Page 103 of Thick

He raised his cup. “See you two weeks from Saturday, you stubborn prick.”

I grinned and gave a sharp nod. “See you then.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Bobbi

Nervously, I stood and the end of the row of bridesmaids and gazed the length of the red carpet that was stretched the length of Cholo’s back yard. Peyton’s dress trailed behind her as she walked in perfect time with the music. Mesmerized by her beauty, my eyes remained fixed on her until she paused a mere twenty feet from where I was standing.

The wooden platform and Arbor Trellis that Smokey and Cholo built was breathtaking. The trellis was adorned with various species of pale pink flowers that Tate bought from his favorite florist. He felt it was the least he could do. Every breath I took filled my nostrils with a mixture or peonies, roses, and hydrangeas with an undertone of ocean breeze.

Beneath the Arbor, Crip, Peyton, and the preacher gathered.

“Before one of God’s greatest creations, and beneath his bluest of skies.” The preacher said with a wave of his hands. “Who gives this woman to be wed to this man?”

Dressed in a black tuxedo and sporting a bow tie, Pee Bee looked like a movie star. He grinned a cheesy grin and squeezed Peyton’s shoulder. “I do.”

The preacher gave a nod. Pee Bee found his place amongst the row of groomsmen. I felt like I was going to pass out. It wasn’t even my wedding, and I was a sniveling ball of emotion. I turned to face the ocean, and listened intently as the preacher spoke.

He exchanged glances between Crip and Peyton. “Nicholas and Peyton, have you come here to enter into marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?”

“Yes, I have,” Peyton said.

Dressed in a black tuxedo, Crip was cleanly shaven. He looked handsome, and younger than I’d ever seen him. A handful of tattoos peeked out from underneath his collar.

He gave a nod. “I have.”

“Are you prepared, as you follow the path of marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live?”

“I am,” Peyton said.

“Yes, Sir,” Crip said.

“Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and His Church?”

“I am,” Peyton said.

Crip grinned. “Yes.”

“Since it is your intention to enter into the covenant of holy matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and His Church.”

Crip and Peyton joined hands.

Crip cleared his throat. “I, Peyton, take you, Nicholas, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”

“I, Nicholas, take you, Peyton, to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life.”

“Have you chosen rings to express your commitment in marriage to one another?”

They each nodded.

Smokey’s daughter Eddie handed them the rings.

With a nod of the preacher’s head, they placed the rings on each other’s fingers.

The preacher glanced at the audience that was gathered. Although I assumed everyone would be dressed in blue jeans, boots, and their kuttes, Crip insisted that everyone dress accordingly. He said he only planned on doing this once, and he expected everyone in attendance to be respectful of that fact.

Beards, goatees, and ponytails were commonplace with the two hundred or so bikers that had gathered, but everyone was dressed as if attending a church service.