Chapter Nineteen

 

Something in the back of Noah’s head told him to slow down and think this through, but the alcohol encouraged him. He loved her. This was what he wanted. Why wait?

When they got to the room, Noah pushed her against the wall and kissed her again.

“Maybe we should get married tomorrow,” she said in a breathy voice, bringing him to his senses.

He took a step back and rubbed the top of his head. “No! We have to do this tonight.” He grabbed the trash bag off the floor and dumped her dress onto the bed. “How do we get this back on you?”

Her eyes widened in disbelief. “I’m not putting it on now.” 

He shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

“You can’t see me in the dress before the wedding. It’s bad luck. I’ll change there.”

“But I’ve already seen you in it!”

“You haven’t seen me in it before I walk down the aisle to you!”

If this was what she wanted, he’d make it happen. “Okay.”

She started stuffing the dress back into the bag. “Come on. Help me.”

They crammed it back into the bag and then ran to the elevators. The doors to a car opened and a group of men stared at them, then at the bag in Noah’s hand.

He lifted it a few inches in greeting. “We’re getting married.”

It must have been the shocked looks on their faces that made Libby giggle as she leaned against him, resting her head on his upper arm. The love and joy in her eyes sucked his breath away.

He couldn’t believe this was actually happening.

A parking attendant greeted them at the entrance of the hotel. “Where to?” Then he looked down at the clear trash bag and his eyebrows lifted in understanding. “Oh. Which chapel?”

“We don’t know, but we need a marriage license,” Noah said. “And we need to be married before midnight.”

“Okay. Here’s what you do,” the man said. “You get your license, then you go to Little Heaven. My aunt Angelica owns the place. I’ll tell her you’re coming so they’ll be ready for you. Sound good?”

Noah looked down at Libby for confirmation. Beaming up at him, she nodded.

He grinned. “Sounds perfect.”

The parking attendant nodded and led them to a cab and opened the back door. He leaned his head into the open front passenger window. “This young couple needs to get a marriage license. Take care of them for me, will you?”

“Sure thing, Ned.”

Noah helped Libby into the backseat and climbed in beside her.

“But stick around and wait for them. They’re on a tight deadline. They need to go to Little Heaven afterward. They have to make it before midnight, capiche?”

“Got it.”

The bag was still outside the car, but when Noah tried pulling it in, he couldn’t fit it through the door. He gave it a tug, then fell backward, his head on Libby’s lap. He looked up into her surprised eyes. “Your wedding dress is kind of a bitch.”

She burst out laughing.

“Here, let me take that,” Ned, the Caesar’s employee, said, unprying the bag from the door.

“We need that!” Libby shouted, shoving Noah off her lap.

He righted himself before he fell to the floorboards.

The man leaned over and grinned. “I’m only putting it onto the front seat, miss. My friend Paul here will make sure nothing happens to it, right, Paul?”

“You got it, miss.”

Ned shut both doors and banged on the roof.

The taxi driver pulled out of the circle drive and headed toward the strip. “Where are you kids from?”

“Seattle.”

“Kansas City,” Libby said, “but I’m moving . . . to Seattle.”

“Aww . . .” he chuckled. “A long-distance relationship. How long you two been together?”

“Five months,” she said. “But I was with another guy until last weekend.”

The driver shrugged. “Hey, this is Vegas. You wouldn’t be the first cheaters to get married.”

“Oh, no,” Libby protested. “I didn’t cheat. We were just friends.” She turned to Noah. “You wouldn’t cheat on me, would you?”

His eyebrows rose in shock. “Cheat on you? God, no, Lib. Never. I respect you too much to hurt you like that.”

“Are you going to ask me the same question?” she asked.

He slowly shook his head, a soft smile on his lips. “I already know the answer.”

“Hey, no worries,” the driver said. “No judgment from me. I’ve seen crazier things happen in this city.” He handed them a bottle of water and winked. “You kids look a little thirsty.”

Noah screwed off the cap and handed the bottle to Libby, watching her mouth as she drank down several gulps. He was still in shock that she’d kissed him. He’d kissed her and it was even better than he could have hoped. How much better would the rest be?

