Damn fine
Kara woke on the couch. The evening had gone by quickly but in her opinion, not fast enough and she was starting to feel nervous. She was less than a day away from being married to James Dray and that in itself was a daunting thought, which made her nausea worse.
She grumbled and rubbed her cheek across the couch, looking across the dark room she sat in so very alone. Aside from the baby bumping in her belly and disturbing her bladder.
She swept the sleep from her eyes. The TV was no longer playing the movie she had been watching. She grabbed the remote next to her and flipped it off, the grandfather clock ticking in the silence and she got up to go pee.
Her eyes widened when she saw the time. “Quarter to four!” Kara looked up out of the living room window as a car drove by and promptly stopped. “Oh good god…”
She heard the keys in the door seconds later and a large thump, followed by laughing.
“Ugh…” She walked toward the front door as it swung open.
“Hello, Kara!” Andrew beamed at her. “I delivered your groom for you…”
Kara looked for James. “Where is he?”
Andrew turned behind him, where James was sitting on the ground.
“How drunk is he, Andrew?”
Andrew smirked. “Oh, you know… he’s alive. So, there’s that.”
She walked out in her bare feet and headed towards him. “James…”
“Kara?” He was a slur of words.
She turned to Andrew. “He’s fucked!”
Andrew smirked and staggered down the stone path. “So, I should go!” He pointed to the limo at the top of the driveway waiting. “See you tomorrow!”
Kara panicked on how to deal with James. “Andrew, he’s like two hundred pounds!”
“One ninety,” James corrected as he laid down in the grass.
His cousin stopped and turned back to her. “It’s okay, he can walk. I think.”
“James, get the fuck up!” Kara grabbed him by his shirt and hauled him up to a sitting position.
She caught a whiff of him. “You smell like perfume and beer.”
He smiled and got to his feet, losing his balance and slumping into the near wall. “No, I don’t think I drank any beer.”
Kara rolled her eyes. “I think you drank everything the club had.”
“Perhaps,” he slurred, looking up at the light in the house and squinting. “It’s like the neon lights blinded me.”
Andrew laughed, “Or the girls’ bare asses.”
James smiled in remembrance. “Definitely those.”
Kara grabbed his shoulder. “Get him in the house. Please.”
“Alright, don’t have a bloody cow.” Andrew trudged forward, grabbing James and hauling him forward. They staggered together into the house.
James stumbled forward and sat on the bottom step of the stairs. “My head hurts.”
“You didn’t get punched, did you?” Kara shot.
He smiled. “No fights, you’d be so proud. I did push Andrew into a car though.”
“Yeah, you fucking prat,” Andrew slurred.
“Don’t be a nancy, it wasn’t moving.” James stood back up and leaned into the wall, studying Kara suddenly. “She’s fit, isn’t she?”
Andrew gave Kara a glance and didn’t say a thing.
“Can you help me bring him upstairs?” She finally asked.
Andrew grumbled and grabbed his cousin again. “Come on, Jimmy! Your wife wants me to tuck you in.”
James groaned and they made their way up in front of her. Knocking shoulders the entire way and hardly making it up the last step.
“Can you handle it from here?” Andrew mumbled in the hallway to her.
“Yeah, thanks.” Kara took James’ arm and Andrew left, calling a goodbye of some sorts aloud. The front door shut and Kara led James to the bedroom, where she started to undo the buttons on his wrinkled, sweated out dress shirt.
He rubbed his face. “Everything’s spinning.”
“I can’t believe he got you this drunk, you’re going to be so hungover in the morning.” Kara pulled his arms free of the fabric and threw it on the ground.
James laid down on the bed without hesitation. “You’d be surprised how resilient my metabolism is.”
She turned to him. “Doubtful at this point, Mr. Dray.”
He continued to laugh, “You’re right, I’m bloody wrecked.”
Kara huffed from the truth. “Take off your pants. Helping you walk already gave me a cramp.”
“Yes, Mum.” He sat up to accomplish the request but only got the top button undone as his eyes lifted to hers. “What?”
“I don’t think your mother would have been as nice to you as I am right now.”
He smiled. “Likely not.”
