The Bad Boy's Forever (TBBG Series #3) NOW PUBLISHED

Chapter Six: My New Motto Is To Have The Honest Brutality Of A Cardi B Track

"It's crazy." I laugh as the kiss goes on for a little longer than expected and someone coughs, probably the priest and they finally break away to the sound of good natured laughter coming from the crowd.

"It's definitely crazy but it's perfect for them isn't it?"

It is, I completely agree with her.

***

While we tried keeping the ceremony small, my parents went all out for the reception. It is at the same hotel that Cole and I are staying at which makes it easy for me to run back and forth from Beth's suite to my own. She's going to change into a more fun version of her wedding dress which she claims is necessary for her to dance all night long. When I get to her room, Cami and I help Beth manoeuvre her dress so that she can go to the toilet in peace and a hairstylist comes and redoes Beth's hair in more relaxed waves for the reception and retouches her makeup but despite all the crying she did, it's not like Beth needs it. She's practically glowing from the inside out and unable to contain her joy. We're all high on life and giddy as we help her gather her things to go to the reception hall but before I go, I decide to give Beth my wedding present. They've decided against going on a honeymoon immediately and will go back to work in a couple of days but I've figured if they want to hole up together and go at it like bunnies then they might as well do it in a scenic location. My parents contributed to this gift and I managed to snag them a week long stay at the snazziest, fanciest spa and resort in Stowe, Vermont. I have it on good authority that they're going to love it there and my brother has always been fond of the mountains. So when I give Beth their itinerary and their reservation details she squeals and hugs me tight.

"Tessa, this is too much, I can't believe you did this." Given all the crying she's already done today, I didn't think she was capable of more but she seems pretty close to breaking down again and that's not a good idea so leave it Cami to ruin the moment and make her laugh.

"Ooo, sounds fancy but ten bucks says you two never leave the hotel room. Gotta stay warm somehow eh Mrs. O'Connell, there's a lot of consummation that's going to take place. "

Mrs. O'Connell is my mom and it feels weird hearing Beth be referred to as that but she did say she'd be changing her last name so, Oh My God, that's exactly who she is.

Beth, who talks unabashedly about her sex life actually blushes and sputters before hitting Cami lightly on the shoulder. "Don't say that, I'm already nervous as it is." She groans and hides her face behind her hands.

"What are you nervous about?" I did get that vibe from her at times today but I chalked it all up to wedding jitters. I thought she'd be more relaxed by now but I can sense that she's still a little tense and that's not what you want from a newly wed bride.

"It's just...it's official now isn't it? I'm someone's wife." Cami looks at me with understanding in her eyes, the psychiatrist in her already having reached some conclusion. "It's such a huge role and it's not like I've seen what a model marriage looks like. Hell I don't even know who my dad is. What if I fuck it all up? Travis doesn't need another girl breaking his heart." She looks at us with wide panicked eyes and my heart aches for her.

Beth's mom never told her about her dad before passing away although the people in this town made several assumptions. Travis has told me that it's something that weighs her down a lot and of course when it came to her own wedding, the fact that she's got very little family to speak off did upset her. She calls herself an orphan and I can never quite tell whether she's being self-deprecating or whether it's truly something that haunts her. She had a view distant relatives and aunts and uncles at the wedding and she chose to give herself away which was such a true Beth move and we'd never ask anything else of her. But seeing her now with her doubts plaguing her, I can't believe I forgot about difficult and daunting this day could be for her as well.