The ride to the courthouse was faster than Noah expected, but they’d finished the water as Paul pulled up to the curb. He glanced at his phone to check the time. 11:05 and he’d a missed text from Gram.

Oh, shit. He’d forgotten all about the dinner reservation.

He helped Libby out of the car and quickly called Gram.

“I’ll be waiting right here,” the cab driver said, starting to pull away.

“My dress!” Libby shouted.

Noah lowered the phone from his ear. “We’re not getting married here, Lib. Just picking up the license.”

“But what if he drives off with it?” Worry filled her eyes. “I can’t get married in black.”

He gave her a quick kiss. “He won’t. I haven’t paid him yet. Come on.”

He heard Gram’s muffled voice. “Noah! Did you butt dial me? If so, I hope that butt’s naked.”

Shit. He put the phone to his ear as he held the door to the office open for Libby. “Sorry, Gram. No, I didn’t butt dial you, and no, I am not naked.”

“That’s a pity,” she grumbled. “Still haven’t made progress with our girl?”

“Actually, we’re walking in to get a marriage license, then off to Little Heaven Wedding Chapel to get married.”

“You’re what?”

A woman at the counter pointed to her ear and shook her head at Noah. “Gram, I’ve gotta go. Thanks for all your help.” He hung up and stuffed the phone into his pocket, ignoring the new round of vibrating. He’d deal with Gram later.

There were two couples ahead of them. The first couple at the counter looked barely eighteen. The girl kept glancing around as if she was waiting for her parents to show up and ground her. Maybe she was.

He looked down at Libby, his chest burning with love. He couldn’t believe he’d proposed. He couldn’t believe she’d accepted. Could it really have been this easy all along?

No, neither one of them had been ready until now.

Next was a gay couple. They looked like total opposites. The man who did the talking was stylishly dressed and had a take-charge personality, while his soon-to-be-husband wore jeans and a soft sweater. But when they looked at each other, the love in their eyes was unmistakable.

Is that what people saw when they looked at Noah and Libby together? He glanced at the clock on the wall. 11:15. He tapped his foot impatiently. He had to make sure her dreams came true. Getting married before she turned thirty was important to her and he was determined to make that happen.

Finally it was their turn and Libby practically bounced to the counter. 

“We’re here for a marriage license,” Libby said, the excitement in her voice unmistakable. “We’re getting married.” She looked up at Noah with wonderment on her face, like she couldn’t quite believe this was happening.

He knew exactly how she felt.

The clerk rolled her eyes. “Then you’re in luck. Marriage licenses are what I do here.” 

They filled out the form, showed their IDs, Noah paid the fee, and then they were climbing into Paul’s cab. The clock on his dashboard read 11:22.

“We’re going to have to hurry.”

Paul looked over his shoulder, sporting a huge grin. “Don’t you worry. I never back down from a challenge. I’ll get you there with plenty of time to spare.”

“It’s okay if we don’t make it,” Libby said, leaning her head on his shoulder. “If we’re off by a few minutes, it’s okay.”

Noah turned to her and lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. “No, it’s not. We’ll do this. We’ll make it work.”

He kissed her to show her how much he loved her, but then he realized he’d kissed countless other women. It hadn’t meant anything to him other than a prelude to getting laid. Could Libby tell the difference? He could. Just holding her hand gave him more of a thrill than he’d felt with any other woman.

“Noah?” she asked softly, and he realized he was staring at her. “You okay?”

“Never better.”

“Really?” she asked hesitantly. Her eyes were more focused. She was obviously sobering up a bit. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Was she about to change her mind? Had she agreed only because her judgment had been impaired?

“Yes.” He kissed her again, partially in desperation, and partly because he couldn’t believe he could—that she was so willing and accepting.

“We’re here,” Paul said cheerfully.

When Noah looked up, he saw they were parked in front of the Little Heaven Wedding Chapel. He fumbled with the door handle and scrambled out, pulling Libby with him. He dug out his wallet and handed the driver a handful of cash.

“Thanks for the ride. You’ve been a lifesaver.”

Noah started to turn away, but Paul called after him, “Hey! Don’t forget the dress!”

