I’ll tell him when we get back to Vegas.
Vaughn
“You having fun?” I ask Charly.
“So much fun. Thank you for bringing me with you.”
“Yeah, well, it was between you and Doris, who cleans my trailer, but Doris was busy today, so you lucked out.”
“You jerk.” She chuckles, and I grin.
“I’m glad I asked you, too, Pins,” I say in a lower voice.
I kiss the tip of her nose as we dance to an acoustic version of Lady Gaga’s “The Edge of Glory” being played by the band my sister hired for her wedding.
The day has been awesome. My mom and sister did an amazing job with putting the whole thing together. The ceremony went off without a hitch. They got married under the willow tree by my parents’ house. The tree had lights hanging from it. An altar was just beneath it, covered in white flowers. It looked really cool.
Sasha looks beautiful. Greg even cried when he saw her walking up the aisle, which he is going to get so much shit for but not today. Today, I’ll let it slide. I’ll just mock him tomorrow. And for the rest of his life.
We’ve done the sit-down, had our meal in the tent, and laughed at my dad’s bad jokes during his speech. And, now, we’re partying until the night is over.
But, for me, the best part of today has been Charly. She looks totally fuckable in her dress—a long, floaty dark gray number that is fitted over her breasts, making them look magnificent. Her hair is down and curled, and I desperately want to get my hands all tangled up in it. And her lips are tease-me red. It’s been killing me all day because all I’ve wanted to do is kiss that lipstick right off her mouth and then carry her back to my house and fuck her all night long.
She’s been glowing all day. Like she’s lit up from the inside out. And, the moment when my sister thanked her in her speech for saving the day by fixing her dress…I honestly thought she was going to cry.
Being here with her has been amazing. Being free to be with her, I never want it to end. I don’t want to go back to Vegas tomorrow and go back to pretending that we’re not together in front of people.
I just don’t know how to ask her again. I don’t want to push. But I want it. I want her.
I feel a tug on my pants and look down to see Nora.
“Hey.” I smile at her.
“Uncle Vaughn, will you dance with me? My brothers won’t dance with me.”
“Course I will, beauty. You don’t mind, do you, Charly?”
“No, of course not. I need to use the little girls’ room anyway.”
I pick up Nora in my arms and start to dance with her as Charly makes her way through the dance floor that is filled with my family and friends whom I’ve known all my life.
That’s another thing. She fits in so effortlessly with my family. They all love her. She couldn’t be more perfect for me.
The more I think about this, the more determined I become about wanting to go public. I just need to figure out how to get her on board.
“You look so serious, Uncle Vaughn.” Nora’s chubby little hands press to my face. And they’re sticky. I’m pretty sure with cake.
“I was just thinking.”
“About Charly?”
Kid is smart for a three-year-old.
“I like her, Uncle Vaughn. She’s really pretty and funny.”
“Yeah, she is.”
“I think you should marry her. But don’t wait as long as Mommy and Daddy did.”
I laugh. “Because you want to be a bridesmaid again?”
“Course.” She smiles. “I love being a bridesmaid. Look how pretty my dress is.”
“You look beautiful, Nora.”
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”
I turn to my sister, and her eyes are on Nora.
“You feeling tired yet? ’Cause Nanny Porter said she’d put you to bed in Gran and Granddad’s house, and she’d sit with you.”
“No, I don’t wanna go to bed.” Nora pouts, arms wrapping around my neck, clinging to me.
“Okay, baby.” Sasha laughs. “You don’t have to go to bed yet. Wanna come and dance with me and Daddy?”
Nora looks at me and then her mom. “Okay,” she says, letting me go.
I hand her over to Sasha.
“Where’s Charly?” Sasha asks.
“Bathroom.”
“Have you met Ed yet?”
“No.” My eyes narrow. “When did he get here?”
Apparently, he couldn’t make it to the ceremony because it was his granddaughter’s sixteenth birthday, and they were having a party for her. Sounds suspicious if you ask me.
“A few hours ago,” Sasha tells me.
“Where is he?” I scan the dance floor.
“In the tent with Gran. They were chatting with Dad.”
“Right.” I kiss Sasha’s cheek and then Nora’s. “See you in a few. Oh, and if you see Charly, will you tell her I’m in the tent?”
“Will do,” Sasha answers.
I head off the dance floor and in the direction of the tent.
I spot Gran and Ed. They’re not with Dad anymore. They’re sitting at a table not too far from the bar.
I make my way over, staring at Ed. He’s got a lot of hair for a seventy-year-old guy. Probably a wig.
“Hey, Gran,” I say as I approach the table. I lean over and kiss her cheek, giving Ed the evil eye as I do.