living covenant 03 - eternal covenant (3 page)

“Oh … well, fine,” Helen sniffed, silently urging me to continue with my cleaning with a jerk of her chin. “Zoe is taking your name, correct?”

I left Aric to deal with that question and started gathering the garbage in the adjacent room.

“Mom, we really haven’t decided yet,” Aric admitted. “I wasn’t joking about Zoe Lake being a name that instilled fear. I would rather have people fear her than force her to take my last name.”

“You couldn’t force me to take your last name,” I called out. “I would either take it because I wanted to or not take it because I don’t feel like it. You couldn’t force me.”

“Thank you, Zoe,” Aric said. “That’s obviously the most important part of this conversation.”

I ignored the dig. “I’m either going to hyphenate my name or stick with Lake,” I volunteered. “I won’t switch over to Zoe Winters regardless.”

I jolted when I turned, surprised to find Helen practically on top of me. She was quiet when she moved, like a cat. That was probably some werewolf thing.

“What’s wrong with the Winters name?”

“Nothing is wrong with the name,” I replied, skirting Helen and quickening my pace so I could hide behind Aric in the kitchen. He had a can opener out and was opening my corned beef hash. He seemed to be enjoying the show. “I just happen to like my name.”

“I like it, too,” Mom said. “That’s why we picked it.”

As former mages, my parents created entirely new identities when they left the fold and started mortal lives. I’d never bothered to ask how they selected their names. Now didn’t seem the time to do it, though, especially because Helen looked as if she was about ready to blow.

“Your name has no history, though,” Helen pointed out. “The Winters name has centuries of history.”

“That’s great,” I said. “It doesn’t change the fact that I haven’t decided whether I’m going to hyphenate or stick with Lake.”

“But … .”

“No, Mom,” Aric said, shaking his head. “I know you’re taking this as some sort of personal affront, but Zoe can’t ditch the name Lake. That’s how paranormals know her. That’s what makes them afraid. She cannot abandon the name Lake. It’s not going to happen, so you have to let it go.”

“Don’t you want her to take your name?” Helen pressed.

“I don’t really care,” Aric answered. “I want her to be my wife. The rest doesn’t matter.”

“You’re much more accepting than your father,” Helen said, brushing Aric’s hair out of his eyes. “I think that’s terrific. If your father puts up a fuss about the name, I’ll handle it.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“That’s enough talking about that anyway,” Mom said, hopping up on one of the stools at the kitchen island. “Let’s talk about the wedding.”

“Yes,” Helen said, enthusiastically clapping as she joined her. “What color are the bridesmaid dresses?”

I shrugged. “I have no idea.”

Helen’s smile slipped. “But … ?”

“I told Paris and Kelsey they could pick whatever dresses they wanted,” I said, reaching for the bread so I could pop it in the toaster.

“So they’re not going to match?”

“Nope.”

“They’re going to be the same style, though, right?” Mom pressed.

“Probably not,” I said. “Paris and Kelsey don’t like the same styles.”

“You cannot have mismatched bridesmaids’ dresses,” Mom snapped. “That’s tacky.”

Uh-oh.

“I’ll talk to Paris and Kelsey and get that sorted out as soon as they get here,” Mom said. “What kind of linens did you order for the tables?”

This had to be a trap. There could be no other explanation. “Why would I get linens for card tables?”

“Why would you have card tables?” Helen asked, mortified.

“People will need somewhere to sit,” I replied, unperturbed. “I didn’t think throwing picnic blankets on the lawn would make anyone happy.”

“Zoe, I need you to tell me exactly what you have planned for this wedding,” Mom instructed. “I’ve taken a step back because I know you don’t like to be crowded, but I’m a little worried.”

“Mom, we don’t want some elaborate thing,” I said. “We got a great caterer. We rented some card tables and folding chairs. We got a minister. We hired a deejay. What else is there?”

“You’re joking again, right?” Helen asked, flicking her eyes to Aric. “This is one of her jokes, isn’t it? Tell me she’s teasing us.”

Aric was unbothered by his mother’s tone. “What else do we need? We don’t want some fancy shindig. We want it to be quiet and low-key.”

“Quiet and low-key is not the same as tacky and gauche,” Helen snapped. “What about your dress, Zoe?”

