Could Tell a Love 2

5 Months Later...

I don’t know how Eric did it, but he did. For 4 months, he didn’t cheat on Miranda. I was proud of him.

I adjusted my bow tie (ugh) in the mirror while Jared was getting dressed.

"Can you even have two best men?" I asked. "I thought you could only have one."

"Eric bent the rules. He just couldn’t choose between you and Casey, I guess."

"Hmm, guess not. Are you doing anything in the wedding?"

"Yeah, I’m holding the rings, since no one else would do it." He said, attempting to tie his matching bow tie. "Why did they have to get married on Eric’s birthday? I swear it’s just an excuse for Miranda to make us wear pink."

"Oh god, Eric’s 21, he can legally drink. That’s scary. And I think pink looks good on you." I said, looking at him in the mirror. I laughed at his failed attempts to tie his bow tie. "Jared, here, lemme get that for you." I took a hold of his tie and started tying it.

"I was never good at ties, and I never understood the bow tie thing at all. They always confused the hell out of me."

I smiled, concentrating on the knot. "You could’ve just asked me from the beginning. It’s not like I would’ve said no or anything."

"I know, I just wanted to try it first." Jared said.

"And you looked quite silly in the process. I think you were concentrating so hard you had your tongue sticking out a little."

He hit me softly as I finished tying his bow tie. "You know you liked it."

"You know me all too well." I said, smirking, pulling him towards me, our lips meeting.

There was a knock at the door. "Beau, Jared, we need to leave soon. The wedding starts at 2." Matt said through the door.

I looked at the clock. "Matt, it’s only 11:30.."

"We don’t want a Bridezilla on our hands, now do we? Miranda said no later than noon, and you’re the best man, well, one of them, so she’d chew your head off."

"Alright, coming." I said, grabbing my slip ons.

"No fancy shoes?" Jared asked.

"God no. If I’m gonna be standing around for hours, I’m gonna be comfortable. This suit’s already annoying." I said, opening the door, pulling at my collar.

"Is anyone else fed up with the pink?" Casey asked, lacing his shoes.

Everyone’s hands went up, including mine. I didn’t like it, even though it really does look good on Jared.

"Couldn’t it have been the day after Valentine’s?" Matt asked.

"Guess not. You go your truck, Matt?" I asked, getting ready to leave.

Matt jingled his keys.

"Awesome. Lets go before she rips all our heads off." Jared said, leading the group out the door.

Once we got to the chapel, we saw Eric talking outside with Miranda’s parents. I laughed at him to myself; he looked so uncomfortable. We pulled up in a close spot and all piled out of the truck. Eric saw us and looked like he just saw God.

"Hey, we gotta steal him, if that’s alright with you." Mike said, throwing his arm around Eric’s shoulders.

"Sure, sure. It was nice talking with you, Eric. We’ll see you later." Miranda’s mom said, walking away with her dad.

"Oh my god you guys are heroes." Eric said once they were inside.

"Yeah, you looked in need of a rescue." I said, messing up his hair. I looked at everyone else. "Could we have a minute?" I asked.

No one said anything and left. Casey and Jared knew. Everyone else will know eventually, if they didn’t already know.

I smiled at Eric, sticking my hands in my pockets. "You excited?"

"Hell yeah. I’ve been waiting 5 months for this day. Thanks for setting me straight, Beau." He said, hugging me.

"Well someone had to do it." I said.

I felt Eric laugh. "Did you need a father-son moment to say that?"

I shook my head. "I’m not your dad, if anything, Casey’s more of a dad ‘cause he wasn’t a drunk for four years."

"If I couldn’t stand you, I would’ve left, but I put up with your lifestyle. Anything was better than living with my dad, even that. And besides, if I would’ve left, who knows where you would be now. You might be dead from alcohol poisoning or something."

I smiled. "Thanks, Eric."

"Beau! Get in here!" Jared called out from the chapel. I looked back and he was smiling at Eric and I. We came out of our hug and I started heading for the chapel.

"Hold on Beau. I have one thing I wanna ask you." Eric said, grabbing my arm.

I turned to face him. "Yeah?"

"How long has it been?" He asked.

I was slightly confused until he looked at my arms. "Not since the George Webb’s incident."

He smiled, looking relieved. "Good. Lets go."

We went into the chapel, which was beautifully covered by red, pink, and white flowers. I spotted Miranda and Jared and pretty much everyone else up by the alter. I was half expecting to see Miranda in her dress with her hair all done and everything, but she was in a baggy pair of sweat pants and a tank top with her hair up in a messy pony tail.

"Hey, what did I miss?" I asked, hugging Miranda.

"Nothing much, trying to figure out standing positions, since Eric just couldn’t choose between you and him..." She said, obviously talking about me and Casey.

We both smiled at each other and shrugged.

"So where are Katie and Trish and Sarah? I’m surprised they’re not running around here." Matt asked.

"Trish and Sarah took Katie out shopping. She hadn’t said anything about not having shoes for the wedding, so they took her." Casey said.

"She would." I said.

"Alright, how about one best man at the front and one at the end, spread them out a little bit, get people confused on if you two are related or not." Miranda said, smirking.

"How can people not tell we’re related, though, seriously? If it weren’t for my being two years younger, we could almost be twins." Casey said, voluntarily taking the bottom position.

"No arguments there." I agreed with him, going towards the top of the line. I noticed that all the spots were marked with black electrical tape.

"Except for the fact that Beau has overall better looks, no offense." Jared said under his breath, but just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"You can’t say anything, you’re goin’ out with the guy! Trish would say the same thing about me if we were having this argument with her here."

