Boarded by Love (46 page)

“Okay, it’s time, Ms. Allen,” Ginny, the wedding planner that Phillip hired yesterday, says. “Claire, you’re first.”

I grab my bouquet of blue irises and yellow Gerbera daisies and then hand Reese hers. Following Ginny down the halls, we come to a big black door and I know on the other side is my uncle, waiting for his bride. I look back at Reese and smile. Even with her eyes full of tears, she looks so beautiful, almost like she stepped out of a bridal magazine. Reaching out, she squeezes my shoulder and mouths that she loves me. I say the same back and then the doors open and I start out behind Harper’s daughter Ally and Elli’s daughters Shelli and Posey, as they throw little yellow flowers all over the aisle in their cute little blue dresses.

With a huge smile on my face, I walk slowly as all eyes land on me. Searching the packed room, I find Jude off to the side, sitting all alone with a great big grin on his face. My heart skips a beat at the desire that swirls in his green eyes. He looks dashing in a black tux jacket, a royal blue shirt underneath it with no tie. His hair is combed to the side, giving him a classic look, and I’m glad he is all mine. Giving him a grin that I hope he knows is just for him, I tear my gaze off him to make sure I don’t run into anything and find that Phillip is watching me, a proud smile on his face. Stopping in my spot, I turn to look back at the doors I just walked through, waiting for Reese to come in. In the front row is the whole Allen family, minus her dad at the moment.

What kills me the most though is when I look over at the other side where Phillip and my family is supposed to sit, it’s only full of hockey players. We don’t have family. Only each other and Reese, and I guess Miles, but even he is sitting in the back, not in the front, supporting his brother. Swallowing the tears from the pain of not having anyone here to support him or even me, for that matter, I blink a few times. Thankfully though, I look down the aisle where the door opens and Reese appears on her father’s arm, looking completely breathtaking.

I look over at Phillip, and the grin that is on his face lights up the whole room. He doesn’t need anyone; he has Reese. That’s all he needs. But to my surprise, he looks over at me, all the love in the world in his eyes as he jerks a thumb toward Reese.

“Hot, huh?”

I laugh along with everyone else; even Reese is laughing as she closes the distance between them. I watch, fighting the tears as Papa Blake gives Reese to Phillip, making him promise first that he will love her for the rest of his life. Of course, Phillip agrees, but unlike at the rehearsal where he brought Reese up to the altar, he pushes the birdcage veil up and cups her face, pressing his lips to hers. Everyone gasps and laughs but I didn’t expect anything else. This is my uncle we’re talking about.

“I didn’t say you could do that yet,” the preacher calls out as they part.

Phillip waves him off. “Do you see how gorgeous she is? I can’t wait that long to kiss the love of my life,” he says, his eyes locked on Reese’s.

And that’s when the tears fall.

Wiping them away, I watch as they come up to the altar and the wedding starts. It’s all a blur, really. I’m a weeping mess, and I know I should pay attention to all the undying love talk, but all I can do is wipe my tears and thank God that these two found each other.

“Now, you two have written your own vows, yes?” the preacher asks and they both nod. “Then let’s have at it, Reese?”

I can’t see her face, but I know she has to be smiling because Phillip is smiling big enough for the both of them.

“I didn’t want to love you when I first met you,” she says, and I can hear the collective murmurs through the crowd, but I ignore them. “I was supposed to live my single life with no cares in the world, but then you came along and threw those plans out the window. Now that I have you, Phillip, I couldn’t imagine life without you. You not only brought your love to me, you brought Claire, and made me the luckiest woman in the world.”

Ugh, she’s killing me. Tears fall in streams down my face and come faster than I can wipe.

“I love you, and I promise to love you for the rest of my life, no matter what. Good times and bad and all the times in between. It’s me, you, Claire, and the gift that is growing within me for the rest of our lives.”

Say what?!

I hear Elli holler something, even Harper and Piper are yelling, but I can only hear my heart beat in my ears. I’m pretty sure I heard her right because the whole room is in an uproar, but to be certain, I ask, “What did you say?”

And when they both look back at me, grinning, I know it’s true. “You’re pregnant?” I still ask, completely shocked.

“Yup,” she says, her own tears flooding her beautiful face. “Surprise!”

Wiping my eyes, I take a shuddering breath as the news registers in my head.

Phillip and Reese are having a baby.

Holy crap. This is insane but at the same time so freaking wonderful. I’ve always thought they would have the most gorgeous kid ever, and now that is becoming a reality. I’m stunned, completely and utterly stunned. My favorite people are procreating. How amazing is that!

“Congratulations. Now, Phillip?” the preacher says, completely ignoring the fact that I’m freaking out over here.

“My turn? Awesome,” he says and then looks deep into Reese’s eyes. Usually they gag me with their corny love, but right now, I’m in awe of them. They are perfect for each other. “I couldn’t live without you, Reese. I couldn’t be the man I am without you. I couldn’t be the father I am to Claire and the one I will be for our new baby without you. I couldn’t be the hockey player I am without your support. That’s all there is to it. I love you, you know that. I think you’re hot, and I know I’ll always think that ’cause you are by far the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever set eyes on. I promise to love you at your best and your worst ’cause you are mine. Now let’s get this over with so I can kiss the hell out of you without the preacher yelling at me.”