“What about it?” I handed Aric a carton of eggs. “I want three eggs.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Aric said, narrowing his eyes as his mother started flapping her hands. “What’s your problem?”

“Have you seen Zoe’s dress?”

Aric nodded. “It’s pretty. It’s simple. The neckline goes nice and low so I can keep looking inside all night. I’m happy with it.”

“Where did you get it?” Mom challenged.

“I saw it in the window of a store a few weeks ago,” I answered. “It was even on sale.”

Mom and Helen sucked in twin breaths of disgust.

“That doesn’t look good,” Aric said, slipping an arm around my waist as his protective instincts kicked in.

“Okay, Zoe, we’re going to change things up,” Mom said, choosing her words carefully. “You’re no longer allowed to make wedding decisions. Helen and I will take over the planning, including hiring a wedding coordinator. You will be allowed to voice your opinion as we try to … fix … what you’ve done here. You don’t get a deciding vote, though.”

That sounded pretty dire. “This is my wedding.”

“And you’re our only children,” Helen said, raising her chin. “I am disgusted that you let this go so far, Aric. Do you have any idea how hard Nancy and I will have to work to fix this?”

“There’s nothing wrong with the wedding we planned,” Aric argued. “It’s what we want.”

“Yes, well, it’s not the wedding you’ll get,” Helen shot back. “Come, Nancy. We need a computer and phone book. I cannot believe they did this to us.”

“I can,” Mom said, lowering her voice as she followed Nancy out of the room. “Zoe enjoys upsetting me.”

“Aric does the same thing,” Helen said. “You’d think they’d be thankful to have mothers like us.”

“You would,” Mom agreed.

Once it was just the two of us, I shifted my eyes to Aric. “Do you still think they’re going to swoon because you’re so handsome and romantic?”

“What just happened here?” Aric asked, confused.

“I blame you.”

“You always do, baby.”

3

Three

^“
Do something.”

“You do something.”

I fought the urge to smack Aric, and forced a smile as Helen and Mom glanced back at us before walking through the door that would lead to our doom. “If you don’t do something, I’m calling off the wedding.”

Aric slowed his pace and turned, his face unreadable as he glanced down at me. He’s unbelievably tall, and for some reason he seems taller when he’s angry. He was practically a giant now. “I love you, Zoe,” he said. “Don’t use the wedding as a weapon, though. I don’t like it.”

I balked. “I didn’t mean … .”

Aric held up his hand to cut me off. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it,” he said. “You were joking. It still bothers me. If you want to threaten me with something else to manipulate me, that’s fine. Don’t hold this wedding over me, though. We’ve both been waiting too long for it.”

Something about his expression pinched my heart. “I’m sorry,” I said, genuinely meaning it. “You know I don’t want to call off the wedding.”

“I do know that.”

“I’ll think of something else to threaten you with.”

“That’s great,” Aric said, reaching for my hand and resuming our walk toward the wedding coordinator’s storefront. “This place looks creepy.”

“What was your first clue?” I asked, frowning as we stopped in front of the display window. “Was it those creepy fake butterflies flying out of that cake, or was it the demonic doves with the red eyes hovering over that bride’s head?”

Aric chuckled. “Both. Whatever they say, we’re not having butterflies fly out of a cake.”

“I’m more afraid of the doves,” I admitted. “They’ll poop all over everything. How is that romantic?”

Aric squeezed my hand and pulled open the door, drawing me in front of him as we walked into the store. Our mothers were already busy, both of them gesturing wildly as a man in a pastel peach suit – no, you read that right, a peach suit – glanced up at us with a wide smile.

“And this must be the happy couple,” he said, striding toward us. “Aren’t you two just … adorable.”

For some reason the way he said “adorable” made me think he really meant “beyond help.” I didn’t like him on sight. “I like to think of us as hot,” I said, earning a smirk from Aric and an eye roll from our mothers.

“You have the potential to be hot,” the man said, grinning at Aric. “This one especially.” He reached out and squeezed Aric’s muscular arm. “Holy cannoli! How often do you work out, stud?”

I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. Aric didn’t find the situation quite as amusing.

“I … um … .” He cast a forlorn look in my direction. He needed help.

“He works out five days a week,” I supplied. “He does it shirtless, too.”

The man mock fanned himself. “Honey, you are one lucky woman.”

