Everything I want: Will Alfie and Lily's love survive?... (37 page)

I was grinning widely at him, he had really thought about this. He was a huge rock star, so could actually dictate his own terms now, and although we didn’t have as much clout, he could use his to influence our schedules
too.

“Alfie, if you could work that out, I’d marry you tomorrow.” I giggled, feeling that there was a distinct possibility that I could really have everything I want with
him.

“Okay, honey, you need your beauty sleep, if I’m going to be seen with you at a wedding. I mean you have some serious competition tomorrow, I look completely hot in my tuxedo and pink cummerbund and
tie.”

The mental image he gave me made my heart speed up. “Oh great, now I have to try and sleep with that image of you looking all masterful like that,” I mum
bled.

Alfie chuckled, and we started to say good night, with several I love you declarations between us, until Elle crossed the room and swiped my phone fro
m me.

“Alfie, it’s almost midnight, you need to let her sleep now so that she can focus tomorrow. Look after my hot man for me… and make sure you’re both there on time tomo
rrow.”

Elle smirked and touched the red ‘end’ button on my cell throwing it back at me. “Bed, Lily, or we’ll both look like shit tomo
rrow.”

She grinned wickedly at me as we crawled into bed, and after about ten minutes of Holly singing with Mandy, we all settled down and eventually fell as
leep.

Chapter 37
– Okay I’m impressed

W
hy didn’t someone remind me not to share the bed with Elle? I spent the night being flicked by her leg, her elbows digging into me, and at one point she had her hands on my back pushing me toward the edge of the
bed.

Elle must have been dreaming that she was dancing in one of her shows from the way she was rolling around in the bed. Drew must really love her. I struggled lying beside her for one night, and he’d have to do that for the rest of his
life.

“Morning,” Elle croaked, one eye peering vacantly at me. “What time i
s it?”

It was still dark outside but someone had gone to the bathroom in the night and left the light on, so we could see each other. “Five forty-five,” I whispered. All of the others were still asleep. Elle slipped out of bed and gestured to me to come in the direction of the bathroom. There was a huge Jacuzzi bath, a hot tub, and a sauna i
n it.

Elle began filling the hot tub and Jacuzzi bath and disappeared back into the bedroom. She returned with a bowl of fruit, chocolate strawberries, and a bottle of Kry
stal.

I raised my eyebrow. “It’s not even six am Elle…” I was whispering, but she cut me off, “And it’s not every day a girl gets married either,
Lily.”

I smirked. “True, but I don’t want to be drunk and let you down in my du
ties.”

She gave me a sly glance. “Nothing you did would ever truly disappoint me, Lily. Just don’t fall over and rip the dress, and it’ll be all
good.”

Elle grinned. “Who’d have thought this time last year we’d be sitting here with me, the blushing bride, and you, my maid of honor.” She giggled. “Am I going to be your maid of honor,
Lily?”

I smiled widely. “Sure, but I you might have to share that honor with Jack.” Elle laughed loudly, nodding. “He’d be completely up for that
too.”

Elle’s easy going manner and relaxed tone left me in awe. It was her wedding day, yet there were no nerves. I was only going to be the maid of honor, and I felt ner
vous.

Settling ourselves in the hot tub we lay back chatting about memories from our past, and what had happened in the last few years. Elle was really excited that we’d be living near each other again, once the dust had settled from her wed
ding.

She told me she’d chosen, ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri as their first dance song, and for her, it was the perfect choice, because it was playing the first time she danced with
Drew.

“What would you choose?” I didn’t hesitate. ‘Insatiable.’ She smiled. “Alfie was writing it the day I met him, and I gave him the line, ‘Music is the sound of feelings and she listened to what he felt’, and it’s about making love, and how fiercely the guy felt about the girl he was making lov
e to.”

Elle was smiling wistfully. “Yeah, why did I even need to ask that question?” She smiled, then leaned over and hugged me. “We’re going to a wedding today, Lily,” Elle exclaimed, wiggling her legs and splashing in the hot
tub.

After about forty-five minutes, we crawled out of the hot tub looking like prunes, leaving the rest of the girls, who were now awake and had joined us, soaking i
n it.

