One Night Bride by Marika Ray
Epilogue
Esme
“I can’t believe you actually went through with it,” Izzy chimed in, sipping from a glass of champagne and eyeing the bride from afar.
I twirled the heavy wedding rings around my finger, something I’d been doing subconsciously since Remington and I had our “real” wedding two weeks ago. Despite not inviting Ashley to our wedding, she still wanted me in hers. I’d been the best damn bridesmaid, all the while finding ways to blind her with my diamond. Or bring up Remington in conversation. Or talk about our two houses. The girl was lucky I didn’t pull her hair or accidentally spill something on her wedding dress for posting our pictures on the internet and trying to ruin my life.
“Revenge is a dish better served cold,” Amelia responded with an evil grin even as she bounced up and down to keep Lily happy on her shoulder. Motherhood and hellion was an interesting mix on Amelia.
“What the hell does that even mean?” Vee cried out. “Just punch her in the face and be done with it.”
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” Dad drawled, sipping his champagne and checking his watch. These high-end affairs weren’t his cup of tea, but if Mom went, he was going too.
Currently, I was plastered up against Remington’s side with his arm possessively around my waist as we waited for Ashley and her husband to move on to the cake-cutting portion of the reception. My whole family attended, since Ashley couldn’t pass up the opportunity to invite the whole town to see her on her big day.
“Please tell me you girls didn’t do something to ruin Ashley’s day. I may not care for her either, but you can’t mess with a woman on her wedding day. That would be too cruel.” Mom folded her arms across her bosom and eyed each of us in turn.
I sighed. “I didn’t do anything. I’m not that mean. I did, however, print out a picture of her from senior year before she got her nose job. And had those moles removed.”
Mom dropped her chin to her chest. “And what did you do with the picture?”
I shrugged. “Left it in her husband’s car where he’ll find it when he cleans it out after the honeymoon. A man has a right to know what his future children will be born with.”
Amelia snickered, and even Izzy smiled at that. Remington nuzzled my neck, and I calculated how much longer I had to stay as part of the wedding party. I was a newlywed too, and I had needs.
Vee sighed dreamily, watching as Ashley cut the cake and smashed a piece into her groom’s face. “I love weddings.”
“You’re too young,” Mom piped up instantly.
Vee snorted. “Jeez, Mom, I wasn’t saying I wanted to be the bride, I just said I loved weddings.”
“Mm-hmm. You forget I know you and your impulsive ways. Go live your life first and then settle down when you’re ready.”
“Listen to your mother,” Dad added for good measure. “When you’re ready to get married, I’ll buy you whatever dress you want.”
Vee squealed. “Thanks, Daddy.” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
The rest of us girls rolled our eyes. Vee was quite clearly the baby. Spoiled, an attention whore, and as rebellious as Amelia. It was a deadly combination, which I was surprised hadn’t landed her in jail yet.
Wyatt and Oakley strolled over, hand in hand. It was rare they both got the same day off, but somehow they’d made married life work. And from the constant circles of pink on Oakley’s cheeks, their marriage was a happy one.
“I’ve got news,” Oakley led with, always one to get right to the point.
Dad grunted.
Mom squealed an awful lot like Vee. “Another grandbaby on the way?”
Oakley frowned. “No, Mom. Jeez. We just got married.”
Mom deflated. “Well, shoot. Carry on.”
Wyatt put his hands on Oakley’s shoulders, pride showing in the way his eyes crinkled in the corners as he smiled. “Oakley Smith is officially being groomed to be sheriff one day.”
Izzy gasped softly. Amelia gave her sister a thumbs-up. Remington and I leaned over to give her a hug. Titus clapped Wyatt on the back like he’d had something to do with the good news. It was a brother-in-law thing, I guessed.
Dad, of course, had questions. “What’s that mean? Is Locke retiring?”
“Not yet, but he said in about five years or so. He wants me out in front of the public the next few years so when it comes time for voting, I’ll be a shoo-in.”
“Oh, honey, that’s great,” Mom said, giving her a hug. “So does that mean you’ll want to have kids before you become sheriff?”
Wyatt lifted an eyebrow with a twinkle in his eyes. “Working on it, Susie.”
Amelia snorted. Remington bumped fists with Wyatt, and I truly wondered at the maturity level of the men we Waldo sisters were marrying. We’d grown up with the perfect example of marital bliss with our parents about to celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary. And yet somehow we’d all had missteps when it came to finding true love. Although Vee and Izzy weren’t paired up yet. There was still time for at least one of us Waldo sisters to get things right without all the drama along the way.
Vee
My phone buzzed in my pocket. While everyone was busy harassing Oakley and Wyatt on when they’d pop out some babies, I snuck outside the ring of my family members and checked it. A current of electricity lit my veins when I saw the name on the screen. I’d added him to my contacts as simply “Prof.”
I wasn’t necessarily proud of my association with a married man—soon to be divorced, don’t freak out on me—but I did enjoy the way he’d look at me through those black-rimmed glasses when I raised my hand in class. My last semester at college was almost over and his divorce would be final. Then I’d be free to see him any time I wanted. There was just something about a forbidden romance in its beginning stages that made me feel alive.
My sisters were all pairing off and getting married. All I wanted was an experienced man to bend me over his desk and have his way with me. No ring exchange required. Unfortunately, none of the boys at my university were up to the task. Believe me, I’d tried them out to see. All they cared about was the next frat party and spending daddy’s money on a sweet ride they’d just end up crashing. Nah, I was a smart girl. I went for the older men.
Prof: Where are you?
Me: Back home at that wedding I told you about. Miss me?
Prof: Got an application here for you to fill out to be my TA next semester.
I pouted, though he couldn’t see me.
Me: I don’t want to be your TA.
Prof: What do you want?
Me: You know what I want and you’re going to give it to me.
The three little dots bounced there for a while like he was typing something and then erasing it before trying again.
Prof: You’re very aggressive, you know that?
Me: And you fucking love it, don’t lie.
Prof: You know I do. See you when you get back.
I slipped the phone back in my pocket. We hadn’t yet slept together or even kissed, but the way that man looked at me burned a hole right through my clothes. The whole semester had been one long-drawn-out flirtation that had kept me drooling. I knew I could have scheduled some office hours with him. Locked the door behind me, trailed a hand down his chest, and slid the belt from his pants. He’d have let me. Not to sound conceited, but he didn’t stand a chance against me when I put on the full-court press. But I wasn’t that evil. I’d been raised by the chief of police after all. I didn’t want him to get fired over it. I’d wait like a good little girl.
The minute the ink was drying simultaneously on his divorce papers and my diploma, I had a plan to seduce him and see what an older man could do.
Happy graduation to me, indeed.
I wasn’t planning on bringing him home to meet Mom and Dad. God, no. That would be awkward as hell as my professor was closer to my parents’ age than he was to mine. I just craved a fling to shake things up until I figured out my job situation.
Life was too short to do what was expected of you. Little Vee, the youngest daughter of Chief Waldo. The blonde-haired bimbo who loved the boys. That’s okay. I projected that image on purpose to hide who I really was.
A twenty-one-year-old about to get her master’s degree in cell biology while banging her professor.
Ah, secrets.
I loved ’em…
Grab Smarty Pants, book 3 in the Sisters From Hell series, here.
I'm walking down the aisle to my professor...so why can't I stop looking at his T.A.? I think I made a miscalculation...
Or, take a trip to Hell in Man Glitter, completely FREE!