Page 76 of Bossy Bride: Emma and Jesse

When my brothers walk me out to the backstage area of the aquarium, the safety officers attach weights to my legs to make it easier to stand in the tank.

I go in the water first. They lower me on one of the mermaid swings and I stand with my bare feet on the sandy bottom of the huge tank, breathing through a hose attached to a regulator, nervous and excited that this time, for sure, is our real wedding.

I know this because on the other side of the glass, everyone is here.

Mila’s husband and kids. Hannah’s boyfriend, Darrel. Natalie’s boy toys from the Christmas party the other night. I guess guy number two is gonna give this thing a shot? Maybe? He showed, at least. Gotta give him points for that.

Megan and Johnny are out there. He’s got his arms protectively around her middle. And Joey is surrounded by his… God, what do I call that group? A posse? Partners? Lovers? Doesn’t matter, I guess. They’re all here. For me or him, either way, I’ll take it.

And the Dumas family. Silvia is right up front waving a sign that says, Welcome to the family, Jesse! Which is super cute, but then again, that woman defines the word cute. Alonzo is doing that I’m-watching-you gesture with two fingers pointing to his eyes, then me.

Whatever, Lonz. You do you, dude.

Tony has his arms crossed, studying me from the other side of the glass. I’m not sure what to make of him, but I’m sure we’ll make it work. Eventually.

And Luke… Luke is pressing his open mouth against the glass, wiggling his tongue at me.

What the fuck? Freak.

But then I realize he’s actually doing that to Zach, who is standing next to me, also barefoot and shirtless, as my best man.

A splash from above me makes me look up and I see Hannah slipping into the water. Natalie and Mila enter next and then…

The swing lowers and there’s Emma and her father descending together.

He jumps in first, then helps his daughter into the water.

Her dress isn’t the one she came here in. It’s the one she designed this morning. Slim and form-fitting. Hugging all her deliciously sexy curves and specially weighted so it looks pretty in the water.

Jack Dumas kisses his daughter on the cheek before they both reach for their air hoses, and then they settle to the bottom. He takes her hand, turns, and offers it to me.

Fucking Jack Dumas. I shake my head and smile. Gonna walk that only daughter of his down the aisle even if there’s no aisle and it involves getting into a tank of water fully dressed in a tux.

I take Emma’s hand and help her float up next to me.

Then I have a moment of panic. Who will officiate? How are we gonna do this? We don’t have rings!

Then I can hear the faint sound of talking through a speaker. The ceremony is being held outside the tank, obviously. For the guests.

But you know what?

We don’t need the ceremony. We’ve done this four times today. We’re good.

And it’s kinda fitting that our marriage begins in this subdued, nearly silent, underwater world.

Because who needs words when you have happy?

I take the air regulator out of my mouth and toss it aside, then take Emma’s from her mouth too.

And I kiss her.

For the first time today, I kiss the bride.

CHAPTER TWENTY - EMMA

The details that happen after Jesse kisses me don’t really matter. It’s all the usual stuff. Zach opens his hand to reveal a set of wedding rings. Jesse puts on mine, and I his. I toss a bouquet of peach water lilies and yellow water poppies. Well, toss probably isn’t the right word. It kinda floats off about a foot, and then there’s a flurry of mermaid tails as Natalie and Hannah make a mad dash to “catch” it.

Natalie wins. She’s always been a cutthroat competitor. And she waves it around, blowing bubbles like crazy.