Rebuilding Stone (The Stone Brother Series Book 2) (20 page)

I have to remind myself to never listen to Molly again. She
had this stupid idea to rent an RV and drive everyone to Kentucky. First,
fighting over the radio station nearly ended in someone’s death because Noah
and Brayden listen to two different types of music. Noah is into rock and
Brayden is into pop. We all died laughing when Brayden not only sang along with
Britney Spears, but he knew all the dance moves as well. He totally got knocked
down the badass chain. It was the longest eight hours of my life.

We all got rooms at a local hotel. Well, except Molly and
Noah who will be staying with her parents. We have so much to do in very little
time. The guys and I are going to Brady’s today to help set up. Kerrigan is
excited to show me everything she’s done and why she loves this place.

Kerrigan warned me about the driveway, but I thought she was
being ridiculous. It couldn’t be that bad. Well, I was wrong. One wrong move and
you’ll plummet to your death. I have to admit, I was grabbing onto the oh-shit
handle bar on the door. Brayden gave me shit about losing cool points in the
badass department and I laughed. He’s right, I did.

When we get to the top, I’m speechless. Kerrigan was right;
it's beautiful. You can see for miles. Over the trees, you can see the river
and into Ohio. I see the canopy going up and someone who must be Brady,
waiting. When we get out of the RV, Brady is first to make the introduction.

“Hi, I’m Brady. I’m assuming you’re Maddox,” Brady greets,
extending his hand.

“Yes. This is my brother, Evan. My friend, Brayden. And I’m
sure you’ve met Noah.”

“I have. Nice meeting you guys and good seeing you again,
Noah,” Brady replies. He seems chill.

“Kerrigan told me how beautiful this place was. I bet you do
a lot of hunting up here,” I say.

“You hunt?” he asks, sounding surprised.

“Yeah, we used to go one week out of the year. Now with
kids, it’s down to a weekend.”

“Well, you all want to take the four wheelers out and look
around?” Brady asked.

“Heck yes,” Brayden says.

“After you boys get everything set up, you can go. This can
be your bachelor party, Maddox,” Kerrigan suggests.

Shit. I hadn’t thought about a bachelor party. Does this
mean she's having a bachelorette party? The thought of Kerrigan going to a
strip club gets under my skin.

“You having a bachelorette party?” I ask her.

“Well, yeah,” she replies. I have the irrational urge to
take her into that death trap of an RV and fuck her.

“No strippers,” I growl out.

“You’re kidding, right?” Kerrigan asks in disbelief.

“Well no, I’m not.” Why would Kerrigan seeing a stripper
bother me? I trust her. I just don’t want another guy rubbing his sausage
anywhere near her.

“Maddox Stone, I’m not going to see strippers, but if that
was the party my friends have set up for me, then that's what I'll see,” she
says, getting angry. I want to snap at her, but I won’t because I love and trust
her. I’m also proud that she is sticking up for herself.

I pull her in close to me and whisper in her ear, “I’m
sorry. Do what you want and have a good time.”

She giggles and whispers back, “There isn’t a stripper on
the planet that looks like you, so I wouldn’t waste my time anyway.” I love
this woman.

The girls didn’t plan a party per se. Molly is taking us to
‘Naughty but Nice’ in Ashland. It’s not too far of a drive and there are more
places to eat that we can choose from. Buying lingerie with my friends and
sister isn’t what I had in mind, but after only ten minutes in the store, I’m
having a blast. Each girl has decided to buy me a surprise piece of lingerie.
Molly already warned me that whatever Kelly gets me would be leather. I have to
say that I’m with Molly on this. I’m not a fan of leather.

Holy shit. You can’t be shy and be in this store with these
girls. I don’t know how many vibrators I was chased with and I was paddled a
couple of times. The sales clerk just smiles, it probably happens a lot.