A grin pulls at my mouth, and I watch them exchange rings, Phillip being his goofy self. When it is time for them to kiss as husband and wife, I find myself not watching them, but watching Jude. He’s smiling, his eyes locked on me, and for some reason, I think that this could be us one day.

And if that day is as perfect as this one has been, then I can’t wait.

I
am in a room full of hockey royalty.

Some of the greatest players came for Reese and Phillip’s wedding, and while I want to get up and mingle with them, I can’t seem to move, or talk, for that matter. I should appreciate the fact that I’m at such a prestigious wedding at the beautiful Belle Meade plantation about to see my hot-ass girlfriend at any moment, but all I can do is try to keep from freaking out because Shea Adler just sat right beside me. Giving him a sideways glance, I look away quickly before he catches me looking at him. Jayden and Jase met him once at an Assassins foundation thingy, but I was home with the flu and didn’t get the chance. They said he’s a really nice guy, but he is the captain of the Assassins. The greatest player in the NHL.

How do you talk to someone like that?

I know I need to get over that since I will be playing against him in no time, but I can’t seem to do that at this particular second. Pulling my phone out, I know there’s only a slim chance that Claire has her phone, but I text her anyway.

Me: I am sitting beside Shea Adler. #freakingout.

I wait a second and thankfully, a text comes through.

Claire: Lol! U dork! Say hi, he’s supernice.

Me: No way, he’s Shea Adler.

Claire: I know, he’s my uncle.

Me: That’s so weird!

Claire: Ur weird, talk to him or I’ll introduce you in a few. I’m about to be there.

Me: See u in a bit. You look really hot babe.

Claire: Thanks ☺

Me: I still get to peel that dress off right?

Claire: Definitely
.

A grin comes across my face as I tuck my phone in my pocket. Leaning back in my seat, I take in my surroundings. It truly was a beautiful wedding, but the reception is really awesome. Lights hang from the ceiling; lots of blue flowers are in the middle of the tables with pops of yellow everywhere. As soon as I walked in and was directed to my seat, a beer was placed in my hand. I chugged the sucker, not only because I was worried they’d take it away from me, but because I’m nervous. I’ve never been around so many important people.

“Hey,” Shea says unexpectedly from beside me. I look over, not sure he’s talking to me, but then he says, “I’m Shea Adler. I don’t think I’ve met you.”

I take his hand and shake it as I say, “Jude Sinclair.”

“Oh, Elli, this is the guy that’s dating Claire.”

Elli looks over at me and waves. “Yeah, Jude, hey, how are you?”

“Fine, thank you,” I say and then look back at Shea.

Elli returns to talking to one of the ladies from the afternoon when I picked Claire up and Shea leans toward me, dropping his voice almost to a whisper before saying, “Yeah, don’t hurt her. You do, you’ll have a whole hockey team after you.”

I think I just peed on myself.

Leaving me with wide eyes, he sits upright, and I look away just as the music starts.

I just got threatened by Shea Adler.

That is so fucking cool.

Yes, I am shaking in my boots, but come on, it’s not every day that the captain of the Assassins threatens to kill you. As I look over at the door that is opening, Claire comes in on the arm of Erik Titov. She’s grinning from ear to ear, looking completely stunning all done up. As my eyes lazily make a trail down her gorgeous body, I can’t wait to get that dress off her. It’s been days since I’ve been deep inside her, and I’m itching to get her naked. But I have to admit, she looks amazing fully clothed right now.

Heading in next are Reese and Phillip, looking so fucking happy they could star in a newlywed sitcom. They are disgustingly cute, but I bet that’s what people think of Claire and me. As people cheer and holler for the bride and groom, my eyes go back to where my girl is standing to find that her eyes are locked on me. A sneaky little grin pulls at her lips, and I smile as she starts for me before dropping into my lap. I wrap my arms around her, kissing her red-painted lips.

“Hey, Jude,” she says with a wink.

“Hey, gorgeous.”

“I can’t stay for long. I have to sit up there with them, but I couldn’t stand to be away from you any longer,” she says in a perfect rendition of a Southern belle.

Clearing my throat, I say in my best southern way, “Well, ma’am, I’m glad you came because I just can’t live another second without your lips on mine.”

“You’re in luck, cowboy, ’cause I’ve been cravin’ some kissin’,” she says right before she presses her lips against mine.

Corny. Yes, we are. I don’t think either of us cares, though. Holding her face in my hands, I kiss her long and hard, my dick coming to life in my pants and pressing against her ass. Grinning against my lips, she whispers, “Something is poking me.”

I grin. “Yes, he misses you.”

Her eyes darken as she runs her nose along mine. “I miss him.”

I groan inwardly as she pulls away and says, “Shea, this is my boyfriend.”

Shea looks over at us and smiles. “Yeah, I know. I already threatened to kill him if he hurts you.”

Rolling her eyes, she looks at me. “I’m sorry, but did you know that the Nashville Assassins team is full of a bunch of overprotective crazies?”