She walked to the washroom and grabbed a glass to fill with water. “Do you want some Advil for your guaranteed hangover?”
“I’ll have another shot of scotch.”
Kara walked out of the bathroom. “Drink this and go to sleep.” She tried to pass him the glass, but he caught her around the waist with one arm instead.
He buried his nose to her pregnant belly and pressed a kiss there. “I quite like this bump.”
She watched him enjoy her stomach. “You need to go to sleep.”
“I know but thank you for marrying me,” he mumbled as she handed him the water to drink.
“You’re welcome. Just don’t get this drunk again, you’re ridiculous.” She wrung a hand through his sweaty hair.
“I just think you’re pretty.” He finished the water and handed it back to her.
“Ah, well, you also called the strippers hot too so…” She watched as he fell back into the bed, still in his pants but she’d given up on that.
She dropped the empty glass to the nightstand and curled into the bed next to him. “James?”
“Mm.” He didn’t move or show any other sign of life.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“Mm.” He rolled towards her, wrapping himself around her before falling swiftly to sleep.
Kara sipped her tea as she sat at the kitchen table. Rose was busy fixing breakfast and no one had made an appearance yet, which left Kara with her own thoughts.
Let’s not freak out, Kara, it’s only your wedding day, only—
Rose put down some toast. “Eat something, dear.”
Kara sighed. “I’m really not hungry.”
“Are you nervous?” Rose inquired with a soft smile of warmth.
“Is it wrong to feel that?”
“Not at all.” Rose concluded, “I was a wreck on my wedding day.”
“Really?” Kara breathed, “You were?”
“Oh yes.” She laughed. “But, then I just thought about who I was marrying. I thought I was the luckiest girl if I’m being honest. My groom was top notch.”
Kara’s chest filled with adrenaline. So is mine.
“My dear, as long as you’re sure of my grandson, then you’re okay because he is sure of you.” Rose’s words made her smile and the woman smiled back at her. “Now, eat, feed that baby.” She returned to the big breakfast she was cooking that Kara assumed was for the men as the doorbell rang.
Oh, here we go. Kara took a bite of toast as Becky walked in—tight jeans, high heels and a lovely flowing blouse.
She made Kara feel so fat in comparison.
Andrew stood behind her, looking rather annoyed and tired.
Becky dropped her purse and duffle bag to the table. “How’s it going? Do you feel okay?”
Kara looked up to her. “I’m perfect, thanks, and you two?”
Andrew shuffled across the kitchen and poured himself a cup of tea. “I’m knackered.”
“I wonder why, Drew!” Becky snapped at him, then looked to Kara. “I am so sorry, I hope James is okay?”
“He refused to get up this morning. Which I’ve never seen before.”
Becky sighed. “Oh, look what you’ve done now, Andrew!”
The man sat at the table. “He’ll be fine. Just go get him. No one can stay asleep when you’re in the bloody room, Becky.”
She gave him a good sneer before getting back to business. “The hair stylist will be here soon so James has to leave anyway. I’ll go get him up.”
Kara winced. “I think he’s still drunk.”
“He has to go to Blackwell. He can be Garrett’s problem the rest of the day.”
Andrew drank, grumbling. “And we are so bloody excited about it. Nan, do you have any cream?” he called in the direction Rose had gone.
“Stop talking,” Becky shot at him, “I’m going to wake him up!” She headed out of the kitchen.
Kara squeaked and jumped up, following her. “Becky!”
The blonde headed straight for the master suite and swung the door open. “James! Up!”
He groaned and turned on his stomach. “Fuck off.”
“You’re always such a breath of fresh air, James.” Becky walked to the bed and grabbed the blankets. “Oh?” She looked to Kara. “Is he naked?”
“No, he never got his pants off.”
“Right.” Becky ripped back the blankets. “Get up, James. Come on!”
He rolled to his back, his hands on his face. “Fuck, Becky. Give it a bloody rest.”
Becky smiled. “You’re getting married today, get the hell up.”
He groaned as she patted his cheek till he opened his eyes and grabbed her wrist. “Fuck, you’re irritating.”
She smiled and whipped her hands from him. “Get up.”