“You don’t have to tell me that,” I said, playing the game. “I know how lucky I am.”

“I will call this wedding off if you don’t stop that,” Aric hissed.

“If I can’t use the wedding as a weapon, you can’t either,” I shot back.

“Fine,” Aric grumbled, making a face.

“Aric and Zoe, this is Pemberley Markham,” Mom said, arcing out with her hand in a sweeping motion, almost as if she was bowing. “He’s the premiere wedding coordinator in the area.”

“Is that saying much?” The words were out of my mouth before I could think about the intelligence associated with uttering them.

“Zoe!” Helen shot me a dark look. “Pemberley is doing us a favor fitting us in on such short notice.”

I was still trying to decide whether that was a good thing. “Thank you?”

“Try again,” Mom ordered.

“Thank you!” I practically bellowed, causing Aric to drop his head as he shook with silent laughter and Mom and Helen to scorch me with looks that promised physical pain later.

“You’re funny,” Pemberley said dryly. “Is that how you snagged this one? Was it your sense of humor?”

I was pretty sure that was meant as an insult. “I did a standup routine naked and he was putty in my hands,” I replied, not missing a beat.

“Zoe!” I was starting to lose track of which mother was screeching my name at this point. They both sounded the same.

“Why doesn’t everyone have a seat over here?” Pemberley suggested, gesturing toward a circular couch in the center of the room. I trudged to the couch in question, frowning when Pemberley positioned himself between Aric and me. “I have some books here,” he said, ignoring Aric’s discomfort at being separated from me and leaning over Aric – he was practically sitting on his lap, which made me smile – so he could recover two binders from the table on the other side of my fiancé. “We obviously can’t do everything on such short notice. Because your wedding is small, though, I think you’ll be surprised at what we can pull off.”

“I don’t like anything that has to do with birds,” I declared, earning a stern look from my mother. “They crap all over everything, and that scene you’ve got set up in the front window with those paper birds is terrifying.”

“I see,” Pemberley said, squaring his shoulders. “I don’t think we’ll have to worry about you being opinionated, will we?”

I scowled. “I thought that was a good thing?”

“It is,” Pemberley said. “I’m not trying to say it’s not. You’re just … loud.”

“You should try living with her,” Aric quipped.

“I would suggest earplugs if you’re worried about that,” Pemberley said, not missing a beat. “So, let’s pick out a color theme first. What color do you want?”

“I like black,” I said. “It’s my favorite color.”

“Black is cool,” Aric agreed.

“You can’t have black,” Mom said. “That’s the color of death.”

It was also the color of my mood, but I kept that to myself. “I like black. Isn’t black supposed to be … I don’t know … sophisticated?”

“If you’re going to a prom, yes,” Helen said. “If you’re marrying the man of your dreams, no.”

I rolled my eyes. Where was a good monster threat when I needed one?

“I suggest that with her coloring we can’t go with anything warm like reds or oranges,” Pemberley said, gesturing toward me.

“That’s good,” I said. “I hate the color red.”

“How about purple?”

I like purple, don’t get me wrong. It seems a little overbearing for a wedding, though. “Can’t we go with a simple blue or something?”

“I can work with blue,” Pemberley hedged. “Are you okay with blue, Aric?”

“Whatever Zoe wants is fine,” Aric said. “I still can’t figure out why I’m even here.”

“You’re here because this is your wedding, too,” Helen replied.

“You’re here because I won’t have sex with you ever again if you leave me with these two crazy women,” I added.

“That’s a much better answer,” Aric said. “Can we hurry along the choices, though? Zoe and I have a date in the hot tub and I really don’t want to miss it.”

“I think your wedding is a little more important than the hot tub,” Helen charged.

“Then I’m telling the story wrong,” Aric said, causing me to giggle.

“You two will give me an aneurysm if you’re not careful,” Mom snapped.

“I keep trying,” I said. “You’ve been using that threat my entire life. When is it going to happen?”

“Sit there with your hands in your lap and shut up, Zoe,” Mom ordered.

I dramatically threw myself against the couch back and stared at the ceiling. In two hours flat my mother and future mother-in-law had turned my simple backyard wedding into a blue nightmare complete with possible bird attacks.

“Let’s talk about the cake,” Pemberley suggested. “We need to get that nailed down quickly if it’s to be ready in time.”