I start to try on different pieces of lingerie. I have a
moment of sadness while in the changing room. Heck, maybe it's happiness.
Standing here in front of this mirror in lingerie, I believe I’m beautiful.
It’s definitely the first time I’ve ever wanted to be sexy. I’m so happy I came
to Kentucky. I really found myself here and as much as I missed Maddox while
being here, I had to fix myself. And I did.

Thankfully, we finish at the lingerie store. I don’t know
how much more I could take. I love my friends and sister, but man, they can
make me blush. I haven’t seen what they picked out for me, but even if I don’t
love it, Maddox definitely will.

We stop for dinner before heading back to Brady’s. He hasn’t
met the girls yet. They were at Kelly’s when the guys came up. I can’t wait for
them to see the place. We ate fast food so that we could get to Brady’s
quickly.

I have to laugh when all the girls except Molly start saying
prayers driving up the hill. Brady said that tomorrow, everyone can park at the
bottom and they’ll run the four-wheelers down to pick up each guest.

When we get to the top, I can see the boys have been working
hard. Everything is up and it looks just like I dreamed. I think the boys took
it upon themselves to add white lights to the lattice. It’s more than I
could’ve hoped for. I can’t believe tomorrow I’ll be Mrs. Stone. I feel a
mixture of emotions, I can’t decide if I want to cry or laugh. I settle on both
as we get out of the car.

Molly took Ari, Kelly, and Lani to the bathroom. Missy and I
head over to the canopy. The boys aren’t here; I assume they're out in the
woods somewhere.

“It’s beautiful, Kerrigan,” Missy says.

“It is. I can’t believe how much everything has changed. For
the first time in my life, I’m truly happy. Well, I’ve been happy since Maddox
and I officially started dating.” I start missing Eli. He's with Jay, Annie,
and Molly’s boys.

“It’s a good feeling when you can let go of the past and
focus on the future, isn’t it?” Missy asked.

“Yes.” I sit down and continue crying. I’m overwhelmed by
where my life has taken me and what it’s put me through. “What did Brayden say
when you told him you were pregnant?” I asked, wiping away my tears.

“I still haven’t told him.”

“Why?” I ask. I know Brayden will be thrilled.

“Well, you know Brayden. I think when he finds out, he'll
rush to propose. I don’t want him to feel like he needs to marry me.”

“Brayden would marry you anyway. He's probably taking things
slow because he knows rushing you wouldn’t help. If you tell him and he does
propose, it won't be because of the baby.”

“You’re right, I want all of this.” Missy gestures towards
our wedding space. “The lights, the friends, the intimacy of such a small
group, and I want Brayden.” She smiles.

“Tell him when they get back. Don’t wait, Missy. Brayden has
been very patient, but he's a lot like Maddox. I knew Maddox was waiting for me
to be ready, and when I finally was, I had to be the one to make the move. I’m
so happy I did. Look at where we are.”

The rest of the girls join us and we sit around talking
about tomorrow’s wedding. The boys finally join us after about two hours. When
they get back, I can tell they played the one-up game on each other because
there isn’t a clean spot on them. I know when I played it my first day here,
everyone tried to find a bigger puddle and splash more mud than the person
before them. I nudge Missy to go tell Brayden and I’m surprised she does. I
watch as she pulls him to the side and a smile starts to spreads wide across
his face. He picks her up and twirls her around; then, drops to his knees and
kisses her stomach.

I see Kerrigan glowing, so I walk over and sit beside her.
She really is beautiful. I don’t see a hint of stress, hurt, or fear on her
face anymore. I’m filthy right now, but I can’t stop what I’m about to do. It’s
been a few weeks since I’ve been inside her.

“Come with me,” I whisper in her ear. Kerrigan can always
read my face.

“Come find me after you shower,” she teases.

“I was wondering if you could help me with that.”

“Maddox, we are getting married tomorrow. No sex tonight,
and I’m staying with Kelly. The girls decided to cancel their hotel rooms so we
can all have a girls night there,” she says. No sex? Obviously, she doesn’t
realize that our honeymoon sex will last an entire minute.