Room service arrived with breakfast, but we didn’t eat much. After that the room slowly filled with people, as a makeup girl and hair stylists arrived to make us look pr
etty.

Elle had treated everyone to some French lingerie and silk stockings; she’d thought about everything. Mine was made of white satin and delicate lace and all very
sexy.

Bridesmaid dresses were all lined up hanging in huge carriers, with name labels on the front. Once our hair and makeup was done, Elle unveiled the dresses to us girls. Each was designed slightly different in the same material. Leanne was doing a great job when I saw it at the one fitting I had, so I was excited to see what it looked like since it had been fini
shed.

Elle was in charge, pulling each dress off of the hangers, one by one, after calling the name on the label. She looked visibly distressed when mine was missing. Her eyes met mine, and they flitted away in the direction of her mom. In hushed tones, Elle and her mom discussed my missing dress. Maggie, Elle’s mom, left the room to track down the missing gar
ment.

Concentrating on Elle, I helped her into the beautiful wedding gown. It took my mind off my missing dress. I was careful not to show my concern, because I didn’t want anything to spoil the day for
her.

Gasping at the visual effect of Elle in her dress and makeup, I hugged her tightly and fought back my tears. I was speechless and had a huge lump in my throat. Elle was a beautiful, elegant-looking woman, but dressed in her gown, with her hair like that, she looked absolutely stunning. I didn’t think I’d ever seen a more beautiful b
ride.

Holly and Mandy came over, because I had dressed Elle behind a screen. They were full of wonderful compliments, and Elle had a permanent smile and looked radiantly h
appy.

Rosie headed out to make sure the flowers had arrived and they were set up outside the wedding suite, ready for everyone to pick up. This should have been my job, but as I was still semi-naked, she had volunteered to do this fo
r me.

Elle’s mom and mine pushed into the room, both carrying the missing garment bag. The way they were carrying it between them, anyone would have thought it weighed a
ton.

Elle smirked at me. “Come here, Lily, I want a little chat with you while we’re both still single.” I giggled and went over to the bedroom area, which was separated from the living area for our little moment toge
ther.

“Nervous?” I searched Elle’s face for signs, but she looked completely happy and relaxed. “Nope. Not at all. Not with my best friend with me all the way.” I was really touched by her comment and felt privileged to have a friend like her. She’d always been so confident and encouraging t
o me.

“There’s something I have to give you, and you need to have it now.” She took a deep breath, and it was the first sign of nerves I had seen in her all day. I knew it was traditional to have a small gift from the bride. I was glad she was giving it to me privately, because it was an emotional moment, and I felt close to t
ears.

Elle handed me an envelope, and I could see the apprehension on her face. Her nerves were definitely getting to
her.

Tentatively, I tore the envelope open, and there were a bunch of papers inside. My eyes flicked up at hers in confusion, and back to the papers I’d been unfolding while looking at
her.

I saw the record label heading, and read what it said. It was a contract from the CEO, saying exactly what Alfie had told me he could make ha
ppen.

He’d organized for our future together, and I was ecstatic about it. I wondered what Elle was doing with it, and why she was giving it to me right before her wedding

Elle had a wide grin on her face as she handed me a small gold colored envelope. “Now, this one.” I recognized Alfie’s writing as soon as I saw it. When I peeled it open, some small rose petals fell to the floor as I pulled out a rich, vanilla-colored
card.

Okay Lily, I kept my part of the bargain from our talk last night, it’s time for you, my beautiful girl, to make good on yours. Last night you told me you would marry me tomorrow, if I could arrange what you just read in the contract. So…come downstairs and meet me, the future Mrs. Black. I’m waiting for my beautiful bride so that we can write our own contract, and be signed to the most important label for the both of us. The ‘Black’ L
abel.

“I can’t marry him today, not like this. I’m not hijacking your wedding, Elle. I have no dress or anything, apart from that…” Elle wagged her fingers at our moms to bring the carrier over. “Actually, before you go jumping off the deep end, Lily, we planned the wedding together. We chose everything together. You just didn’t know we were planning it for the both o
f us.”

