A Humble Heart
Page 50
“I’m marrying her,” Edward blurted out.
Seth chuckled. “Yeah, that’s the idea behind being engaged.
“No, I mean I’m marrying her this weekend. I’m not letting anymore time slip past us. I’m going to set it up for tomorrow and you’re going to help me,” he said, looking into Seth’s eyes.
“I suppose for these tickets I could do that. Tonight can be your bachelor party.” He grinned.
“Yup, no girls though,” Edward said. He wouldn’t do that to Dana.
“Not a problem,” Seth said. Edward trusted Seth. He was a guy's guy, but he was also extremely respectful of women. He was raised by his mother, three aunts and his grandmother. He was pretty sure Seth had never even been to a strip club.
“Call up Lucas and see if he wants to come too and the other ticket goes to my security guy. What’s his name?” Edward asked. He pushed the tray aside and stood up. Seth took it as the signal that he was done with the tray and sat down on the bed to finish it.
“You want to invite the guy that had a sex scene with your future wife?” Seth asked around a mouthful of food. “And the security guy’s name is Bret. He said he used to work for you.”
“Yeah, he’s a good guy.” Edward smiled just thinking about all the innuendos and comments he could say to Lucas about the little incident he wasn’t supposed to know about.
“Daddy!” Cole yelled as he burst into the room.
Edward picked Cole up and hugged him tightly. “I thought you were leaving?”
“I am,” Cole said seriously. “I wanted to say goodbye. Plus, I wanted to see if you could get me a finger.”
“A finger?” Edward asked confused.
“Yeah, you’re going to a bassball game?” Cole asked in the cute toddler slur that made Edward smile.
“Yes, I’m going to a bassball game. You want a foam finger?”
“Is it big?”
“Yes.”
“Then I want one.”
“What do you say?” Edward prompted the little boy.
Cole’s face scrunched up as he searched for an answer. “You’re the best?”
He chuckled. “No.”
“Oh I know! Peease, Daddy?”
“That’s better. Okay, I’ll pick one up for you and one for your sister so we don’t start World War three.”
Cole gave him a big kiss on his cheek and then squirmed out of his arm. “Bye, Uncle Seth,” he yelled as he ran out of the room.
“I think you should know that your son cheats at Mario Kart,” Seth said.
“Oh yeah?” he asked, amused that his friend was beat by a three, almost four, year old.
“Is if official yet? I mean with the kids.”
“Yes, we signed papers three days ago. Mom pushed them through quickly.”
“What did that ass**le Jeff say?”
“She didn’t have to call him and tell him, but you know Dana, she doesn’t do anything behind anyone’s back. He congratulated us and hung up.”
“Prick.”
“My sentiments exactly,” Edward said, pulling on his clothes.
“So, are we really going to spend all day running errands to arrange this wedding?”
“Well, not exactly. I have to make phone calls, but we can go and have fun. I’ll call while we’re out.”
“Phone calls? How are you going to plan a whole wedding in less than a day on a phone?”
“I’ll call the women up. They’ll be glad to help I’m sure.”
“So, what you’re saying is you’re going to pretend to be over your head in details and confused so they take over the whole thing so you can surprise Dana without actually doing any of the work?” Seth surmised.
Edward nodded. “Pretty much.”
“Sounds about right,” Seth said, finishing the last of the juice.
Chapter 15
“What an ass**le,” Edward muttered.
“What? It was mine turn. I didn’t cheat,” Seth said as he bent to take another swing at the colorful golf ball.
“Not that, and yes you did. I just got off the phone with Dana’s father. Apparently he disowned her over this video nonsense and he’s refusing to come out tomorrow.”
“Damn. She probably didn’t want to upset you,” Seth said. “They rigged that clown’s mouth. I should have made that shot!" He sighed. "It’s your turn, Bret.”
The security man took his turn and got it in on the first shot.
“Damn it!” Seth said.
“Who am I going to have walk her down the aisle now?”
“What about that kid, Sebastian? Is he coming?”
“No, he can’t make it. He wants to come, but his Grandmother broke her hip and he’s taking care of her. He’s just happy we’re getting married and that she’s happy. He did threaten to kick my ass if I hurt her so I guess that counts as a blessing.”
“Have Cole walk her down the aisle,” Seth suggested, stealing Edward’s turn, again.
“I guess I could.” Edward thought about how cute that would be.
“Your Mom, Amy and Deana are taking care of everything else, right?”
“Yes, when I told Mom I was planning the wedding she freaked out. She’s afraid I’ll end up wearing jeans and a tee shirt and serve beer and nachos at the reception.”
Seth shot him an accusing look. “Only because you played stupid and led her to believe you were doing just that.”