“Babe, you’re killing me,” I complain. She laughs and I
groan. My dick fucking aches right now.

“Hey, I should get going and pick up Eli.”

“No, I’ll get him. Let me keep him tonight,” I say wanting
to have my son with me. I’ve missed him so much.

“Okay. Get the breast milk out of the fridge at Annie’s.
There should be enough.” Just hearing Kerrigan say breast makes my dick ache
again. It's going to be one long night.

I’m here at Brady’s getting ready for my wedding, along with
my brothers, our children, and Brayden. I’m not even a bit nervous. I’ve waited
for this day for far too long. I’m getting Eli ready. Kerrigan picked out a
cute little tux for him. My chubby little boy is busting at the seams and it’s
so cute. My brothers and I all clean up nicely, but when Kerrigan mentioned
we’d be wearing tuxes, I wasn’t thrilled. I hate feeling stiff. But this is her
dream wedding, and all I care about is that she will forever be mine.

“You ready?” Noah says, with his hand on my shoulder.

“Absolutely,” I answer.

“I’m so happy for you, brother,” Evan says, joining Noah and
me.

I’m sitting inside a spare bedroom at Brady’s, and I’m
thankful to have my friends and sister surrounding me. It’s a moment I’ll never
forget. Tears have been shared, laughs have been laughed, and words of wisdom
given. Annie made me a blue garter and Lani gave me a blue necklace that she
never takes off. It’s a blue topaz, her birthstone. It’s my something borrowed.
Ari is giving me her blue hair clip with blue gems as my something old.

Kelly fixed my hair for me. I’m wearing it down, but with
the sides pulled back from my face. Kelly added a few sprigs of baby’s breath.
My dress fits perfectly. I still have a baby belly, but this dress hides it
perfectly. It hugs my hips and lifts my breasts. It’s very flattering. Annie
also made my bouquet. It’s made with pink roses with a blue and purple ribbon
tying them together.

The girls picked out silk, knee-length lavender bridesmaids
dresses for themselves. The dresses have pink silk belts that cross at the
waist. They all look beautiful. I give them one last look over before it’s time
to start.

Everyone walks out to take their places. I realize way too
late that I didn’t ask Jay to walk me down the aisle. I know I don’t know him
very well, but that man has given me more than my own father ever did. I also
thought about asking Evan, but I quickly decided against it because Evan
doesn’t seem like the wedding type. So, I’ll be walking down the aisle by
myself, and I’m fine with that. Today is about Maddox and me anyway.

I hear “Here Comes the Bride” start playing, and I start my
walk. I look down the aisle and see a beaming Maddox, who looks super hot in
his tux. I want to run to him and just scream, “I do.” I walk slowly looking at
everyone because I want to smile and nod “thanks” to each of them for helping
me along the way. Finally, after what seems like an hour, I make my way to
Maddox’s side.
 

Jay asked if he could use traditional vows with God in them.
I said yes because I know Maddox believes, and saying them doesn’t affect me.
Maddox and I also decided we wanted to add to our vows.

Kerrigan looks stunning. Her dress is so beautiful, and it
fits her perfect figure to a T. Watching her walk down the aisle so slowly was
killing me. I want her by my side where she belongs. Finally, after she makes
the slow walk up the aisle, she reaches me. I take both of her hands and hold
onto them.

I look her over and whisper, “You’re beautiful.” She smiles
that smile that ignites me, and the whole world vanishes. I’m standing here on
this beautiful hilltop with her. Nothing else in the world matters right now. I
can hear Jay talking, but I still keep looking at my beautiful bride. I hear
Jay clear his throat, and I realize it’s my turn to say what I want to tell her
and what I want everyone to know.

