California Girls(118)

“Ali, I want what you want. You know that. I love you and I want to get married, but the how is up to you. It was just a suggestion. If you don’t like it, we can have a big wedding somewhere here, if you’d like. The beach or a hotel. The Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey is beautiful.”

It was and yes, they could have a big wedding. Only she kind of felt she’d already done that. And Daniel’s first marriage had started with a blowout wedding. This time she wanted something smaller. Something that felt like them.

Valentine’s Day was a Friday and Parker and her mom were putting everyone up through Sunday. Daniel’s idea was to fly from Jamaica to the Bahamas and get married there. Just the two of them.

Ali had been in touch with the resort’s wedding planner and the process was fairly simple. A couple could apply for a wedding license after being on the island twenty-four hours and get married one day later. If she and Daniel arrived Sunday morning, they could apply Monday afternoon and get married on Wednesday. The wedding planner had told them that a midweek wedding would be available with no problem. One of the gorgeous beachfront suites was available for the week. The wedding planner would handle all the details, including providing the required two witnesses. Easy peasy.

There were a lot of advantages to eloping, she thought. It spared everyone wedding awkwardness. While Glen had come around and was even dating someone else, Ali didn’t relish the thought of walking down the aisle only to see him standing next to Daniel. Not having his brother as best man was an option, but also a difficult decision. Tying the knot in the Bahamas seemed like the perfect solution.

“Let’s do it,” she said.

He grinned. “You sure?”

“I am.”

“All right. Let’s make our reservations. I’m getting married!”

His excitement was gratifying. Every day, Daniel made it clear how much he loved her. They were happy and looking forward to their future together. Ali was thinking that she just might talk to Daniel about her going off birth control so that they could start trying to get pregnant on their honeymoon. Wouldn’t that be fun?

Her cell phone buzzed. She glanced down and read the text, then jumped to her feet.

“Zennie’s in labor.” She grabbed her phone. “She’s been in labor all night and they’re on their way to the hospital right now. We should go, too.”

“By ‘they’ you mean Zennie and Clark?”

“Yes. Who else?”

“But they’re not dating.”

“They’re friends.”

“He practically lives there. They’re together all the time.”

Ali didn’t understand why Daniel couldn’t get it. “But as friends.”

“So no sex.”

She smiled. “Not everyone wants it as much as you do.”

“And you.”

“And me,” she said, standing and heading toward the garage. “Some people don’t do it much at all.”

“From what I hear, Parker and your mom do it all the time and they’re old.”

“Let’s not talk about my mother. Zennie and Clark have a different kind of relationship.”

“That poor guy must take five cold showers a day.”

Ali climbed into the passenger side of the truck, then leaned over and kissed Daniel. “Something you never have to do.”

“I know. I’m a lucky, lucky guy.”

She was the lucky one, she thought as he backed out of the driveway and headed for the hospital. Finding Daniel was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She glanced at him, then smiled. Okay, it was actually the second-best thing. The first best had been finding herself.

*

“I. Can’t. Do. This.”

Zennie stared up at the ceiling and wanted to kill someone. Anyone would do. A random stranger, a member of her family. She just wanted to lash out, preferably with a baseball— “Nooo!” she screamed as the pain ripped through her. “Dammit, somebody do something.”

The delivery nurse shook her head. “You waited too long, honey. The baby’s on his way and there’s no time.”

Zennie grabbed the side of the bed as her entire body twisted, those damned muscles she’d been so proud of betraying her now with a force that could crush a planet.

“I hate this,” she screamed.

“We’re not having fun, either,” the nurse said calmly. “But we’re not complaining.”

Zennie saw Clark’s lips twitch. “Do not smile at me, mister. This is all your fault.”

He was undaunted by her display of temper. “You’re the one who refused to go to the hospital. You said you didn’t want to be one of those whiny women who showed up six days early, complaining about the pain. You said you knew best.”

All of which was true, but he didn’t have to say it. “I’ll hate you forever,” she growled.

“Tough talk, Zennie. Tough talk.”

She was grateful he wasn’t offended. She had no idea where her rage came from, except maybe it was her way of dealing with the pain. Holy crap, how did women survive this? It was her worst ever menstrual cramps times a million. It was so bad, she’d thrown up, but now there was only enduring the hideousness of it all.

Bernie and Hayes burst into the room. “Oh, Zennie, is it really time?”