The Epilogues: Part I: Badge of Honor (The Potentate of Atlanta Book 6), Hailey Edwards [year 2 reading books TXT] 📗

not wanting to risk the tux. It was a masterpiece. Almost as beautiful as what it contained.

The ceremony to make me the official Potentate of Atlanta was in days.

Days.

Not weeks or months or years.

Days.

“We view big goals as distant and unobtainable for so long,” Neely soothed, keeping a warning eye on Midas, “it doesn’t feel real when we achieve them.”

“I haven’t proven it obtainable yet.”

“Linus believes you will, Grier too, and I would never bet against them.”

Grier believed the best of people, but Linus tended toward caution. His faith humbled me.

“You don’t count,” I informed Midas, who growled at the exclusion. “You’re too biased in my favor.”

“You can do anything you set your mind to, Hadley.” His gaze bored into me. “That’s not bias, it’s fact.”

Warm tingles spread through my chest at his absolute faith in me.

“We need to hurry this along,” Cruz said, joining us, “or we’ll be late.”

“Left to my own devices,” Neely conceded, “I never shut up when I go visiting.”

“I—” I almost messed up and said I miss our long talks, but I recovered, “—enjoy our conversations.”

“Me too.” He gave me one of his eye-crinkling grins. “Okay, back to business before Cruz tosses me over his shoulder and carries me out of here.” He wet his lips. “Not that I would complain, mind you.”

Cruz bent down to kiss Neely’s jaw and whispered in his ear words I couldn’t hear.

With a flush climbing Neely’s neck into his cheeks, he checked a calendar app on his phone.

“I’ll be back in four weeks for your dress fitting.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll email you the date and the best times so you can work me into your schedule.”

“Maybe the next time you’re in town,” Midas the grumpy mannequin said, “we can all do dinner.”

“It feels like I’ve known Hadley forever.” Neely lit up the room with his smile. “I would love to spend more time with you two. So would Cruz. Right, honeybun?”

Cruz made a noise partway between a grunt and a growl that Neely interpreted as agreement.

“See?” He leaned his head on Cruz’s shoulder. “We’re practically best friends already.”

The admission he gravitated toward me, this new me, melted my insides to goo and gave me hope we might reestablish our friendship given time.

“Thanks again.” I walked the couple to the door. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“Francis,” he called to his assistant, who sat in the kitchen beside two boxes of donuts I’d left on the counter for our guests. “Can you help our groom out of his clothes?”

“I volunteer as tribute,” I yelled, shooting an arm into the air.

“I don’t trust that look in your eyes.” Neely clucked his tongue. “You might tear the wrapper trying to get to the candy.” He waved Francis in. “I have to go, but you know the drill. Bag it, tag it, and bring it to the hotel.”

Hand pressed to Neely’s lower back, Cruz guided his husband out the door then shut it behind them.

I was surprised he didn’t lock it too, in case Neely tried to duck back in with one last anecdote.

In the hall, I heard Neely’s mouth running a mile a minute until the elevator’s sliding doors muted him.

Francis emerged with powdered sugar dusting his lips and, somehow, also a milk mustache.

“I bet he forgot to mention he brought Mr. Kinase a tie to match your pantsuit for the coronation.”

Coronation wasn’t the right word, but it was close enough, and it had a nice ring to it.

“That was very thoughtful of him.” Neely’s attention to detail didn’t surprise me one bit. “You might want to wash up before you handle the suit.” I traced a finger around my mouth. “Always remember to erase the evidence.”

The process of packing away the suit took a good twenty minutes, given all the donut breaks Francis took in between stages. I mean, I admired a man who knew what he wanted then went out and got it. Even if it was a half dozen powdered sugar bliss rings. And a half gallon of milk.

A knock on the door brought my head around, and I excused myself to see who had come calling.

“Bish.” I rushed into the hall and shut the door on my heels. “It’s bad luck to see the groom before his wedding day.”

Bishop handed me a café mocha, which was piping hot, and frowned. “More superstitious Society mumbo-jumbo?”

As far as gwyllgi were concerned, Midas and I were mated, and that was that. Let the HEA begin! The Society, however, was big on weddings. My family expected one, and Midas wanted me to have one. That meant I got to plan it.

Bwahaha.

Poor Midas.

He was probably regretting his life choices right about now.

Oh well.

Things could be worse. For him, I mean. I could still pour him into tight leather pants and a tunic, slap on a flowing platinum-blond wig, and force him to carry a faux Bow of the Galadhrim during the ceremony.

Mmm.

Legolas.

I jolted from my fantasies when Bishop snapped his fingers at the end of my nose.

“Mostly, I don’t want you to embarrass him.” I glared at him. “Laugh all you want, after the ceremony.”

“I heard that,” Midas called through the door, reminding us that gwyllgi hearing was excellent.

Jerking my head toward the elevator, I invited Bishop to take a ride. “How’s our night shaping up?”

The fitting only cost me two hours, and it was well worth it for the ears alone.

“I’m not sure what shape I would call it.” Scratching his cheek, he rolled a shoulder. “Pear-shaped?”

We stepped into the car, and I mashed the button for the lobby. “That’s bad, right?”

“The obstacle course was found trashed after sundown.” He watched my reflection in the silvery panels. “The hurdles have been busted, the ropes cut, the balancing beam sawed in two— You get the picture.”

Before I modeled Neely’s latest on stage to take my final bows, I first had to supply entertainment in the form of running a magical gauntlet to prove my worthiness prior to the official vote that sealed the deal.

The