He laughed unashamed. “Of course. She canceled the berry picking with Dana. They’re dropping the tuxes off at your house tomorrow. I’ll bring Cole with me.”
“How about her dress?” Seth asked.
“I called Eric. He has her measurements and is contacting a designer to get a white gown.”
“You’re a lucky bastard,” Seth said.
“I know. Also, Mom is taking the kids tonight so Dana can have a girl’s night out.”
“Won’t she know what’s going on?”
“Not until tomorrow,” Edward said smugly.
“How are you going to pull this off?” Seth asked.
“Amy is going to tell her she needs to try on the dress for the movie and do up her hair. Then bring her into the back yard, which will be set up by then. She won’t know a thing because Rick is going to keep her in the office all morning going over her book.”
“Nice,” Seth said appreciatively. “What else do we have to do tonight?”
“Nothing. The girls have it all under control. We’ll just sit back and relax. Go to my place later and cook up some steaks and then go to the game.”
“What if Dana’s home? Are you going to be able to hide this from her?”
“It will be fine. I doubt she’ll be home. She’s taking the kids to a water park after she picks up Elizabeth from kindergarten. Then Mom’s taking the kids. Deana, Amy, Diane, and a bunch of women I don’t know are taking her out. They know not to say anything to her.” Edward stepped up to take his shot.
“Sounds good, just don’t mess up.”
Edward cocked an eyebrow at him. “I’m not going to mess up.”
*******
Dana slipped into the pool and sighed with relief. It was well after one in the morning and she was finally done with the fourth Christian and Bailey book. Edward called two hours ago to let her know the game was going into extra innings and that he'd be late. She told him not to worry about it.
Now was the time to relax. It had been a very long day. They ran errands all day. Tyler was really nice and got along with Cole. She took the kids out to the water park and had a great time. It was tiring though. Tyler was a godsend, he let her relax while he took the kids in the water.
When she came home Eleanor and Amy were waiting for her in the kitchen. Eleanor scooped up the kids and took them away, freeing her for the night. Amy made her dress up and they went out with friends. They hit several clubs. Poor Tyler was kept busy pushing away drunk horny guys from them all night.
She got home an hour ago and put the finishing touches on the book. Tyler went home a half hour ago after double checking the house. Now she was alone for the first time in her house, ever. She planned to take full advantage of that by skinny dipping.
Seth chuckled. “Yeah, that’s the idea behind being engaged.
“No, I mean I’m marrying her this weekend. I’m not letting anymore time slip past us. I’m going to set it up for tomorrow and you’re going to help me,” he said, looking into Seth’s eyes.
“I suppose for these tickets I could do that. Tonight can be your bachelor party.” He grinned.
“Yup, no girls though,” Edward said. He wouldn’t do that to Dana.
“Not a problem,” Seth said. Edward trusted Seth. He was a guy's guy, but he was also extremely respectful of women. He was raised by his mother, three aunts and his grandmother. He was pretty sure Seth had never even been to a strip club.
“Call up Lucas and see if he wants to come too and the other ticket goes to my security guy. What’s his name?” Edward asked. He pushed the tray aside and stood up. Seth took it as the signal that he was done with the tray and sat down on the bed to finish it.
“You want to invite the guy that had a sex scene with your future wife?” Seth asked around a mouthful of food. “And the security guy’s name is Bret. He said he used to work for you.”
“Yeah, he’s a good guy.” Edward smiled just thinking about all the innuendos and comments he could say to Lucas about the little incident he wasn’t supposed to know about.
“Daddy!” Cole yelled as he burst into the room.
Edward picked Cole up and hugged him tightly. “I thought you were leaving?”
“I am,” Cole said seriously. “I wanted to say goodbye. Plus, I wanted to see if you could get me a finger.”
“A finger?” Edward asked confused.
“Yeah, you’re going to a bassball game?” Cole asked in the cute toddler slur that made Edward smile.
“Yes, I’m going to a bassball game. You want a foam finger?”
“Is it big?”
“Yes.”
“Then I want one.”
“What do you say?” Edward prompted the little boy.
Cole’s face scrunched up as he searched for an answer. “You’re the best?”
He chuckled. “No.”
“Oh I know! Peease, Daddy?”
“That’s better. Okay, I’ll pick one up for you and one for your sister so we don’t start World War three.”
Cole gave him a big kiss on his cheek and then squirmed out of his arm. “Bye, Uncle Seth,” he yelled as he ran out of the room.
“I think you should know that your son cheats at Mario Kart,” Seth said.
“Oh yeah?” he asked, amused that his friend was beat by a three, almost four, year old.