Libby gasped and wrestled the bag through the door. If they had time, he’d love to watch her try to wrangle the dress that was nearly as large as she was, but the clock was ticking, so he took it from her, grinning. “Let me wrestle with it now, you can wrestle with it after you get it on.”

There was a saucy grin on her face as she handed it to him. “Then we can wrestle it together when we get back to the room.”

The thought of taking it off her again was distracting, shuttling blood away from his brain to his other thinking appendage. But he had the rest of his life to think about taking her clothes off—now he needed to make sure they made the midnight deadline.

The rest of his life.

With every other woman, Noah had considered marriage akin to a prison sentence. He hadn’t been able to fathom committing to one woman. Until Libby. He hoped to spend the next fifty or more years with her, and he was certain it wouldn’t be long enough.

But what if he was rushing her? In the cab, she’d asked him if he was sure. He’d never asked that same question of her.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her to a halt. “Lib, wait.”

Worry flickered in her eyes.

“You asked me if I was sure, but are you sure?”

Her eyes lit up. “Yes. Very.”

“Then let’s get married.” He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the door.

As soon as they entered the lobby she stopped in her tracks. “Oh, my God,” she whispered. “You really did bring me to demonic cherub hell.”

He wasn’t going to argue with her assessment. Cherubs were everywhere. Painted on the walls, the ceilings, the doors, and even the floors. Cherub statues lined the walls and sat on pedestals. A cherub statue cheerfully peed in the pool of the fountain standing in the corner. A counter with a glass display case was on their left.

Noah gawked in horror. “Oh. My. God.”

“I guess we know why it’s called Little Heaven.”

Noah had started to turn around when a woman called out with a thick accent he couldn’t place. “You must be the couple my sweet Ned told me about. Welcome. Welcome. We have everything already prepared. I am Angelica. I hear you’re in a hurry.” She emerged from the dark hallway directly across from them and glanced down at Libby’s impossibly flat stomach. “A little one on the way? You need today’s date to match a due date?”

“What?” Libby gasped.

“No,” Noah said with more force than he’d intended. “We want to be married before Libby’s birthday. Which is tomorrow. But she needs to put on her dress. Is there somewhere she can change?”

Libby glanced around the room, pressing her back to his chest, then looked up at him with a hesitant look in her eyes. 

He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “We don’t have to get married here.”

“We don’t have time to go anywhere else.”

She was right. 

He turned her around and put his hands on her shoulders, bending at the knee so he could look her in the eyes. “I know this probably isn’t how you imagined it.” He gave her a sly grin. “But you’re probably the only woman in history to have two themed weddings. Now we’ll have plenty of material for cocktail parties when people ask us about our wedding. No boring stories for us.”

“Oh, Noah.” She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. “How do you always know just what to say to make me feel better?”

He had no idea. It was probably the only thing in his life that had ever come naturally to him. Only further confirmation they were perfect for each other.

“Come, come,” Angelica said, tugging on Libby’s arm. “We must get you dressed.”

The woman snagged the bag from Noah and grabbed Libby’s arm. “I’ll get her ready,” she said, tugging Libby down a cherub-lined hall. “You pick out the extras.”

“Extras?”

The door to the dressing room closed and Noah jumped when a man’s voice sounded behind him. “Flowers. Rings. The like.” He had a deeper accent than Angelica. It sounded like a bizarre mix of Italian and the Deep South. 

Noah spun to see a plump, bald man walking through a curtain behind the counter. The man tightened the sash of his white satin robe. Had he just gotten out of bed?

“I’m Tito and I’ll be happy to assist you. So what will it be?” the man asked, his voice sounding like it was on autopilot. His head bobbed as he spoke, drawing Noah’s attention to the tufts of thick chest hair peeking above the V of his robe. “We offer several flower options.” He led Noah to a refrigerator full of bouquets and boutonnieres. “What does your bride like?”

“Uh . . . nothing too fussy.” The bouquets in the case looked like the ones Megan and Blair had carried—roses and lilies in formal arrangements. That wouldn’t work. “What about those?” He pointed to a pile of flowers at the bottom. A mix of yellow daisies, pink rosebuds and some other flowers in pinks and purples covered the floor of the cooler.

