Ready to Wed (Ready #1.5)(3)
Chapter Two
~Clare~
“Where is it?” I asked again, as we watched the endless luggage go around the noisy carousel in baggage claim. Maddie was doing circles around Logan’s legs which he did an excellent job of ignoring. He was settling into his Dad role nicely, I laughed silently to myself.
“I’m sure it’s coming,” he answered, although I could see even he was starting to doubt his words.
All of our bags had come through the carousel…all but one. My garment bag. The one the stupid perky blonde lady at the counter had made me check. The garment bag she had assured me would be fine. Where the hell was it? How could I get married without a dress?
Just when I had created the ultimate list of ways in which I was going to let the customer service reps have it, my garment bag appeared, like a beacon from heaven.
“There it is! Oh thank God!” I squealed, running to the carousel like a manic child, only to be immediately halted when I saw the huge gash in the side. My once mint condition ivory dress was now spilling out of the hole in the side and ripped to shreds.
I heard Logan curse right before the tears started to sting my eyes. What the hell was I supposed to do now? Taking charge, Logan grabbed the garment bag off the carousel before it made another long journey around the airport, and held it up for inspection. Yep, it was a total loss unless we wanted to change things up and have a themed wedding; if I wanted to go as the Bride of Chuckie, I was golden.
“Do you think it’s fixable?” he asked gently.
“No,” I moaned, before covering my face with my hands.
“Oh no Mommy, your pretty dress is all messed up!”
Logan patted her on the head and said it was okay to give Mommy a hug. She happily came to my side, offering her sympathy in the form of child-sized hugs. They helped for about five seconds until I saw that humongous gash again, and then the misery came rushing back.
Stupid airline. Stupid dress.
“I don’t have a dress! What am I supposed to do without a dress? Do you think it’s a sign? Maybe we aren’t supposed to get married this week. Maybe this is one giant ivory colored sign that we are supposed to wait…go home, and get married later.”
“Whoa…babe, you’re babbling. Like, a lot.” He gripped my shoulder and pulled me close. He smelled like aftershave and mint. Familiar and safe.
“Calm down. This is a wardrobe malfunction, not a cosmic sign from the universe, okay?”
I nodded, and pulled him closer, resting my head on his shoulder, knowing he was right. It was just the fact that with every step we took further away from home, away from that hospital and his doctors, I felt the panic growing and multiplying a bit more. I looked up at him and wondered, Were we making the right choice in putting off his treatment?
~Logan~
“Oh, thank f**k you’re here!” I said, seeing Leah enter the hotel, with Garrett in tow.
“Well, it’s nice to see you too handsome,” she answered with a wink and a sly grin. I helped them with their luggage and gave Garrett a friendly guy hug before turning back to Leah, my savior for the day.
“So, why are you so glad to see me? Not that I don’t appreciate the welcome.”
“Clare. She’s freaking out. Her dress was trashed on the trip over here, and she is literally losing her shit. I don’t know a thing about dresses. I don’t have a clue on where to look, what she wants. And now she’s got it in her head that this is some sort of sign that the entire wedding is doomed.”
I started pacing the lobby because I really didn’t know what else to do. I know weddings always had kinks, but ours was supposed to be low key. There were only a few guests, and yes…we threw it together in a few days and did it destination style, but still. Low key. What happened to that?
“Logan.” I didn’t answer, I just continued to pace, hoping an answer would magically appear to fix my freaked out bride.
“Logan, seriously. Look at me.”
Leah sounded pretty damn serious, so I did as I was told and met her gaze. I’d learned to not mess with Leah. She could be kind of scary.
“Garrett, go take Logan out for drinks or something. I’ve got it from here.”
“Wait, what?”
“You’re dismissed. Didn’t you hear me the first time?”
“Uh..”
“Go do dude stuff, and I will handle the distraught bride. I’m pretty sure I can find a wedding dress a lot faster than you can! We’ll meet you for dinner!”
And just like that, Leah saved the day.
Chapter Three
~Clare~
“Okay, get up,” Leah said, pulling my arm in a vain attempt to get my ass out of the lounge chair I was currently occupying.
“Nooo….I don’t want to,” I whined.
She looked at the little table next to my lounger and laughed.
“How many of those fruity cocktails have you had, Clare Bear?”
“Um…two, maybe?” I hiccupped a bit, and laughed. Okay, maybe a bit more than two.
“Was your plan to drink yourself a new wedding dress?”
I slumped back into my cozy lounge chair, enjoying the feel of the warm sun on my bare skin. After we arrived at the resort, a truly breathtaking place I might add, I dropped my ruined wedding dress in our suite and decided to take my sorrows poolside. The pool had sweeping, endless views of the ocean and the water seemed to disappear right into the blue horizon. Maddie was enjoying the kid’s day program the resort offered, and I figured putting on my bikini and ordering a few drinks might improve my sour mood.