Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“Don’t. You. dare.”
Alina snapped her mouth shut and slowly closed the door behind her. Once she was gone, I burst into soft giggles, twirling to face them with a wide smile.
“How can you be laughing at a time like this? Everything’s ruined!” Dahlia huffed, crossing her arms as she stared at me impatiently.
“But I have everything I need right here,” I told her sweetly. “I have my wonderful husband-to-be, a dress I love, and all of the people we care about here. That’s all we really need, isn’t it?”
“I guess, but—” Dahlia frowned. “Every bride wants a perfect wedding, right?”
I just smiled to myself at that word. Perfect—the idea had driven me for so long but today, I felt a little wild, a little crazy even. I didn’t answer her anymore, instead focusing on getting ready with only half an hour before the ceremony.
Carefully, I grabbed the veil, swinging it behind me as I carefully pinned it to my hair, the sapphires shining brilliantly under the vanity lights. Olivia reached out to help me as I placed the crown that I had bought all those months ago at the bridal show as the centerpiece.
Something old and something blue….
Dahlia sighed after I went quiet, stepping up to help me put on the new teardrop earrings we had bought. They were heavier than I first thought but looked gorgeous, even under the veil.
The necklace was the borrowed part from Tallon’s mother. It nestled upon my chest like it always belonged there.
Something borrowed and something new….
“Oh, you look beautiful,” Mia gushed, while Dahlia and Olivia messed with my veil a little more, getting it just right.
“Gorgeous.” Dahlia nodded in approval.
“A beautiful bride,” Olivia whispered over my shoulder, giving me a soft look.
I smiled at her happily, then rose to my feet, strapping on my heels as my outfit was finally complete. I didn’t look like most brides. My dress wasn’t even meant for weddings, but I still felt beautiful, and that was what mattered.
There was a knock on the door and Alina popped her head inside, giving me a beaming look as she caught sight of me.
“You ready? Everything’s in place, as best as we could get it, at least,” she said sheepishly. Dahlia sighed, slapping her own face into her hand as she slowly shook her head. Alina could be rather clueless at times, but I appreciated her, nonetheless.
“I’m ready,” I said confidently.
The girls accompanied me as we headed down the halls to the main living room. The compound had been decorated beautifully today, with garlands of flowers on the walls leading to the garden out back. It felt like a trail to follow, a path made just for me.
Fairy lights dotted the way, accompanying me with every step, and there was a blackout curtain covering the window and screen doors out to the backyard. Mia, Dahlia, and Olivia said their goodbyes, all wishing me luck, with Alina handing me the bouquet before she too departed.
There was a loud chatter when the door opened, and the girls slipped out, leaving just me with my heartbeat racing in my chest.
I took a deep breath. That feeling of not knowing still had its hold on me as I waited.
“Ready, baby?” a hand gently dropped around my elbow, and my mother’s smiling face came into view. I beamed, giving her a shaky nod as I took a deep breath.
“You look beautiful, my Natalia.” My mother laid a soft kiss on my forehead, winding her elbow around mine as she intended to accompany me down the aisle.
From somewhere outside, I could hear the music playing, and my heart leaped inside of my chest.
“Thank you, Mama.” I gripped her arm tightly, my vision going blurry around the edges from unshed tears as the doors opened, the music playing the familiar song, and we stepped out into the garden.
The walk was painfully slow, the stone path covered in a trail of flower petals that led straight to the end of the aisle, ending straight at Tallon. Dressed in a tailored suit, his hair slicked back, he looked as handsome as ever.
He looked at me like the breath just got knocked from his chest. Complete awe and love poured from his eyes as I made my way down the aisle, and it was like the world around me didn’t exist anymore.
All I could see was him.
It was all a blur from there, our eyes locked together as my mother gave me away, taking her seat right at the front as her eyes wavered with sadness and hope and joy for me. Around us were all our friends and family, waiting with bated breath as the ceremony began.
Tallon gripped my hands in his, the two of us lost in our own world as the official spoke loudly for all to hear. Despite all the worries and everything that had gone wrong, the garden looked beautiful, even though it was missing one pillar and a good fifth of the chairs were empty.
Even with no florist, no cook, and no photographer, I wouldn’t have changed a thing, not even the cloudy, muddy gray skies above us, which darkened the longer the ceremony went on.
I said my vows and Tallon did as well, both of us having written them beforehand, then we exchanged rings.
Just one more part, I thought, and we’ll be married.
My stomach fluttered with butterflies, I gripped his hands impatiently, staring deeply into Tallon’s eyes as he lifted the veil as the official announced before our entire family, “And I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may now—”
He was cut off by a loud boom of thunder striking across the sky and I flinched, glancing upward with wide eyes as rain began to pour from the gray clouds.
“Is this a good time for some bad news?” I heard Alina shouting across the garden before three very loud voices cut in with, “No!”
But despite the guests around us immediately rushing out of their seats to head for cover, all my perfect makeup and hair being drenched away by the falling rain that soaked into our expensive clothing, I only grinned widely.
“It’s raining,” I mumbled softly to myself.
Tallon laughed, pulling me closer into his arms. “What a terrible wedding.” He pushed our foreheads together, a smirk on his lips as we were drenched in the downpour.
“The absolute worst,” I agreed, smiling just as widely. “But you know, you didn’t kiss the bride yet, Mr. Groom.”
And he grinned, kissing me as fiercely and passionately as our first. The world was drowned out by the falling rain, but I could still make out cheers and applause as Tallon hoisted me off my feet, spinning me around happily.
I spread my arms out like wings, laughing as the two of us played in the rain like we were kids again.
Everyone wants a perfect wedding.
And this was mine.
*Natalia*
Despite the disaster that was our wedding, in which my new husband had explained the entire drama of the cook and florist to me once we were seated inside and changed out of our soaked wedding attire, the reception was as lively as ever.
I had shaken hands with so many of Tallon’s relatives, some of whom I was pretty sure weren’t actual relatives but part of the mafia family, that I was dizzy from congratulations being thrown my way. I’d heard it so many times the word had lost any meaning.
Dahlia had immediately started a toast, somehow praising and insulting her baby brother in every word she declared for the entire party, and I was a bit impressed with how easily Tallon kept his cool, especially when she brought out his favorite stuffed animal.
“Mr. Snuggles.” She had proudly shown us the very old and very worn lion plush. Mr. Snuggles was missing most of his stuffing, looking like a concave pile of fabric that vaguely resembled a lion if you squinted and turned your head twenty degrees to the left. It was missing one eyeball, instead had a large X scribbled over the spot in what looked to be a marker.
He was even carrying a tiny sword sewn onto his hand, which Dahlia described as the “monster-Slayer sword.” But despite the laughter the little plush had brought out, Tallon just shrugged it off.
“He was a good defender,” he said coolly, and then he stole back his plush, handing it to me as he smirked, “He’s a little worn, but he will be the perfect defender for any of the future children we have. Right, Natalia?”
He kissed my hand, giving me a sultry look as he did so, completely and utterly shameless.