“Those?” Tito shook his head, chuckling, then explained slowly as though Noah were a simpleton. “Those are the leftovers. The ones that weren’t good enough to be in bouquets.”

Didn’t that describe him and Libby? Never feeling like they were good enough? He knew these were the flowers she’d want. “We’ll take those.”

“You don’t understand,” the bald man said, enunciating each word. “Those aren’t for sale. They’re at the bottom because they were the leftovers.”

“Then why are they in the case?”

The man groaned. “Because Angelica gives them to her mother to make sachets.” 

Noah gave him a blank look.

“You know, those little bags full of flower petals that stink up drawers.”

“I still want them.”

“They’re just loose.” He opened the door and snatched them up. “See? They’re not even in a bouquet.”

Noah reached around him and grabbed a roll of twine. “So just bundle them together and wrap this around them.”

The man lifted his hands in the air in defeat. “Take them if you want. You can have them for free. But your bride is going to walk out on you the minute she sees them.”

“You don’t know my Libby.” His Libby. He marveled at his words. She was his. She was actually his.

“Do you have rings?”

“Oh, shit. We don’t have anything.” No wonder Libby had been so stressed over the last month. Even if Mitch had come up with the ideas, he knew she’d organized it all. Turned out there was a whole lot more to this wedding planning gig than two willing participants.

“Not to worry.” A smug smile lit up the man’s face. “We can take care of everything.” He moved over to a glass case full of rings. “We have a nice selection of rings over here that will fit anyone’s budget. From the bare basics to the high rollers.”

Noah seriously doubted high rollers got married here unless they were drop-dead drunk. But the selection ran from simple gold and silver bands to large diamond rings that he suspected might actually be cubic zirconia.

“Let me see those.” He pointed to silver bands—his and hers. The larger band was thick and the smaller band daintier, but both were smooth silver with tiny beading at the edges.

“After the bouquet decision, I’m not surprised,” the man grumbled under his breath. “These are part of our budget selection.”

Noah had to admit the design wasn’t much, but he was certain Libby would love them. He’d get her a diamond engagement ring later . . . from a more reputable place.

The man’s gaze zoomed in on Noah’s crotch and then moved slowly up his chest and stopped at his face. “What size are you?” 

Uh . . .” What the hell was he talking about? Cup size? Then it dawned on him. “I already have a tux. See? I’m wearing it.”

“Not for the tux. The ring.” He pointed to Noah’s left hand, which rested on the counter. “What size ring do you and your bride wear?”

“Uh . . . I don’t know.” Noah hadn’t bought a ring since his class ring in high school, and ring sizes had never come up in conversation with Libby.

The man rolled his eyes and reached over to grab Noah’s hand. He shoved the ring on Noah’s left ring finger.

“This is all so sudden . . .” Noah joked. “And I’m already taken.”

Tito scowled and moved the ring around on Noah’s finger. “Lucky for you, it fits perfectly. Now we’ll see if the other one fits your bride.”

“What else do I need to get?” Noah asked, glancing over his shoulder at the door and wondering what was taking her so long. He reminded himself that the dress was a monster to maneuver. They’d be lucky if they were married by midnight. But he couldn’t shake the worry that she might change her mind.

“Professional photography? Minister? Music?” 

“We have to pay for music?”

The man gave Noah a look that read cheap bastard. “We have a deluxe package that will provide it all and include a few extras.”

“Fine. Yes to all of it.”

The man grinned and then turned to his cash register to total everything up. “That will be nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars.”

Noah knew he was getting screwed, but he handed over his credit card willingly enough. He’d pay a hell of a lot more than that to marry Libby. He wanted it to be perfect for her, but he reminded himself that there were demon cherubs watching their every move. “What are the extras that come with the deluxe package?”

Tito smiled as he handed Noah the receipt. “Our top-of-the-line service, including an audience.”

Noah put his credit card back in his wallet. “Wait. An audience?”

“We’re ready!” Angelica shouted from behind the door.

A sigh of relief escaped Noah’s lips and he started for the dressing room, but Tito stopped him. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“To see my bride.”

He shook his head. “Oh, no you aren’t. Give me that ring and march yourself inside the chapel and wait up front.”

