I MADE IT to the cabin in time for dinner and gave Cade’s mom Carmen’s phone number and asked her to please invite her over to help with the food.
Dinner was a boisterous affair, with not only all of our family, but Cade’s buddies from Hawaii. Chris, Jun, and Ripper had made it in safely, and they’d all had a good day at the compound.
After dinner, we built a fire in Cade’s pit out back and all sat around having drinks and talking, while Elin and Lena roasted marshmallows and the dogs chilled in the grass.
“Still can’t believe you’re getting married, dude,” Ripper said, taking a pull from his beer as he lounged back in his chair.
“Sounds like it’s gonna be pretty sick though . . . outdoor wedding with a pig roast reception,” Jun added.
“It’ll be great,” Chris said. “And, you get to spend the rest of your days looking at this beauty.”
Chris put his hand on mine and patted it briefly.
I shot him a grin and Cade said, “Hands off,” causing all the men to chuckle.
“Well, I’m excited to have all of Lila’s friends over tomorrow to help with the food. If we have time, I brought flowers to make leis as well.”
“From where?” Alani asked.
“Home, of course,” she answered, giving her daughter a look like, duh.
“Mom, you brought those flowers on the plane? How? I don’t think you’re supposed to do that,” Alani protested, but her mom just shrugged.
“What they don’t know doesn’t hurt, and I wanted Cade and Lila to have beautiful leis for their special day. Cade needs a piece of home with him on his special day.”
Alani rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything else.
“I’m sure they’ll love to make leis with you,” I assured Cade’s mom.
“We could always save it for the night before the wedding, too,” she said.
“What’s the night before the wedding?” I asked.
My mind was so full of appointments and dates and schedules, that it was a miracle I remembered anything at all.
“You know, when Cade and the boys spend the night doing what men do, and us women spend the night with you.”
“Ma, we’re not doing that shit,” Cade butt in. “Lila and I will sleep together that night, just like we do every other night. I don’t buy into that superstitious bullshit.”
She kept talking like he hadn’t interrupted.
“Friday night, you and your father will be here at the cabin with Elin, while Alani, Lena, Lila, and I will be staying at her place. Your friends are welcome to join in to do a ritual send off, or whatever, but you will be spending the night apart, and you won’t see your bride until she walks down the aisle to you. It’s tradition, Cade Wilkes, and you’re going to adhere to it.”
Jun, Ripper, and Chris all started ribbing Cade, while Elin and Lena looked at their grandma like she was a bad-ass, which she was. Guess the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
Cade looked at me, but I held up my hands and said, “We’d better do as she says.”
He shook his head, but chuckled, and I knew she’d won that round.
“Now, Lila, what other appointments do you have? Is there anything I can help you with?” she asked.
“Um, Friday they’ll come and set up the stage, and Pops, Cade, Chris, and Elin have their tux appointment. Then, on Saturday morning, the tables and chairs will be set up for the reception, as well as the chairs for the ceremony. And, Clarice will be coming to do my hair and makeup, and Lena’s hair, and she said to let her know if you or Alani need her to do yours and she’ll come a little earlier.”
“That would be lovely, dear, thanks.”
I nodded, taking my phone out of my pocket so I could shoot Clarice a text right away.
“The guys will be setting up the buffet line for you, and Amy May and Jason will bring over the cake when they come in the morning,” I added, then looked at Ripper. “You all set with the DJ equipment?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied easily. “Got it all taken care of. My guy is coming on Saturday morning to set it all up.”
“Great . . . I think that’s everything.”
God, I sure hoped it was, because, at this point, if I was forgetting anything, it probably wasn’t going to happen.
A couple hours later, Cade and I were ready to head back home. We tried to get Elin and Elena to come back with us, but they opted to stay at the cabin. Rufus and CB, however, jumped right in the van, eager to be with Cade.
When we got home and were standing at the counter, Cade came up behind me and started rubbing my shoulders.
“You feeling stressed, darlin’?”
“Actually, no,” I said, my surprise evident in my tone. “I really thought I would be, but things are coming together well, and I’m really not. I’m just ready to marry you.”
I turned and put my arms around his waist.
“I’m ready to marry you, too,” he said gruffly.
“You gonna have a big stag night on Friday?” I asked. I didn’t care if he did, I trusted him, but I still wanted to know.
“Nah, I’ll probably just have the guys over to drink and play cards. I can’t believe my mom pulled that.”
I chuckled.
“I can.”
I held on to him and thought about the Larsens.
“Hey, Cade,” I whispered.
“Yeah?”
“If I die, I want you to be miserable for at least a year before you find anyone else.”
“There is no one else,” he replied.
I looked up into his handsome face, and said, “For me either.”