes over to stand beside me.

“It’s not a speech,” she tells them. “We have news.”

I look at her, but it’s her announcement, and I know she wants to be the one to break it.

It’s only fair when she’ll be carrying the baby for the next eight months.

She smiles at everyone like they already know.

Letting her deliver the news was the right call. I slip my arm around her waist and look down at her, this tiny, beautiful, wild little honeybee I get to call my wife.

“So,” she says. “It’s really early yet, but I wanted to let you all know I’m pregnant.”

I think Mom screams first. Are my eardrums still intact?

Juniper grins and Salem whoops, bolting up and doing a little dance.

“Knew it,” Dexter calls. “It wouldn’t be Arch if he didn’t upstage me.”

“Get moving then,” I call back.

Teary, arms open wide for a hug, Mom comes racing toward us.

“Oh, my boy. Oh, I’m so happy for you,” she says in a choked voice. “For both of you, really. Congratulations! I’m the luckiest grandma in the world.”

After Mom’s done, Winnie and I both look at Colt.

We told him a few days ago, when we decided we’d announce it to the family, but we’d discussed the idea of siblings with him months ago. He told us it was fine, just as long as he wasn’t expected to ‘change diapers all the time or clean up gross barf.’

He’s not wrong.

But Winnie promised he’d get to do the fun big brother stuff like story time and building castles and spaceships. His eyes lit up and he clammed up fast.

He sees us looking and rolls his eyes, but when I hold out my arm, he comes and joins in the hug.

I think Winnie might be crying the hardest as we fall into this big family group hug.

One big Rory tribe.

“Hey, Winnie,” I say after a second. “I think there’s a bee in your hair.”

“Bee still,” Colt snickers. “That’s the worst one yet. But I promise it’s real, not one of mine.”

Looks like it’s not too early in the spring for them after all.

I watch as the fuzzy brown bee wanders lazily across her glittering silver and diamond headpiece, its antenna waving.

I swear the little creepy-crawly looks right at me with its ten eyes or whatever the fuck. It looks so at home on her I should be jealous.

Only, Winnie looks up at me, her eyes dewy and glowing with happiness as the bee takes off.

“I think it’s a sign,” she whispers.

Against my better judgment, I smile and caress her cheek.

“You know what? I think you’re right.”

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!