He pulled the ring off his hand and handed it him. “But . . .”

“You don’t want to see her before she comes down the aisle.” He picked up the bouquet Noah had tied together with the twine. “I’ll give this to the bride.” He leaned to the side, partially covering his mouth. “And I’ll give you a heads-up if she takes off after seeing it.”

“Ha. Ha,” Noah mumbled, but his nerves were kicking in now that the majority of the alcohol had left his system. Libby had to be sobering up too. What if he was wrong about the flowers? What if she changed her mind about everything?

He really wanted to talk to her one last time, but as much as it killed him to admit it, Tito was right. Given how superstitious Libby tended to be, he didn’t want to press his luck by forcing his way in to see her. He pushed on the double wooden doors that bore a placard reading Holy Seraphim Chapel, took one step inside, and froze, completely unprepared for what he found there.

The chapel looked like it had been cobbled together by a drunken construction worker fired from Caesar’s Palace. They had tried to emulate European chapels with the domed ceiling, Corinthian columns, and stained glass, but on a much smaller scale. The effort had failed miserably.

The back wall was encased in an arch and a backlit stained glass window filled most of the space. It might have been pretty if not for the design. The panes were covered with the figures of grown men sporting short stubby wings and flowing fabric wrapped around their johnsons, which made them look like they were wearing diapers. Naked women surrounded them, gazing up in adoration. All the male figures were identical, as were the female figures, and to make matters worse, they had clearly been modeled after Angelica and Tito.

Oh. Fuck.

Crooked columns held up the arch and the platform floor in front of the window was painted a faux gray marble, as was the short aisle leading to the altar. The front of the room had held Noah’s attention so long he realized he’d missed the rest of the chapel. There were three arched niches on either side, all filled with concrete angels, which thankfully bore no resemblance to the two owners. The insides of the arches appeared to have been spray-painted a metallic gold.

The mural on the ceiling was composed of multiple scenes of a naked angel bearing a remarkable resemblance to Tito, although Noah was certain the artist had over-exaggerated the man’s penile girth and length. Angelica was there too, with wings this time, and there were multiple images of her and Tito in the throes of passion. One particularly memorable composition showed the two fornicating on a bench in a garden, with Tito thrusting from behind wearing a shit-eating grin.

Holy hell. Some things couldn’t be unseen.

Noah took several hesitant steps down the aisle, telling himself that Libby would probably love it. He suspected she was the only person on the planet who would.

It wasn’t until he stepped onto the small platform that he realized the back row of folding chairs was occupied by six men, most of whom appeared to have been plucked from a holding pen at the police station. One man wore a grungy knit cap and slurped from a can of Campbell’s soup, while another leaned his head against the wall, releasing a small snore.

“We’re all ready,” Angelica singsonged as she entered the chapel through the double doors, her hands pressed together at her breasts as if in prayer. “Your beautiful bride is ready. Shall we begin?”

He nodded, finding it difficult to push out a yes. His chest was so tight with nerves he could hardly breathe. He noticed a clock on the wall over the entrance, the hands in the shape of angel wings. 11:49. At least Libby hadn’t taken off yet.

Angelica glided over to a stereo system in the corner and pressed a button. Music poured into the room and the double doors swung open as if by magic.

Libby filled the doorway, Noah’s bouquet in her hands, looking more beautiful than he’d ever seen her. Their eyes locked and everything else fell away. However strange and unconventional this was, it was right. It was them.

The first lines of the song “Teen Angel” played on the speakers overhead—the original recording from the 1950s, from the sound of it.

“Oops, wrong song,” Angelica murmured, pressing a button that stopped the music. “That was from the last couple.”

Libby’s eyes widened and she held back a giggle.

God, he loved her.

Tinny piano music filled the room, reminding Noah of something from the 1980s. Then he realized it was something from the 1980s—his mother had listened to this song over and over when he was a kid. “Angel Eyes”. Was it destiny that they played his mother’s favorite song?

Angelica gave Libby an exasperated look. “Well, what are you waiting for? Tito’s about to start singing.”

Sure enough, Tito’s voice floated around them, but there was still no sign of Tito. “Girl, you’re looking fine tonight, and every guy has got you in his sight.”