My mother unzipped the carrier, and the dress I’d fallen in love with when I went to Elle’s fitting was being pulled out in front of me. “Leanne made the final adjustments to it from the measurements she
had.”

Speechless and shaking, I swallowed audibly as I choked back my tears. “Are you serious? Mom, you and Dad knew about
this?”

My mother nodded sheepishly. “We were worried that you wouldn’t be ready today. Your dad and I had doubts about Alfie in the beginning, but we can see how much he loves you, and we know you couldn’t be in better h
ands.”

Still shaking from the shock, I stared at Elle and my mother came to help me into my dress. The soft cast supporting my arm was hidden once the silk and lace sleeve was slipped pas
t it.

Elle had tears in her eyes when she looked at me. “I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect person to share this day with, Lily. We’ve done nearly everything else together, so it made sense for us to kill two birds with one stone. This way we’ll be able to celebrate our anniversaries together for the rest of our l
ives.”

My dad and Elle’s dad arrived, and Elle explained that Holly was going to be maid of honor for me, and Mandy had agreed to be hers. My dad looked at me, his eyes glistening with tears, only a hint of concern in them. “You’re happy about
this?”

I was. The whole thing was an incredible surprise. Alfie, along with my friends and family, had arranged everything behind my back, and I couldn’t be hap
pier.

The past few days began to make sense from trying on the dress to everything that was going on during the wedding rehearsals. We were rehearsing, too, just without my knowl
edge.

Rosie arrived back in the room with the wedding planner, Jenny, to let us know everyone was seated. Our moms and Rosie headed to the wedding suite to wait for us, after lots of fighting back tears, kisses, and
hugs.

On my dad’s arm as he walked me to Alfie, he dipped his head to my ear. “Lily, you are the most beautiful daughter any dad could possibly have. I am so proud of you, darling. Alfie asked me at Christmas if he could ask you to be his bride. I was worried about you living that life with a rock star, but after watching you together, I gave him my blessing.” I was surprised they’d even had such a conversa
tion.

My eyes brimmed with tears when I saw Jack dressed like my dad, standing just outside the door. I turned to my dad, and he gri
nned.

“Jack asked if he could come with me to give you away. I felt it was fitting. He’s going to need some closure on your relationship as it was. You do know how two you are is way beyond weird, right? You can’t behave that way after you’re married,” he scolded, but there was humor in his v
oice.

Jack smirked. “Well except for the times when Alfie isn’t looking, Lily.” He winked. I giggled. No matter what, Jack would always be important t
o me.

Music began to filter out from within the wedding suite. ‘Love You Forever’ by Ryan Huston. Softly and silently the doors to the suite began to
open.

Elle leaned over at me. “Both boys picked this song because some of the lyrics fit with you guys and some with mine and Drew’s past together.” It was per
fect.

Alfie’s eyes connected with mine as soon as I entered the room. As far as I was concerned we were alone. Making my way to the front, I was mesmerized by his gorgeous smile and his beautiful features. He looked incredible in his smart, sexy suit. He was smiling widely, and his eyes held my gaze until I was standing next to
him.

My dad and Jack both put my hand in Alfie’s palm, and I heard the registrar ask, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man.” My dad and Jack in unison said, “We do,” before smiling and stepping back. As they did, Alfie’s fingers closed around mine, and he squeezed gently. “Hey,” he c
ooed.

Staring at his handsome face, I was having difficulty taking all of this in. I didn’t have time to write out any personalized vows, but as I barely managed to squeak out what the registrar asked me to repeat, I was glad I hadn’t spent hours on that. Alfie wouldn’t have embarrassed me by having a set of his own vows when I didn’t either. Besides, we could do that on our honeymoon and recite them to each other in pri
vacy.

I began to relax at the wedding dinner, and our reception went off like a dream. I insisted that Elle and Drew had the first dance. After all, Alfie and I had kind of butted in on their wedding. Elle had invited Will and his new girlfriend, Amy, and Alfie tolerated it because he knew I was his for
life.

We were booked into another suite in the hotel for the night, but our honeymoon was postponed for two week until after my physical therapy was finished. He knew how important playing music was to me and keeping to the recovery pro
gram.