Free Forever Bound by Ella Ardent Page A

she was doing the right thing. There would be a rehearsal
and rehearsal dinner on this night, and she wouldn’t have to pretend to be
happy.
    They
sat with her mom and everything was easy, even though she was twitching with
the movement of the vibrator. Ryan leaned over to give her a kiss before he
left to meet his parents’ shuttle from the airport. Jess closed her eyes in
pleasure that he kissed her right on the sensitive spot beneath her ear, then
nearly fainted that he turned up the power on the vibrator.
    She
smiled at him, knowing they’d have to relieve each other before the rehearsal
dinner.
    Then
he was striding off, and she was watching him go with affection.
    “Well,
I’m glad to see that you two have worked out any last minute issues,” Jess’s
mom said. “I’m thinking we should go to the spa today, dear. That would give
Ryan some time with his family, and it might relax you, as well.”
    “That’s
a good idea, Mom,” Jess said, feeling so complacent and happy that she’d agree
to pretty much anything.
    She
had a list of things to check and an interview to do with that journalist, but
she had a renewed confidence that all would go well.
     
    * * *
     
    Ryan
had expected comments from his parents, and he wasn’t really surprised that the
censure began almost as soon as his family set foot in the resort.
    As
soon as his youngest sister, Aislinn, breathed that it was beautiful, he knew
he was in for it.
    “Takes
a certain kind of bride to expect everyone to spend so much money to attend her
wedding,” his mother huffed.
    “City
people have different ideas than ours, Maureen,” his father said, his tone just
as disapproving.
    “I
told you that you didn’t have to come,” Ryan protested. “I would have
understood.”
    “And
what would her family have thought of us?” his mother demanded. “Not even
attending the wedding of our eldest son?”
    “And
it’s in the paper!” Sheila said. “I’ve been reading the blog about all the
preparations. You’re famous, Ryan!”
    “I
hope not.”
    “Come
on, it’s great. It reads like a fairy tale,” his middle sister Moira declared.
“So romantic.”
    “And
so profitable for your bride,” his mom said under her breath.
    “Do
they have internet service in this place?” Sheila asked, pulling out her phone.
“Because I want to get today’s blog post.”
    “You
subscribed to it?” Ryan demanded. “You could just have asked me.”
    His
sisters laughed in unison. “As if you know anything about it,” Moira teased.
    “And
Jess is busy,” Aislinn added.
    “It
found the Wifi connection!” Sheila said and the sisters crowded close to watch
her phone. Ryan told her the password for logging in and she smiled at him when
it connected.
    “You
have so much email to pick up,” Moira complained.
    “I
just have more friends than you.”
    “It’s
almost done,” Aislinn said.
    “The
entire town is watching the story,” his mother said, her tone acid. “Imagine
the neighbors knowing more about my son’s wedding than I do.”
    Ryan
refrained from suggesting that his mom could have followed the blog. “You’re
just supposed to come and enjoy it,” he said instead.
    “You
shouldn’t have put your mother in this position,” his father said.
    “I
was thinking of Jess,” Ryan said firmly. “It was my idea that she use the
wedding to promote her services for brides.”
    “Really?”
Aislinn said. “That’s so cool!”
    “It
is what she does,” his brother Quinn said quietly.
    “And
you’d think she’d do the best possible job for herself,” Moira added.
    “She
never expected the journalist to pick up the story,” Ryan said. “But I think it
could work out well for her.”
    “I
think it’s wonderful,” Sheila enthused. “They showed the flowers and the
dresses and the beach. It’s going to be so perfect.”
    “Tons
of followers, too,” Aislinn said.
    “And
Jess looks so organized. I’d hire her in a minute,” Moira