"Oh everyone just shut up, please. You two are both equally good looking, lets leave it at that." Miranda said. She sighed. "I don’t even know why I needed you guys here early anymore..it slipped my mind..oh, yeah. I need all you to go to the hall where the reception’s gonna be and help set up the tables of food. There are gonna be 4 long tables along the wall where the DJ’s gonna be, for refills and small snacks and whatever. Eric, you can go with, too, just don’t stay too long."

"Okay, love you, sweetie." Eric said, kissing her before we left.

"Love you, too." She said, smiling.

Everyone left the chapel and just barely found the rec hall. The hall was decorated in somewhat of the same fashion, except with streamers and banners and more booze. It took us a good hour or so to get all the tables set up and full of what Miranda had requested.

"So who’s doing the toast afterwards?" I asked Eric.

"It’s Sarah, I think. It’s gonna be interesting, to say the least." Eric said, laughing to himself.

"The very least. I haven’t seen her in forever. I wonder how she’s doing." I asked, more to myself than to anyone else.

"Her and Kalie got married a few months ago Miranda told me, while we were on tour, I guess. That’s why she didn’t come with us." Eric said.

"Well I’m gonna have to tell her congratulations when I see her today." I sighed, looking at the room, giving it a once over. "Are we done?"

"Seems like it, and I gotta get going." Eric said.

"Alright, lets get out of here." Mike said.

After that, the rest of the day went by like a blur. I had to explain the whole taking Eric in story about 5 times, and in detail to his mom, who seemed absolutely touched. She insisted that she repay Casey and I, but we refused.

The ceremony flew by as well. It felt like no time before Eric was kissing the bride and I was unknowingly crying.

"Eric Lambert, do you take Miranda-Lynn Paegelow to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The priest asked, a big smile on his face. Eric grabbed Miranda’s hand and smiled. "I do."

"And Miranda-Lynn Paegelow, do you take Eric Lambert to be your lawfully wedded husband?" He asked. Miranda blushed and smiled widely. "I do."

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The priest closed his bible and Eric kissed her like he hadn’t seen her in days. Even underneath Eric’s hands I could see Miranda turning redder than a ripe tomato.

I looked at Jared and smiled, seeing that he was crying, too.

Once they parted everyone clapped and the organ music started playing. Miranda and Eric hurried down the steps and out the chapel doors, everyone else following.

After pictures and everything else, everyone headed toward the rec hall, ready for the real party to start.

There were already techno beats bumping when we arrived.

"So how does it feel to be the official Mrs. Miranda Lambert?" Matt asked, hugging her. "You look beautiful, by the way."

"Awww, thanks, Matt. And honestly, it doesn’t feel much different. It’s just a change in last name really, and an added ring on my finger." She said, already mixing herself a drink.

"Where’s he taking you on your honeymoon?" I asked, my hand around Jared’s hip.

"Don’t know. I don’t think we’re going on one. We might just be spending a few days by ourselves at his house or my apartment. Either one would suit me just fine."

The music was turned down once Sarah, who was already drunk off her ass, tapped her glass with the cake knife (I really don’t trust her) to get everyone quiet. Kalie took the knife from her and put it down on the table before she hurt herself. Sarah looked at her and almost couldn’t contain an outburst of laughter.

"Alright, so I was told that I had to do the toast for this shindig. I was like alright, alright, I could do this. So I tried writing something down on paper and practicing it, but that didn’t work out at all. It seemed too scripted and whatever. So I was just like you know what, I’m gonna wing it. So here goes nothing." She took a drink of her wine and continued. "Miranda’s been my best friend since I can’t even remember. We’re basically connected at the hip. So just some advice to anyone that tries to fuck with Miranda or Eric, or anyone else in this room for that matter, I’ll just have you know that I will fuck you up so bad, you won’t even know. You won’t even know." Sarah dabbed her eye, trying not to screw up her eyeliner. "Miranda, I love you, man." She said, punching her in the arm. All the sudden, she passed out on the floor. Everyone gasped, while Matt and Eric were snickering. Kalie helped her off the ground and into her seat, getting her a glass of water.

"Alright, who wants cake!?" Kalie asked, and everyone started laughing and going up to the cake, paper plates and plastic utensils in hand. Naturally, Eric and Miranda got the first pieces. I waited for my piece, because I had a feeling that they were gonna make a mess.

"Eric, no, I just wanna eat my cake and try and keep my dress clean." Miranda said while laughing. Eric was chasing her around with the cake.

"Please? I’ve always wanted to do this, just once? I promise I’ll personally get you another piece." Eric pleaded. I can’t believe they’re already arguing hours after their marriage, and over the silliest thing.

Miranda stopped and sighed. "Fine. Once. And you will get me another piece." She dug her hand in her cake, as did Eric. Everyone was watching now.

"1, 2, 3, go!" Eric and Miranda shoved the cake in each others faces, probably wanting to aim for their mouths, but missed horribly. This made Miranda grab even more cake and schemer it all over Eric’s face. Eric did the same, and when I sense the feeling of a food fight in the air, I got myself equipped with a huge mound of cake. I wasn’t gonna be the one with no amo. When nothing broke out, I started digging into my pile of cake, which was delicious.

After the music started up again, Jared brought me to a quieter place in the hall, drinks in hand.

"What’s up?" I asked.

"I don’t mean to bring this up now, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. I’ve been thinking about the whole adoption thing again..."

I kissed him. "I’ve also been thinking about that, and I think I’m ready to try it."

The look of pure shock and excitement came over his face. "Really?"

I nodded. "We can go by the adoption center tomorrow and pick up the papers."

Jared’s smile was radiant, and the radiance transferred to my lips as he kissed me passionately.

From tomorrow on, our lives will never be the same. I won’t be just a father figure, I’ll actually be a father. A full-time dad, as will Jared, and I’m gonna love every minute of it.