“Is if official yet? I mean with the kids.”
“Yes, we signed papers three days ago. Mom pushed them through quickly.”
“What did that ass**le Jeff say?”
“She didn’t have to call him and tell him, but you know Dana, she doesn’t do anything behind anyone’s back. He congratulated us and hung up.”
“Prick.”
“My sentiments exactly,” Edward said, pulling on his clothes.
“So, are we really going to spend all day running errands to arrange this wedding?”
“Well, not exactly. I have to make phone calls, but we can go and have fun. I’ll call while we’re out.”
“Phone calls? How are you going to plan a whole wedding in less than a day on a phone?”
“I’ll call the women up. They’ll be glad to help I’m sure.”
“So, what you’re saying is you’re going to pretend to be over your head in details and confused so they take over the whole thing so you can surprise Dana without actually doing any of the work?” Seth surmised.
Edward nodded. “Pretty much.”
“Sounds about right,” Seth said, finishing the last of the juice.
Chapter 15
“What an ass**le,” Edward muttered.
“What? It was mine turn. I didn’t cheat,” Seth said as he bent to take another swing at the colorful golf ball.
“Not that, and yes you did. I just got off the phone with Dana’s father. Apparently he disowned her over this video nonsense and he’s refusing to come out tomorrow.”
“Damn. She probably didn’t want to upset you,” Seth said. “They rigged that clown’s mouth. I should have made that shot!" He sighed. "It’s your turn, Bret.”
The security man took his turn and got it in on the first shot.
“Damn it!” Seth said.
“Who am I going to have walk her down the aisle now?”
“What about that kid, Sebastian? Is he coming?”
“No, he can’t make it. He wants to come, but his Grandmother broke her hip and he’s taking care of her. He’s just happy we’re getting married and that she’s happy. He did threaten to kick my ass if I hurt her so I guess that counts as a blessing.”
“Have Cole walk her down the aisle,” Seth suggested, stealing Edward’s turn, again.
“I guess I could.” Edward thought about how cute that would be.
“Your Mom, Amy and Deana are taking care of everything else, right?”
“Yes, when I told Mom I was planning the wedding she freaked out. She’s afraid I’ll end up wearing jeans and a tee shirt and serve beer and nachos at the reception.”
Seth shot him an accusing look. “Only because you played stupid and led her to believe you were doing just that.”
He laughed unashamed. “Of course. She canceled the berry picking with Dana. They’re dropping the tuxes off at your house tomorrow. I’ll bring Cole with me.”
“How about her dress?” Seth asked.
“I called Eric. He has her measurements and is contacting a designer to get a white gown.”
“You’re a lucky bastard,” Seth said.
“I know. Also, Mom is taking the kids tonight so Dana can have a girl’s night out.”
“Won’t she know what’s going on?”
“Not until tomorrow,” Edward said smugly.
“How are you going to pull this off?” Seth asked.
“Amy is going to tell her she needs to try on the dress for the movie and do up her hair. Then bring her into the back yard, which will be set up by then. She won’t know a thing because Rick is going to keep her in the office all morning going over her book.”
“Nice,” Seth said appreciatively. “What else do we have to do tonight?”
“Nothing. The girls have it all under control. We’ll just sit back and relax. Go to my place later and cook up some steaks and then go to the game.”
“What if Dana’s home? Are you going to be able to hide this from her?”
“It will be fine. I doubt she’ll be home. She’s taking the kids to a water park after she picks up Elizabeth from kindergarten. Then Mom’s taking the kids. Deana, Amy, Diane, and a bunch of women I don’t know are taking her out. They know not to say anything to her.” Edward stepped up to take his shot.
“Sounds good, just don’t mess up.”
Edward cocked an eyebrow at him. “I’m not going to mess up.”
*******
Dana slipped into the pool and sighed with relief. It was well after one in the morning and she was finally done with the fourth Christian and Bailey book. Edward called two hours ago to let her know the game was going into extra innings and that he'd be late. She told him not to worry about it.
Now was the time to relax. It had been a very long day. They ran errands all day. Tyler was really nice and got along with Cole. She took the kids out to the water park and had a great time. It was tiring though. Tyler was a godsend, he let her relax while he took the kids in the water.
When she came home Eleanor and Amy were waiting for her in the kitchen. Eleanor scooped up the kids and took them away, freeing her for the night. Amy made her dress up and they went out with friends. They hit several clubs. Poor Tyler was kept busy pushing away drunk horny guys from them all night.
She got home an hour ago and put the finishing touches on the book. Tyler went home a half hour ago after double checking the house. Now she was alone for the first time in her house, ever. She planned to take full advantage of that by skinny dipping.