Noah had no idea where Tito could be, but he didn’t care. Libby was walking toward him with a soft smile on her lips. But then she stopped halfway down the short aisle, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape.

His heart skipped a beat. Had she changed her mind? 

Sensing movement behind him, he looked over his shoulder. “Oh. My. God.”

Now he dearly regretted paying for the top-of-the-line service. And to his horror, he now realized why Tito had been wearing a robe.

A hole had opened in the arched ceiling and a pair of bare, hairy legs dangled from the opening.

Tito continued to sing, putting emotion into his words as he belted out the rest of the stanza.

Noah considered grabbing Libby and running the hell out of there, but his feet were frozen as the horror continued to unfold—the lower part of Tito’s abdomen was now visible, including his fabric-draped groin.

Libby burst into hysterical laughter.

Angelica planted her hands on her hips and gave Libby a dirty look. “Shh!”

Libby covered her mouth and gave up all pretense of walking gracefully down the aisle, instead rushing over to Noah as he stepped off the platform to meet her. She grabbed his arm and whispered, “What in the hell is happening?”

“I have no fucking idea.” His gaze had found its way back to the still-emerging man. Tito’s bare chest was now visible, as was the small golden harp he held in his hands. He dropped another couple feet, then remained in place as his feet began to kick the air.

“I told you no demonic angels, Noah,” Libby whispered. 

His stomach clenched and he turned to apologize, but her grin spread from ear to ear. 

“Did you request this?”

“You actually think I would?” he asked in dismay.

“Asks the man who took me to see a giant hairball,” she countered in a whisper.

“Shhh!!!” Angelica hushed louder.

One of the homeless-looking guests sat up and pointed. “Hey, that man’s wearing a diaper!”

Angelica stomped her foot. “Shh!”

But Tito was too caught up in his performance to notice the commotion. He kept belting out the song as he descended, and to add gravitas to the occasion, the front of the chapel darkened and two spotlights flashed on, bathing Tito’s now visible and very hairy chest with a warm glow. As soon as his shoulders cleared the space, two wings unfurled from his back, both covered in white and silver feathers with sparkles that caught the lights. One of the wings caught on the wire holding Tito in the air, tilting him sideways. His arms flapped and his legs kicked as he hung there, suspended three feet off the ground. He released a little yelp, but almost immediately continued to sing and strum his harp. 

Libby broke into giggles again, burying her face in Noah’s arm to muffle the sound.

A true showman, Tito jiggled enough to free his wing and landed gracefully on his feet. Without missing a beat, he turned his attention to Libby, crooning with even more earnestness as he repeated the chorus. 

“Hey.” Another man in the back shook the snoozing guy next to him. “You gotta see this.”

The younger man roused, then blinked. “Dude, what was in that weed?”

“I don’t know, but we gotta get some more.”

“Shh!!!” Angelica snarled as she grabbed their arms and pulled both them out of their seats. 

“Hey! I want to see the show,” one of them protested, but she pushed them out through the doors. The four remaining men looked startled.

“I think I should get a refund on the deluxe package,” Noah mumbled.

Libby giggled again. “Is this guy performing the ceremony?”

“Meet Tito, and I’m thinking that’s a yes.”

“Oh, my God. We’re getting married by a man wearing a diaper.”

“Nothing but the best for you, Libby St. Clair.” He grinned. “At least it’s not a skirt. And in case you’re wondering what’s underneath . . .” He motioned his head toward the ceiling.

Libby looked up and gasped, followed by a new round of giggles.

Tito finally stopped singing and cast an unamused glance at Noah and Libby. “You’ll have to come up onto the stage so I can perform the ceremony.”

Oh, crap. How much time had they lost to Tito’s theatrics? “What time is it?”

“What?” Tito asked.

“Is it midnight yet?”

“It’s 11:55,” Angelica shouted from the back of the room. “Tito still has time for another song.” 

“How about Tito sings after he pronounces us husband and wife?” Noah asked, trying to curb his impatience. He took Libby’s hand and helped her onto the platform in front of Tito. 

“You’re carrying the bouquet,” Tito said, scrunching his nose. “I tried to convince him to use a real one.”

