His Shortcake

Chapter 38

Dustyn Franco

The shop was already buzzing with the chatter of family and friends when I arrived. The place was packed, filled with the sounds of laughter and conversation that echoed warmly throughout the room. As soon as I stepped through the door, my eyes instinctively sought her out. Even though her back was turned to me, it was like my gaze was drawn to her, as if she was the only person in the room.

Eros, grinning from ear to ear, was the first to greet me, briefly pulling my attention away from Shortcake. "Man, this crowd is hilarious," he said, his voice brimming with amusement. It looked like he had already gotten to know almost everyone here. "But I have to say, your mom doesn't seem to be enjoying it. She looks pretty irritated." He nodded toward Mom, who was standing in a corner, clearly exuding negative energy.

I smiled, despite the familiar sight of my mother's disapproving mood. "She's always like this," I said, shaking my head slightly. "I should go say hi to my fiancée. Excuse me," I added, politely brushing past the throng of people to reach her. She was still chatting with a couple of girls whose faces didn't ring any bells.

The moment my hands gently touched her hips, she jumped a little but quickly relaxed. She turned to face me with that breathtaking smile of hers, her gray eyes sparkling with pure joy. "Hey," she greeted me softly, leaning in to plant a kiss on my cheek.

I couldn't help but grin like an idiot, completely captivated by her radiant smile. "Hey yourself. You look stunning, as always," I murmured before dropping a gentle kiss on her soft, red lips. Hmm, it seemed like my Shortcake had put on lipstick this morning.

Mara giggled and fully turned toward me, her thumb brushing the corner of my lips. "You had some lipstick," she said with a playful smirk.

"Totally worth it if it means I get to kiss you," I replied with a cheeky grin.

I didn't know what it was about today, but I had woken up feeling happy and excited. It seemed like nothing could spoil my mood—not my sulking mother, not even the looming presence of Amelia. Nothing at all.

I had my Shortcake in my arms, and our wedding was just around the corner. Maybe that was what had me so thrilled—the thought that soon, I'd be going to sleep and waking up beside the very woman who was now talking joyously while I stood there, completely mesmerized by her.

"Hey guys!" Aurora's voice rang out loudly, causing both of us to turn in her direction, our brows raised in curiosity. She shot us a playful smile, her eyebrow arched. "You two look adorable and all, but I need to get these people measured up," she said with a grin.

Mara nodded immediately, scanning the room filled with people. "Where should we start?" she asked, her gaze flitting over the crowd. We hadn't expected the gathering to grow this large, but I guess with a wedding on the horizon, keeping things quiet, even among friends, was wishful thinking.

"Let's start with the men. It'll probably be quicker while the ladies decide on their dresses," I suggested, looking down at Mara. "What do you think?"

She smiled up at me, her eyes sparkling. "Great idea. I'll see you later," she said, giving me another kiss on the cheek before disappearing into the sea of women. Among them were my mother and Amelia, but the reassuring presence of Artemis nearby made me feel at ease.

"Alright, guys," I called out, addressing the men in the room. "We're up first." They nodded eagerly as Aurora and her assistant started taking measurements, beginning with Mara's dad.

"Hey, man," Mark greeted me with his signature boyish grin—the same one I remembered from the first time I met him. "This is pretty exciting, isn't it?" he said, gesturing toward the bustling room.