Page 81 of Old-Fashioned

It was a string of pearls for my something old from Miss Maggie.

And the little note tucked into the box,

Dearie, I wore these on my wedding day, they were my mothers, and my grandmothers. I would be honored if you passed this tradition on. My son and daughter didn’t deserve this. But you, my sweet Bridie, the true daughter of my heart, does. I love you.

Your, Miss Maggie.

Once we passed our rings, said I do, and kissed, hungrily, we pulled apart but just so far.

Frank was the one to call out, “Damn, they didn’t do it.”

Tabitha looked at him and asked, “They didn’t do what?”

“Tear each other’s clothes off. I swear every time they kiss, I’m waiting for it to happen. It’s why I always carry a small vial of bleach on me.”

Nothing sounded after that statement.

And then laughter and giggles filled our backyard.

Abel looked down at me, and then I looked up at him, “I love the fuck out of you Birdie Black.”

With that, he led me to his bike, I grinned as I climbed on, thankfully, I had a pair of white shorts on underneath my dress.

Everyone else went to their vehicles, and then in a convoy, making sure that they had their hazard lights on, we all headed to the bar for the reception.

Chapter 18

Abel

Seeing my whole world wrapped up in the arms of another man should have me wanting to rage out of my skin.

But when it was Rich’s arms and he pulled her away from me and started dancing the equivalent to the father-daughter dance, I didn’t mind it.

Not in the slightest.

Especially not when she was so happy.

My wife.

Birdie was my wife.

Damn.

And when Caelan came to me with an idea a few minutes ago, I growled at him, “Don’t you dare make her cry you, asshole.”

Caelan smirked, “Dude, it’ll be happy tears, promise.”

“I don’t give a fuck if they’re happy tears because you handed her a million. A lot of tears make her migraine hit in full force. And since she has done a lot of that, already today, I won’t like it. So don’t fucking make her cry. She’s already puking enough while being in her first trimester.”

Which I didn’t know until she told me about it this morning and wanted to beat my own ass for not picking up on any of it.

As soon as those two words filled out of my mouth, I wanted to suck them back. Son of a bitch.

We had both agreed not to tell anyone until she was in her second trimester.

Caelan gasped, “Wait, what? Did I hear that correctly?”

Baker scoffed, “Surprised it took y’all this long. The way y’all do it like rabbits.”