Day Six

After hours and hours of drinking and dancing, Tanya, Ethan, Chase, Cynthia, Lucas, Megan, Tucker, and I are the only troupers left. We’re sitting on the rocks by the water, enjoying the beautiful night and the beautiful company.

I have Tucker’s arms wrapped around me—exactly where they belong—as he sips champagne straight from the bottle. He hands the bottle to Chase, who is sitting with his new wife looking happier than ever.

“That turned out pretty good,” Megan says. She’s leaning on Lucas who is lying on the rocks and snoring loudly.

“That turned out amazing!” Cynthia says. She’s had a huge smile on her face all night. It’s even bigger now that it’s loaded with alcohol. “This was truly the best wedding ever.”

“After mine,” Megan corrects.

“Please,” Ethan butts in. “Ours was the best.” Tanya is in his arms, looking up at him with tired eyes. For a girl who’s very preggers, she’s hung in there late. She’s even outlasted the Navy SEALs who went to bed about an hour ago.

“Wait until mine,” I say with a chuckle.

“Ours,” Tucker corrects from behind me. I squeeze his big bicep and smile.

Cynthia giggles as she looks at us. “I’d never thought I’d see that picture,” she says. “It’s a nice one.”

Tucker kisses the top of my head, sending warm shivers rippling through me.

It’s not a picture I ever thought I’d see either, but it’s one that I’m going to hold on to for a long time.

The owners of the inn, Yanina and Irving, walk over looking tired but happy.

“Did you all have fun?” Irving asks.

“A blast!” Ethan says, holding up his beer bottle.

“Thank you so much for taking us on last minute,” Chase says, looking so thankful that he didn’t have to get married in the parking lot of the airport.

“You two really did an amazing job,” Cynthia says, clasping her hands together. “We’ll name our firstborn after you.”

“We’re glad it was to your liking,” Yanina says, flashing a missing tooth as she smiles at the tipsy bride.

“It was definitely to our liking,” Tucker adds.

“Good,” Irving says with a nod. We all watch in stunned silence as the older couple starts undressing in front of us.

“Uhhh,” I say, staring as Yanina takes off her bra, showing us her saggy coconuts.

“Welcome to the Sunnyside Resort,” Tucker says with a laugh.

Cynthia giggles as Irving slides his underwear down, presenting us with the resort’s official mascot.

The old naked couple walk hand in hand through our group and into the water for a late-night swim.

Megan is staring at their wrinkled asses. “This is the first wedding I’ve been too where I’ve seen a penis.”

“Even yours?” I ask her.

Megan laughs as she elbows her snoring husband in the ribs. He doesn’t even move. “Especially mine,” she says with a roll of her eyes. “He was even drunker at our wedding. I had to use a vibrator to consummate the marriage.”

We all start laughing. Tanya slaps Megan’s arm as she shakes her head.

“Well,” Megan says, standing up. “I’m going in too.”

“With a bathing suit, I hope?” Tanya asks.

“Nope,” Megan says as she hides behind a tree and gets undressed. “No looking at my jujubes,” she says before running into the water with one hand over her chest and one between her legs.

“What is on her ass?” I ask, narrowing my eyes on her white cheeks that are glowing in the moonlight. It looks like a birthmark in the shape of a lightning bolt.

“That would be a Harry Potter lightning tattoo,” Tanya says with a laugh.

“I wish I didn’t know that,” I say with a laugh as she dives into the water.

“Don’t be jealous, Julia,” Megan says as she turns around. The water is up to her neck, and it’s so dark that no one can see anything but the grin on her face.

“That water looks nice,” Ethan says, staring at the ocean.

“I’m going in,” Tucker says, jumping up.

“Me too!” Cynthia says, jumping up.

“All right,” Tanya says, struggling to get to her feet. “Boys get naked on the right. Girls on the left. No peeking.”

Tucker laughs as he joins the boys in the trees on the right. “My sister is over there,” he says with a laugh. “I definitely won’t be peeking.”

We all run into the dark water and join Megan, Irving, and Yanina for a late-night skinny dip.

It’s not long before I find Tucker and swim into his arms.

“What a perfect night,” I say, looking up at the thousands of stars as his hand slides into mine.

He smiles as he lifts my hand out of the water and kisses the back of it. “The first of many.”

He’s got that right!