Noah started to explain, but she smiled up at him. “It’s beautiful. But you don’t have a boutonniere.”

“I don’t need one, Lib.”

She gave him a short scowl. “Yes you do.” 

Angelica climbed up onto the platform, taking photos with a small click and shoot camera, but from the looks of it, she was putting more of Tito in the frame than the bride and groom.

Libby ignored her and plucked a daisy from her bouquet and stuffed the stem into Noah’s coat pocket. “It’s not perfect, but it will do.”

“It fits this crazy wedding.”

She looked up at him, her face radiating happiness. “It fits us.”

He beamed with his own happiness. “Yeah, it does.”

“Are you ready for the vows?” Tito asked, sounding annoyed. “I have a beautiful service prepared for you.”

“I’m kind of curious what he’s got,” she whispered to Noah.

“Then by all means, let’s do it.”

Libby bit her upper lip, probably to hold in her laughter. “Yes, we’re ready for the vows. But can we do our own after?”

“Well, I guess.” Tito sounded miffed, but he lifted his chin. He leaned over and set the harp on the floor. “Angelica. The vows lighting.”

Angelica had been moving around getting photos, but now she hurried to the back corner.

Tito was still spotlit in his golden glow, but two softer spotlights now shone on the floor in front of him. He curled his fingers and motioned for Libby and Noah to move to their positions.

“I feel like I’m in the plot of a horror movie,” Noah muttered. “And it doesn’t end well.”

Libby burst out laughing again.

Tito’s forehead furrowed into a deep frown, but he took a deep breath and lifted his hands at his sides, holding his arms horizontal to the ground, palms up. A light shot out from behind him, putting him in silhouette as a bright light surrounded him. He closed his eyes. “And lo, I descend from above to join you two in holy matrimony.”

Libby grabbed Noah’s hand and held tight.

“Do you Elizabeth . . . uh . . .” He pulled the top of his loincloth away from his stomach and looked inside.

Noah leaned close to her and whispered, “If he takes that thing off, I’m leaving, Lib.”

She lifted her hand to her mouth and bit the side of her index finger. “Deal.”

Tito looked up and cleared his throat before returning his arms to their previous positions. “Do you, Elizabeth Gabriella St. Clair, take this man, Noah Michael McMillan, to be your husband?”

She looked up into Noah’s face, her eyes dancing. “I do.”

“To have and to hold in the angel’s glowing light?”

She took a deep breath, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. “I do.”

“Will you stand by his side until his aura fades?”

She grinned. “I will.”

“Will you let his wings spread wide so that he can take flight?”

She tilted her head and gave Noah a mischievous grin. “It depends on where he’s flying off to.”

Tito’s head jutted back in surprise. “Oh.”

“I’ll take it,” Noah said, squeezing her hand. “I’m not planning to fly anywhere without her.”

Tito looked confused by the alteration to his vows.

“Noah Michael McMillan, do you take Elizabeth Gabriella St. Clair to be your wife?”

The words filled him with more hope and joy than he thought possible. “I do.”

“To have and to hold in the angel’s glowing light?”

Her eyes twinkled with mischief. God, he loved her. He never suspected he could ever love anyone this much. “I do.”

“Will you stand by her side until her aura fades?”

He shook his head, lifting his hand to cup her cheek. “Her aura will never fade. Impossible.”

Her eyes glistened as she looked up at him with unabashed love. “Oh, Noah.”

“Um . . . okay . . .” Tito fumbled, clearly unsure what to do.

“I’ve got this, Tito.” Noah reached for Libby’s hands and held them gently in front of him. “Libby, I’m so grateful Josh tricked Megan into letting him be her fiancé.”

Tito’s eyes widened. “Huh?”

“If he hadn’t tried to steal information about her father’s business, we might never have met.”

Tito’s eyes widened even wider.

“I’ve had more fun with you in the last five months than in the previous four hundred and ten combined. But more importantly, I’ve found my best friend. You make me a better man, Libby St. Clair, and I can’t wait start our lives together in Seattle—you, me, and Tortoise.”

