Hank removed the bottle from his lips; let the cold beer rush down his throat before he yelled across the yard to Danielle. “Don’t worry, she’s up to date on her shots!”
Danielle threw a look at Hank, let her gaze linger on Sean before she started pulling the peach roses from the arrangements.
“Burn them!” Hya shouted over her shoulder. “See Sal. I know he’s brought some fireworks.” Her old eyes finding Hank and despite her annoyance she grinned. “Didn’t frisk him, did ya, Sheriff.” A twinkle before she added, “Hell, you ain’t frisked me yet.”
Hank shivered but the house screen door opening caught his attention. There she was, his gorgeous woman. He smiled. Jesus, he’d never tire from the feeling he got every time he saw her. She moved to him, pressing her plump belly into him. He touched his lips to the top of her head. “You been drinking enough water today?”
Arissa didn’t hide her smile. Hank had always been so attentive, but he was even more so now and she loved it. Meeting his gaze she said, “I am, but I’m craving one of your burgers.”
Hank didn’t miss a beat when he eyes darted around the yard, finding Sal, he shouted. “Sal, go grab the plate of patties in the fridge will ya!”
It was Sean that muttered, “I’ll get the grill going.”
Hank looked down at Arissa. “Then a burger you will get.” Then he pressed his lips firmly to her smiling ones.
“Burgers!” Hya screeched. “You cannot be grilling right now, Hank. Jesus. You are going to upstage the bride with the scent of your goddamn burgers.” Her brows furrowed. “Though I could really use one of those burgers too. Make it rare with cheese.”
Arissa pointed, her head going from the chaos in the backyard to Hank. “Is that Hilda wearing a bow tie?”
“Don’t fucking ask,” he grumbled, eyeing his yard and counting down to the time they all left and he could give Arissa her lavender bath, something that had become a nightly ritual since finding out she was pregnant.
That thought was shattered when an out of tune Sal came over the speakers, singing Ave Maria.
“Who the fuck gave that man a mic?” Hya shouted. “My ears are bleeding.”
Danielle approached Arissa. Her bun was coming out; she had scratches from the thorns on the roses she’d discarded. Her hands dropped on her hips. “Is this a wedding or a fucking circus?”
“I think they’re playing poker inside,” Dmitri said, appearing all of a sudden and looking like he’d seen a ghost. “Strip poker. I can’t unsee that.”
Hank smiled at both of them, widely till it reached his eyes. “Welcome to Summerville.” Laughing, he moved inside since Sal was too busy impersonating an opera singer to retrieve the burgers. The screen door hadn’t even shut when the mob of people heard a loud rumbling Hank shout, “For fuck’s sake, get your goddamn clothes on and help would ya!”
Maureen and Millie walked over, looking like they stepped out of the pages of Vogue. “The fountain is done.” Maureen said with a grin. “Jo is trying it out.”
“We got enough to keep it flowing?” Arissa asked. It wasn’t a champagne fountain. It was a Jack fountain.
“We bought them out, so if it’s not enough, this town needs to go to rehab,” Millie said, then glanced around at the madness. “To an outsider, this is crazy…” Her focus shifted to Maureen and Arissa. “But to us, it’s home.”
Arissa’s hand moved to her stomach. “Yeah, it is.”
Sal hit a particularly high note and they all cringed. “He’s going to be breaking glass soon,” Maureen muttered.
Arissa looked at her watch. “‘We’ve got an hour. Just enough time to eat a burger, or two.”
Jo appeared, her focus on Sal. “In another minute, I’m going to shove fireworks up his ass. Good Lord, that man can’t sing.” Earning her agreement in the form of head nods.
“Are you ready?” Mille asked, her gaze shifting to Hank as he walked back outside with a plate of patties.
Arissa exhaled and said, “As we’ll ever be.”
* * *
The soft strains of Canon in D drifted on the breeze, the attendants grew silent as the music grew louder. Hank watched as the women, one by one, started down the white runner lined aisle. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, holding back emotions that wanted to surface. Hya stepped up next to him and whispered, “Wasn’t too long ago we stood in this very spot, huh?”
Hank glanced at the wedding ring on his left hand before looking down at her, her eyes came to him and she smiled. “No, it wasn’t.”
She touched his beard covered cheek. “When you asked me to be the one person you escorted down the aisle before taking your place at the altar, words can’t—”
“Stop, Hya, please,” Hank said, cutting her off, swallowing a lump forming in his throat.
Hya smile widened, tears welling in her eyes when she asked, “You ready to walk me down that aisle?”
Hank grinned, one that reached his eyes. “Even though I question your choice of a groom, yeah,” he teased, giving a quick glance at a very proud Elmer waiting for his bride. “I’m ready.” He put his arm out for her to take and started out of the house.
* * *
Two years later
Arissa sat on the deck, looking in the distance. She never did the feature on Hank’s home because his home became their sanctuary and they didn’t want to share it. That wasn’t to say Summerville hadn’t been showcased a few times in the magazine, including a country wedding spread that featured none other than Hya and Elmer’s wedding.
Her focus shifted and her heart swelled watching as Hank chased after their daughter, her squeals of laughter one of her most favorite sounds. Hank caught her, tossed her in the air, before pulling her close
