Whipped (Hitched #2)(37)

CHAPTER 22





LACH


We all regret the liberal use of the bar the night before, but we recover with some help from Vi and her mother and spend a relaxed day getting ready for the renewal ceremony taking place at sunset on the beach.

Most everything has already been set up, from catering to flowers, and it's a pretty casual affair. I'm not sure what I was expecting this weekend. I knew I'd be meeting Vi's parents. And I guess some part of my brain knew that it wouldn't be just the four of us at her parent's renewal ceremony. Honestly, I just didn't give it that much thought. Which is why I'm a bit shell-shocked at having to meet and socialize with the entire Reynolds clan. Because, from what I can tell, every single f*cking member of her family and extended family has come for this, from the youngest babies to the oldest grandparents. And they all want to meet Vi's new boyfriend. Good thing I'm used to putting on a game face.

We walk to the beach from Angela and Marvin's home. It's just down the street, and they greet their neighbors as they walk by, Marvin in khakis and a Grateful Dead t-shirt, Angela in a white satin sundress. No one wears shoes. Vi looks drop-dead f*ckable in an emerald green sundress that rides her thighs, and suddenly I want to be back in her bedroom under those sheets instead of trudging through sand to where floral arrangements and white wooden chairs await.

It's hard to find a bad weather day in Southern California, and today is no exception. It's fall, so the beaches aren't as crowded as I imagine they would be in summer, but the sun is shining, light glinting off the waves.

It reminds me of Australia a little. The perpetual summer and wide expanses of beaches. I spent a lot of time by the shore as a kid growing up with no one to go home to. Being near the ocean again, even if it's not the right ocean, settles something in me I didn't know was unsettled.

I take a deep breath and smile as Vi holds my hand and introduces me to aunts, uncles, her mother's parents who look tanned and active and happy to be here, and too many cousins running around to count. There are children, teens, tweens and adults in all stages of life gathered here in various states of dress from crazy casual to over-the-top formal. No one seems to care what anyone else is wearing or not wearing. Everyone is smiling, laughing, hugging and finding seats before the ceremony begins.

"I've got to go help my mom get ready," Vi says, squeezing my hand. "Will you be okay on your own for a bit?"

It's sweet that she asks, and I nod. "I'm good. You go ahead." I kiss her forehead and she leans into it, exhaling as my lips touch her skin. This woman. She's undoing me in the best way possible.

I watch as she walks away and don't notice Marvin until he's standing next to me fiddling with a bow tie. Over his Grateful Dead t-shirt.

"She's something special, isn't she?" he asks, watching his daughter.

"She is," I agree, a smiling creeping onto my face.

Marvin turns to me. "I've never seen her this happy. Don't break my little girl's heart."

"It's the last thing I want to do," I tell him, and I mean it. The thought of hurting Vi crushes me.

"You know, son, Vi told us the sticky spot you're in with your dreams to open a youth program and the pressure to tour for another year."

My heart thumps a bit harder in my chest when he calls me son. It's stupid, I know. An adolescent fantasy that was never fulfilled. But somehow, it feels good. Even if it does make me feel ten years old. "Yes," I say, wondering where this conversation is going.

"Have you considered trusting the Universe on this?" he asks in all seriousness.

I can hear the capitalization of 'Universe' in his voice and prepare myself for a hippy, new age conversation on existentialism or some shit. Don't get me wrong, I don't think believing this stuff is bad, it's just never been my path. I'm not sure what my path is, but I know it doesn't involve crossing my fingers and hoping some outside force will fix my problems. "It's been my experience that hard work and determination get you further than trust," I tell him, hoping I'm not loosing cool 'son' points with my honesty.

He nods, his expression thoughtful. "I appreciate that. And I admire a person who works hard and carves his own path in life. But what I mean is, have you considered that you've maybe overthought this? That in planning down to the detail, you've erased any opportunity for magic to happen?" He holds up a hand before I can protest. "I know what you're going to say. I can see the skepticism in your eyes. Just hear me out. Try holding the intention of what you want in your heart of hearts and seeing if the details don't rearrange themselves to give you what you need—what you want—even if it's not what you think it should look like. That's all I'm saying. Sometimes, we think we know exactly what we want, but when we open ourselves up to the unexpected, we get what we needed all along."

I look at Vi again. She isn't the kind of girl I would have thought I'd be with. Hell, I never thought I'd be with anyone for more than a few nights. But she's perfect for me in every way. I consider Marvin's words and wonder how they might apply to my problem with the after-school center. Could I be holding on to a vision that's keeping me from making the true magic of my ideas work? I don't know.

Marvin pats me on the back. "Good man. I can see you're at least thinking about it." He pulls off his bow tie and hands it to me. "Get rid of this thing for me, will ya? Who wears a bow tie with a t-shirt anyways? And while you're at it, would you mind standing in as my witness? My wife already snagged our daughter, so it looks like I'm in need of someone on my side."