Kara walked to the closet. “Come on, James. Becky is adamant you go to Blackwell.”
He sat up, looking at Becky as Kara walked out with jeans and a shirt for him.
“How’s your head?” Kara sat down next to him.
He leaned into her and kissed her cheek. “It fucking hurts.” He looked down to the clothes as she handed them over. “This is a jersey, love.”
She stood and took it back, blindly rifling through his top drawer and giving him the new option she found. “Better, Mr. Dray?”
“Mm. I won’t bring up the fact that it’s a navy shirt with black trousers.” He took the shirt from her once Kara eyed him down. “Thank you.”
“Okay!” Becky rolled her eyes and hauled Kara away from him. “Get away from her, you actually stink.”
He creased his brow. “Why are you so bloody worked up?”
“You two got wrecked last night, I saw the inside of the limo when Drew got to Blackwell!” Becky pointed at him. “Now look at you! How hard did you party last night, huh?”
“Ask Andrew, it was his idea.” James got grumpy the more she poked him.
“Yeah, honestly, if there were women in that limo… I don’t care to know.”
Kara paused as the topic was raised, looking to James to see his reaction.
He stood and turned to the blonde. “I didn’t touch the women he hired.”
Becky’s face broke. “Well, I’m glad one of you didn’t.”
He ran a hand through his hair and walked away. “I’m having a shower.” The bathroom door shut and Kara turned to Becky.
“Are you okay?”
The blonde rolled her eyes. “I’m fine. Boys… right?”
Kara sighed and followed after her, trusting James but not convinced Becky trusted Andrew.
It had taken Garrett most of the morning to sober them up, but it was nothing six cups of coffee, a full breakfast and three hours of watching football couldn’t fix. And so his uncle had accomplished his goal, and got both of them dressed and to the church with time to spare.
“James!”
The door of the small private room of the church opened just a pinch and Greg stuck his head inside.
James looked up from where he sat next to Andrew in the small dressing room. “Greg, hi. Come in.”
“Just thought I’d pop in.” Greg walked inside, followed by Becky.
She cruised around Greg as he greeted her and she gave him a quick smile, holding out a small gift bag toward James as he stood up.
“This is for you, from your wife-to-be.”
He hesitated, taking the bag as Greg looked on. He pulled the small leather box from the minimally packaged bag and opened the top to reveal a pair of white gold cufflinks engraved with a football and his initials in the center.
He looked at Becky. “Very good. Tell her thank you.”
She smiled and nodded, then swooped around him to eye Andrew as he sipped from his flask. “Your bowtie is crooked, Drew.”
He coughed as the liquor burned down his throat. “I know how to straighten a tie, woman.”
Becky sneered at him and turned to leave. “Twenty minutes!”
Greg chuckled. “Becky is on the ball as usual.”
Andrew rolled his eyes and stood, walking over to them. “Drink?”
James shook his head, consumed with the task of taking the cufflinks from the box to replace the ones he already wore.
“Well, you both look well-groomed,” Greg joked.
“He was a bit hard to clean up after last night.” Andrew slapped James’ shoulder and almost made him lose the back of a cufflink.
“I heard!” Greg laughed. “Sorry I missed it.”
“Don’t feel too left out.” James looked up to Greg and changed the subject. “How did it go?”
“Lila, you mean?”
“Yes, of course.”
“It happened a lot faster than I thought it would, she was barely in labour for six hours…” Greg swallowed. “But she’s doing good now.”
“And the baby?”
“He’s good.”
James finished securing the cufflinks and held out his hand. “Congratulations.”
Greg smiled and shook his hand. “And you.”
“I still have to get down the aisle,” James reminded him.
“You’ll be grand, all you have to say is I do.” Greg laughed. “But right, I better go, Lila’s out in the car and—”
“I’ll walk you out then,” James said quickly.
“Good luck dodging Becky!” Andrew called as he sat back down and threw his feet up on the arm rest of the couch.
Greg walked to the door and they stepped out into the back hall of the church together.
“James!” Becky called, “Where are you going?”
He looked over his shoulder, not halting his step. “I’ll be right back.”
Becky jogged up to him and grabbed his arm. “You can’t leave! It starts in fifteen minutes!”
