The Arrangement

Chapter Twenty: Two Days from the Altar

I walked across the hallway into Miriam's room, tugging the long sleeves of my white, bodycon dress to my wrists.

Miriam was sitting in front of her toy piano in only a diaper and a towel, hitting random keys with her hands. I smiled before walking to her dresser to get out a pair of pajamas for her. Maverick had just given her a bath, so I just had to get her dressed for bed and lay her down.

"Emerson, your phone's ringing," Maverick yelled just as I stood to lay Miriam down.

"Can't you pick it up?" I called back.

"It's Clara! I'm scared of what I might hear!" I rolled my eyes, smiling in amusement.

"Daddy's so silly, isn't he?" I cooed at Miriam. She giggled, reaching up for my face. I kissed her forehead before whispering, "Night-night, Lovebug. I love you."

I ran back to my room on my tip-toes.

"Christ, I hope you're not planning on wearing just that to the bachelorette party," Maverick said, walking over to me and wrapping his arms around me. "I might not be able to let you leave."

His hand dropped to my ass giving it a light squeeze, and I smiled, rolling my eyes. I pulled away to answer my phone.

"Hello," I answered.

"What took you so damn long to answer?" I laughed.

"I was getting Miriam ready for bed. And, apparently, Maverick was scared about what you might say, so he wouldn't pick up the phone," I explained. She laughed.

"He better be. Though, he probably should be more worried about Flynn." I smirked.

"Yeah, probably." I laughed. Maverick walked over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. He leaned in to press a kiss to my neck, but I knew he was just doing it to hear what we were saying about him.

I rolled my eyes with a smile, pushing him away from me before walking into our closet to find a pair of shoes. I decided on a pair of strappy black heels after a bit of deliberation.

"He said 'dada' first, Emerson! Dada first!" Clara concluded her story about Jonathon, her son. I chuckled. "It's not funny! He's supposed to be a momma's boy!"

"Looks like he's a rebel," I joked. I could practically see her rolling her eyes.

"Oh, by the way, we're outside in the limo."

"What?" I exclaimed. "How long have you guys been waiting?"

She thought for a moment. "Actually, I called you when we got here."

"Clara, that was ten minutes ago." She scoffed.

"Yeah, I know. Flynn's been yacking in my ear since I got on the call with you," she said. I smiled.

"I'll be down in a minute," I said before hanging up. I strapped the heels on, grabbed my purse, and rushed down the hall to the living room. "Hey, honey, can you wait for Joan to get here? Clara said they're all already down in the limo." He looked like he was still processing my words. I smiled, leaned down, and pressed a kiss to his cheeks. "Thanks, Mav! I love you."

"I love you, too," he called back as I stepped out of our house, closing the door behind me.

The limo was sitting along the curb, all of a sudden Flynn's and Clara's heads popped up through the sunroof.

"That was not a minute!" Clara called jokingly. I rolled my eyes. "Get in, babe, we're running a tight schedule!"

"And- as your man of honor- I took the liberty of getting a bunch of hats and such to celebrate!" Flynn shouted.