BiteBound *completed*

Chapter 61

Days have passed and the planning did not stop as Anne and I burned the midnight oil.

I wanted everything to be simple; nothing crazy and nothing too expensive. Just a nice ceremony with a chill after party out in the gardens.

Given that I have some idea about Arthur's family, I'm hoping they wouldn't mind for this day to be so quaint. I was a bit worried that maybe they would be expecting something more lavish like a ball of some kind, but I really didn't want that type of attention. I mean, it is our day. We can choose how we want our event to be.

As spring was about to approach in the next few weeks, it meant that was the perfect time to spruce up any dead flower beds, toss and replace the old garden furniture, and replant some flowers into the moist soil.

It sounded easy at the time we came up with the game plan... but then we had some unexpected problems.

The broken brick path, the archways and the gazebo flooring.

"It wouldn'y be wise to be waddin' under rottin' wood." Peterson says. "Arthur be thynkyng to smash everythin' and make it 'modern'. Somethin' that you would find to yer taste. What he say... like a pool or crystal fire pit? Eyther way, we're goin' to need more muscle and time."

More time? My heart panics. But I need to marry soon!

"How much time to you think?"

"It's a big yard." He scoffs. "Maybe a month or two?"

Or two?!

"Fuck."

I look out towards the large gray land, sadly agreeing with him that this was going to take forever to accomplish unless we took out some things.

"Well— maybe we could just ignore the gazebo." I said stubbornly. "Maybe add a bit of plaster to the cracked floors or cover it with something?"

"Or somthin'." He cracks a grin. "Come now Lassie. I git ye scunnered about all this, but shortcuts are never the solution. This is yer day after all, make it memorable."

I know but...

A disappointed sound escapes my throat, my head falling back in defeat.

"Ye knows it'll only look munter if we stuck to yer plans."

"I know." I sigh, yanking off my garden gloves. "I know..."

As he leaves my side to crack open a beer from the cooler, Anne meets with us while stretching out her short arms.

"Ugh, I am knackered! There's absolutely no way we can finish this by Ostara. We need at least 3— no 4 mor' set of 'ands."

So now what then— I can't get married at all now?!

"Well, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work." My tone came out snippy. "Anyway, sun's setting. I'ma go inside an shower. Looks like today was a waste of time."

I didn't think I could get so internally overworked by looking at the reality of our project. I'm emotional yes, but not a bridezilla.

Anne tried to comfort me in some way with her words, but I was seeing red at this point that I just did not care what she had to say.

By the time I had finished bathing (and cooled off), I was scrolling through ideas on the Corkboard website when Arthur gently knocks on the carved wooden door.
"Evening My Dear."

Even that charming smile couldn't keep me moping forever.

"Hey Love," I smile back. "did you sleep well?"