“I know,” he replied, his face splitting into a huge grin. “Everyone knows you’re marryin’ Kenna.”

“Then…”

What?

Connor smiled at me and winked, and Jason snatched my puny lotus blossom from my vest and switched it with his.

“What?” I asked out loud this time. “Shut the fuck up!”

Looking around, I saw everyone smiling at me. Some people were laughing outright. And no fuckin’ wonder! My jaw dropped, and my head and heart started tripping. The truth of the situation started to sink in, and then it fuckin’ hit.

I’m marryin’ Kenna? Right now? Today? Holy shit!

My heart, she was exploding in my chest!

I’m marryin’ Kenna! Right now! Today!

Viv emerged from the tent, looking all sweet in a champagne-colored dress. Flipper whistled.

Is this for real?

Then, Sheri looked mighty elegant, and next to me, Jason swelled with pride for the woman he wasn’t fake-marryin’ today.

Because I’m marryin’ Kenna! As in, for real!

Then, Lili…aw, Pygmy looked stunning, and I saw her wave, wriggling her fingers, to Lewis in the audience.

What the fuck is playin’? Is it…

It was Led Zeppelin’s “The Rain Song.”

Except…that was fuckin’ Connor singing that shit.

“Oh, Baby Girl…” I whispered.

My heart, she was full to bursting.

It was as though I were having an out-of-body experience. My head was all over the place. Of course, it fuckin’ was! I’d just fuckin’ found out that my Baby Girl and all my friends had just pulled off the most awesome surprise of my entire life.

Alys looked lovely, and her eyes shone on Connor like a lifeline. When the fuck those two would get together was a running bet between us in the band. I had two grand on it happening, like, yesterday.

When Alys took her place next to Lili in the maid-of-honor spot, the music turned up slightly, and everyone stood up.

My knees started shaking.

In my head, flashes of every memory I’d made with my Baby Girl, from the time we were little kids until this very moment, blasted through me.

The tent flaps pulled back, and my reason for existing—dressed in a simple off-white silk dress with her flaming bear of a father on her arm—stepped out. Her hair was softly curled about her precious face, and that dress…it was low cut enough to show her heart.

My heart.

Kenna had had Darren Wright tattoo a heart identical to the one on my chest. Only hers had Phil across it, looking as though it’d been branded into it. She’d gotten it at the tattoo convention in London.

To top it all off, my Baby Girl was fuckin’ barefoot on our wedding day.

Fuck it.

I kicked off my shoes and tore off my socks, and I heard her laugh from the tent, the little shit. Behind me, the Notary Public laughed, too, and I glanced at her. She was an older woman, fifties probably, and she smiled at me.

“I’m gettin’ married today!” I whispered.

“You are,” she replied.

Tossing my shoes and socks aside, I stood up straight, and my heart…she nearly beat her way out of my chest. My dream come true—my muse, my goddess, my fuckin’ everything—was walking toward me in her wedding dress, a vision I had only fantasized before now. The evening sunlight caught her coppery hair and turned her skin to warm honey, just as I had dreamed.

My imagination fuckin’ sucked compared to the beauty walking up the steps with her Da. Sigmund had tears in his eyes, and briefly, I wondered if he wore anything under his kilt. The things one thought about during times like these…

“Are ye sure ye want m’lass?”

Nodding my head, I told Papa Soulless, “More than anythin’ in the whole universe, sir.”

Sniffling, he turned to his daughter, the gorgeous creature he’d created with the love of his life, and he kissed her cheek. “Love ye.”

“Love you, too, Da,” she replied.

Da placed her hand in mine, and before he could turn around, I pulled her into my arms and kissed her most inappropriately in front of all our friends and family.

“Man, I think you’re supposed to wait until the I dos,” said Flipper.

“Is this real, Kenna?” I whispered, just like I had the night she walked her sweet ass back into my life.

“I believe so,” she replied, smiling a secret sort of smile.

The Notary Public began the civil union. Unlike traditional ceremonies, I refused to stand next to Kenna. No, I had her wrapped in my arms as I stared down into her shining emerald eyes. When she realized I wasn’t gonna let her go, she slipped her arms around my waist and held on just as tight.

There were no personal written vows. We’d already said everything to each other, the last two years a promise carried through with all the words and confessions and confiding between us.

“Do you, Philip Louis Deveraux, take Zephyr Kenna MacGregor to be your lawfully wedded wife, from this moment forward, in truth, fidelity, and love?” asked the Notary.

“I do,” I replied.

Connor stepped forward and handed Kenna a simple platinum wedding band. I yanked off the DiAblo in a flash, and Kenna slipped it on my finger. It was taking every ounce of my willpower not to break out in a dance. Instead, I shoved the DiAblo back on behind my wedding band. Kenna handed over her engagement ring, and Connor handed me her wedding band.

“Do you, Zephyr Kenna MacGregor, take Philip Louis Deveraux as your lawfully wedded husband, from this moment forward, in truth, fidelity, and love?”

“I do,” she replied with a blazing smile.

Suddenly, I was higher than I’d ever been in my whole fuckin’ life. The band and then her engagement ring went on her hand, and fuck me, was it a beautiful thing to see.

My wife!

“By the power vested in me by the State of Louisiana, I now pronounce you partners in life, equals, as husband and wife. You may once again kiss your bride!”

I grabbed my woman, and I ate her fuckin’ face. Her cheeks were flaming hot when I set her back on her bare feet.

“Baby Girl!” I breathed.

“Hmm?”

“You ready to take our first step as man and wife?”

“Too fuckin’ right, I am!”

“Language!” roared Da.

THE END

Thank you to my family. Espen and Makenna, you are my life.

For my lifelong friends who have inspired the people of NOLA’s Own—thank you so much for being YOU. Without you guys, my life would be a lot less wonderful.

Thank you, Em, for being my rock, my voice of reason, and for all the love and support you’ve given me through this experience. You’ve held my hand the whole way. I’d be lost without you.

A huge thank you to my beta readers—Mandy and Jaime, you two are the best cheerleaders a person can have. Sigrid, you were the first to read NOLA’s Own, and you were the one who told me I really had something worth publishing.

Thank you, Renee Ericson, for creating the covers of this series. You listened to what was in my head and heart and made it visual. And thank you for being such a great friend.

Jovana Shirley, I can’t thank you enough for all the magic you create. You take my words and make them shine.

To my street team—Where would I be without you guys? Thank you for all your hard work and all that delicious eye-candy. You know how to keep a woman happy!

A shout-out to my COPA Cabana chicas. I’m honored to be a part of such an awesome group of ladies. Thank you for all the support and positivity. I love you gals hard!

And, as always, music.