“Kerrigan, you’ve brought so much to my life. The love I
feel for you, I’m unable to put into words. There isn’t a word that would do
this moment justice. I love you. Standing here, I know it’s where I'm supposed
to be. I promise to be your best friend, your supporter, and your lover. I
can't wait to start our life together.” I know it’s not much, but I hope she
knows what I’m trying to say. Gauging by the tears in her eyes, she does.

“Maddox, I know exactly what you mean, when you say there
are no words to describe the feelings we feel. I’ve gone over what I’ve wanted
to say to you a million times. I trust you, Maddox, to always love and protect
me. You give me courage to try new things, and to be who I want to be. I
promise, Maddox, to love you the way you deserve to be loved, to be who you
need me to be, in the moments you need me to be them. I love you, Maddox. Thank
you for this amazing life.”
 

At the conclusion of the ceremony, we head straight to take
our pictures. Kelly is our photographer. The sun is going down, and this hill,
with the trees in the background, is perfect. As much as I would love to capture
this moment on film and go through all the reception rituals, I want nothing
more than to rush Kerrigan to the hotel—I’m impatient to start our
honeymoon. I won’t rush her though because I know she wants to dance our first
dance and cut the cake.

After we finish taking pictures, she rushed indoors quickly
to find relief in the form of feeding Eli. I offered to relieve her and she
smacked my arm.

Brady was gracious enough to let us throw our reception
here. It really is the perfect location to share this event with our friends
and family. As the evening goes on, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves,
dancing and listening to music, and engaging in friendly conversations.

“It was a beautiful wedding,” Molly says to me, dabbing her
eyes with a tissue.

“Yes, it was,” I say as I hug Molly. I’m so happy Noah found
the love of his life. On the other hand, watching Lani and Evan is extremely
painful to watch. Evan has found the love of his life too, one that doesn’t
want him. Lani is avoiding him like he has the plague. I am so caught up in my
own happy moment that I decide to speak with Lani. She is drinking punch and
laughing with Kelly.

“Lani, can we talk?” I ask.

“Uh...yeah…” she says, unsure of what this could be about.
She comes over anyway, and we walk to the side of the house.

“I was wondering if you got me a wedding gift,” I joke with
her.

“Of course, I did. Why?” She did? Shit. This was my opening
into having her dance with Evan.

“Want to give me something else?” I ask.

“I think when you see Kerrigan in the lingerie I bought her,
you won’t want anything else.”

“Lani, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful,” I say with a
laugh, “but lingerie only slow me down, you know what I’m saying?” I wink and
nudge her. “Can I exchange it for a favor instead?”

“Fine, Maddox,” says Lani, “what do you want?”

“Well, It’s a big one,” I say. “Promise me you’ll do it.”

“Yes, of course. After everything you’ve done for me my best
friend, I’d do anything.” Perfect. I know Lani won’t back out of this.

“Slow dance with Evan?” I raise my eyebrow and cover my
dick, waiting for Lani to kick me.

“Dammit, Maddox! Anything but
that
.”

“You promised, Lani. And I see him looking at you.”

“Do you know how much we fight? How much I get on his
nerves?” Her face looks completely irritated.

“I know. Make a peace offering. We are all going to be
together much more now.”

“Fine. You owe me big time, asshole. And I mean BIG TIME!”
Lani stomps off and I laugh.

Kerrigan comes back about twenty minutes later and tells me
it’s time for our first dance. I don’t know the song she picked. She said it
was country music and it was a song by a band called Lonestar. It doesn’t
matter to me. I got everything I wanted when Kerrigan said, “I do.” I lead her
out under the canopy where we were married. The lights are shining and casting
a glow on her perfectly tanned skin. I pull her in close because the October
air has gotten chilly. I’m a married man, and it feels incredible!

Kerrigan lays her head on my chest. My heart picks up speed,
but I hold on and move with her. I listen to the lyrics, and I think are
perfect—I do want to spend the rest of my life with her by my side.