She smiled up at him, tears in her eyes. “Noah, you’ve been there for me when everyone else almost gave up on me. Thank you for the last two days, which were exactly what I needed. You’re the only one who’s ever really understood me. But more importantly, you’re the only person in this world I can completely trust. Thank you.”

“Oh, Lib.” He brushed away a tear. “I promise I’ll never let you down.”

“I’m counting on that.”

Tito studied them for a moment and shrugged, then picked up his harp. “The rings.”

Noah tilted his head and grinned. “If he pulls them out of his diaper,” he whispered into her ear, “I’m not using them.”

“We have rings?”

Tito began strumming an unrecognizable tune on the harp, then said in a theatrical voice, “Release the doves.”

Angelica opened a small cabinet door on the wall and two white birds flew out and swooped around the room.

Noah’s mouth dropped open. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Libby started laughing again. “It’s perfect!”

“Hey!” one of the men in the back shouted. “It pooped on me!”

The birds swooped around the room a few times before finally landing on the top of Tito’s harp, the rings dangling from their feet with strings.

“Come get your rings,” Tito said, nodding toward the doves as he continued playing the instrument.

“Is now a bad time to mention I hate birds?” Noah grumbled, inching his way forward.

“I’ll do it,” Libby said as she stepped around him, slowly reaching for the string on the first dove. She handed Noah the ring—hers—then untied the other ring and moved back in front of him.

The back doors burst open, spilling light into the darkened chapel, and Noah wondered what Tito and Angelica could possibly have planned next. Startled, the birds went crazy, flapping their wings and taking off into flight, swooping over their heads.

Noah put a protective arm around Libby and pulled her to his chest, but then he realized the two older women standing in the doorway had nothing to do with the Little Heaven Wedding Chapel deluxe package.

“Sweet baby Jesus!” Gram shouted.

“No,” Nana Ruby said in disgust. “That’s not Jesus. It’s just a hairy man in a diaper.”

Tito stopped strumming and shot them a glare. “I’m sorry, but we’re in the middle of a service. Feel free to sit and watch or wait in the lobby, and we can marry you next.”

Ruby snorted. “He thinks we’re getting married.”

Gram chuckled. “You’ve got it wrong there, Mr. Diaper Man. She’s got herself a man who’s into BMI, and I’m on the prowl.” She paused and took in the mural on the ceiling. “Although I may have found him.” She turned back and appraised Tito with a gleam in her eye. “Is this one of those Costco things? I didn’t know you kids were into that.”

Noah burst into laughter. “I think you mean cosplay, Gram. And we’re not. This is everything that comes with the deluxe package.”

Gram nodded as though that explained everything.

Tito shuddered and looked down his nose at Noah, which was difficult since Tito was a good six inches shorter. “You know these women?”

“They’re our grandmothers,” Libby explained with a shrug. “Kind of.”

Tito waved them forward. “Then come in and sit down. We’re in the middle of their vows.”

“Wait!” Libby said, holding up her bouquet. “You’re not here to object to the wedding, are you?”

“Object?” Gram asked in disbelief. “Why would we object? I’ve been shipping you two since you first laid eyes on each other.”

“And I could see your connection at Blair’s wedding shower for my sorry excuse for a grandson, Neil,” Ruby added. “Let’s get this going.”

The two women sat down as Tito lifted his arms and stared up at the hole in the ceiling. “Let us resume.”

“What time is it?” Noah asked. 

Nana Ruby looked at her watch. “Eleven fifty-nine.”

Noah grabbed Libby’s hand and shoved the ring on her finger. “Lib, if you don’t like this, we can get you a new one.” Then he held his hand out to her and she slipped the other ring on his finger.

“It’s perfect.”

Noah turned to the shocked Tito. “Quick. Declare us man and wife.”

Tito looked dismayed. “But we have more service first. We haven’t gotten to the dancing angels yet.”

Libby’s mouth dropped open. “Dancing angels?”

“Maybe later!” Noah shouted. “Declare us man and wife!”

Tito shook his head. “Okay, I declare you man and wife, you may—”

Noah pulled Libby into his arms and placed a hard kiss on her mouth.

“—kiss your bride,” he finished in defeat. “You ruined the wedding.”

Libby pulled back and stared into Noah’s face. “No, it was the most perfect wedding ever.”