Herb’s eyes moved to Hank. “Listen to me now, son, you better get involved. You asked Roxie to marry you, you gotta remember, she’s draggin’ us al along with her. I ain’t payin’ for no f**kin’ pastry. Good old roast beef carved right on the spot, potatoes, maybe some of them fancy green beans and f**kin’ weddin’ cake. Got me?”

“Roxie told me Tod’s already started her wedding book,” Hank replied.

“What’s a wedding book?” Eddie asked.

Hank shrugged. “Hel if I know but Roxie says Tod’s got one for Jet too,” Eddie closed his eyes and Hank’s gaze moved to Herb. “If Tod’s involved, I’m out. Roxie knows that and she’s good with it.”

“Sounds like you did the right thing,” Luke said to Vance.

“What’d you do?” Herb asked Vance.

“Justice of the Peace.” Vance replied.

Herb nodded. “Problem is, you knocked up your girl.

That’s the only way women’l al ow you to get away with a Justice of the Peace.” Herb looked back to Hank as many of the men coughed to hide their laughter. “That’s the ticket, son, only way to save us al . Start workin’ on makin’ a baby.”

Hank was taking a drag off his beer. He choked on it and his eyes slid to Herb.

Herb kept talking. “Don’t worry. You have my permission.”

Hank looked at Lee and muttered, “Fucking hel .” Lee was too busy laughing to reply.

So was everyone else.

Tex arrived at the table and boomed, “What’d I miss?”

* * * * *

Stella

The Rock Chicks, Tod, Stevie and Kitty Sue were al in Daisy’s massive master suite.

The stylists and makeup artists had come and gone.

Indy’s bridesmaids, Al y, Roxie, Ava, Jet, Daisy, Jules and two of her other friends, Marianne and Andrea were al done up in subtle rosy-cheeked makeup, shimmer powder and beautiful, pale pink, wispy, chiffon dresses with short trains and graceful drapes of material at their arms that looked like they’d slid down from their shoulders but actual y were meant to be like that. Their hair was al in soft updos with tendrils hanging down. They al had brand new pearl studs with a single diamond at the bottom in their ears, bridesmaids gifts from Indy.

Their dresses and hair made them look like they were drifting around caught in a romantic modern day fairytale.

Who would have thought India Savage, Rock Chick, would be into romantic weddings?

Then again, Indy hooking up with Lee after loving him since he held her hand during her mother’s memorial service when she was five years old was a modern day fairytale.

So there you go.

I’d done my hair and makeup at the dining room table while the stylists were seeing to the wedding party and changed into my dress in the room Mace and I shared what seemed like years ago.

I’d bought my dress wel before al the drama started (and the day after a real y good take at the Pal adium). I’d curled my hair and left it long at the back but pul ed it away from my face in some soft twists secured by hidden pins at the top and sides. My dress was deep burgundy satin, strapless, skintight with a slit up the front. I was wearing a pair of pointed-toed, pencil-heeled satin slingback pumps that had been dyed to match the dress. I had a long necklace of garnets but I’d wrapped it around my wrist and I had some teardrop, chandelier garnet earrings at my ears.

I was sitting on the bed between Jules and Jet when Indy’s head emerged through the top of the dress Kitty Sue and Al y were putting on her. The dress slid down her body and settled.

Unlike the romantic visions her bridesmaids were, Indy’s dress wasn’t wispy chiffon and romantic.

It was angelic.

Ivory satin, v-necked, another deeper V in the back, the front of the dress and the back of the dress held together by loops of thin ivory cords at her shoulders which were stitched through gathered material. The dress fit her like a glove and had a wide skirt, a huge slit up the front and a long train. There was no diamante, stitched pearls, lace or sequins in sight. The only jewelry she wore was her engagement ring, a triple-tiered pearl bracelet that was Al y and Kitty Sue’s present to her and her mother’s pearls at her ears.

The dress looked exactly like what an angel would wear.

If that angel were a sexy, sultry redhead.

Her hair was down in curls and waves (like she said Lee liked it) and her makeup was subtle but exquisite.

She wasn’t going to wear a veil.

It was beautiful but that beauty al came from Indy.

Kitty Sue was standing back and staring at her.

Then she said softly, “I just need to go check something.” Then she ran from the room.

Indy and Al y watched this. Everyone else in the room was silent.

Then Indy turned to Al y, put her hands out to her sides and asked, “What do you think?”

Al y gave her a once over and when her eyes moved back to Indy’s, you could see the tears.

“Righteous,” Al y whispered then gathered Indy in her arms and gave her a hug.

“Old, new, borrowed, blue. Old, new… blue.” Tod was surreptitiously studying his clipboard and muttering to himself. He leaned toward Stevie and whispered, “Shit, I think we forgot the borrowed.”

“Man in the room,” Shirleen announced, walking in fol owed by Mace who’d changed and was now wearing a tux.

I took one look at him and the sight of my gorgeous boyfriend in a tux sent my breath on a cruise of the Caribbean.

It was clear Indy wasn’t going the romantic route with Lee’s groomsmen because it wasn’t your average, everyday tux, it was a hot tux. It was black on black: black suit, black shirt, black silk tie and not a bowtie either. I could tel immediately it wasn’t rented, it was tailored to fit perfectly.

Shirleen kept talking. “He’s here for Stel a, Lana and Chloe.”

She wasn’t wrong, he was our ride.

Though it was kind of weird she brought him up to the bedroom.

I watched and wasn’t insulted when his eyes caught on Indy and didn’t move.

“Shirleen! You don’t just bring a man into a bedroom fil ed with ladies dressin’!” Daisy snapped, even though everyone was already dressed. “Especial y if one of those ladies is a soon-to-be bride!”

“What? It’s Mace. He’s taken. It ain’t like he’s out on the cruise,” Shirleen snapped back.

Indy looked at Mace through the mirror, smiled and greeted, “Hey Mace.”

He gave her a chin lift.