“I’ll be back in five minutes.” James brushed her off his pristine black tux and followed Greg out of the church. He walked down the steps while trying to avoid mostly anyone about to talk to him by keeping his steps quick.
They headed around the side of the building and up behind Greg’s car. James stopped at the back door and tapped on the window.
Lila turned in her seat and looked up from the inside of the car. The door popped open and he took it the rest of the way.
“Hello!” Her smile spread as he crouched down in front of her.
“How are you?”
“Good.” She nodded, her voice quiet as she looked him over. “You didn’t have to come out to see me.”
“Yes, I did.” He glanced beside her to where the baby was in the car seat. “What did you name him?”
“Noah.”
He gave her a small smile. “That’s a good name.”
“You look great in this tux.” Her hand reached out to touch the satin lapel of his jacket.
“Thank you.” He didn’t pull away even when he thought he should. The car moved as Greg sat down in the driver’s seat and she removed her hand on her own.
“James Dray on his wedding day.”
Greg turned the engine over. “Speaking of which, you don’t want to upset Becky.”
“Yes, thank god I’m not marrying her.” His eyes lingered on the baby. “Have a safe drive home.”
“Never mind that, you have a good wedding!” Greg laughed.
Lila’s smile hitched. “Thank you for the flowers you sent to the hospital. They were beautiful.”
“Yeah,” Greg twisted in the driver’s seat to face him. “You should have seen her mother’s face when they were delivered…” His laugh hitched. “All I needed was her asking me if they were actually from James Dray.”
“Oh, god…” Lila sighed with her embarrassment. “Shut up, Greg.”
“Well, congratulations to you both.” James said more to her and went to stand but she grabbed his hand.
“You’re not nervous?”
He tilted his head, his eyes landing on her grip on him. “I’m not… for some reason.”
“You’ve always been brave.”
He chuckled. “Is that it?” She took in a sharp breath as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Take care.” He stood and shut the door for her, careful not to slam it and disturb the baby.
Lila’s eyes stayed on him as Greg backed the car out and once they drove away, he walked back toward the church. He looked up and a window above caught his attention.
Becky teased Kara about something and the girls laughed together but she looked perfect in the delicate lace dress with its cap sleeves and plunging neckline. They way it cinched under her breasts and free flowed over her pregnant belly, put everything about her on display. He dropped his chin and stared at her in wonderment.
“She’s mine,” he murmured.
Kara turned to the window and stopped. Her cheeks flushed as she lifted her hand in a small wave.
He smiled at her but then she shooed him with her hand, shaking her head and glancing over her shoulder as Becky fiddled with her dress. She looked back to him and mouthed something rude like fuck off.
It edged him with a bit of fire and he wanted to see her before he married her even more now. He walked back around the church and jogged the stairs, rounding the corner back into the main hall as Andrew stepped into his path.
His cousin smiled at him. “How’d the baby look? Like yours?”
“I hope you’re fucking joking,” James snapped as Andrew started to laugh and caught himself on the wall as his side step made him lose his balance. “Are you drunk?”
“I’m definitely not bloody sober.” His cousin pulled out his flask and sipped it. “Do you think they’re as tight after they push them out? You should really think about that before you marry that one. Babies are the size of bloody melons—”
“You’re the worst best man ever.”
“I assume that’s true, yes. Did you want some yet?” Andrew held out the alcohol.
“No, thank you,” James said, and started to walk away.
“Food for thought, no?” Andrew called after him.
James spun, walking backward and trying not to smile. “You’re a prat.”
Andrew laughed as James stalked off down the hall. He stopped in front of the door he wanted a minute later and knocked.
There was some jostling and Becky poked her head out the door. She paled. “What do you want?”
“I want to see Kara.”
“No way!” Becky snapped. “Don’t you know the rules?”
“I make the rules. Let me in,” he insisted.
Becky stepped back as he pushed the door open and went inside.
“She’s in the bathroom,” Becky whispered. “Why are you here?”
James swallowed, the gentle hush of desperation in his voice. “Leave us alone for a few minutes.”
Becky’s chest deflated from defeat and she left the room for the busy hallway.