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‘Kitikat, you’re insane. There’s no way⁠—’

‘What if there was?’ Ophelia interrupted.

‘But there can’t be. It’s impossible.’

‘In other places, that may be true. But this is Hudsbury. So, I’ll ask again. What if there was a way? Would you want to keep your plans and formalise your union today?’

Aiden looked at Mia, wondering how he was supposed to answer – of course he wanted to marry her today. He’d have married her weeks ago if he could. But it wasn’t just about him. ‘What do you think, Princess?’

‘I don’t know what to think.’

Then allow me to assist. Mist jumped down and sauntered her way into the house, refusing to wait for anything so mundane and human as an invitation. This day will be one of true love. It has been arranged and planned by the people who love you most. For all that weddings and marriages are uniquely human things, I struggle to think of how there could be a better start for your official lives together. Now all that said, do you wish to marry today?

Aiden translated quickly for Mia, and by the time he was done her eyes were wide, glossy with emotion, but her smile was even wider as she nodded slowly. ‘I do. I mean… if you do, I do.’

‘Really?’ He had to check.

‘Yeah.’ She laughed. ‘Let’s get married.’

‘Brilliant!’ Katie grinned. ‘But technically, you didn’t get the marriage licence, so this is a handfasting.’

‘Sounds great,’ Aiden said with a smile.

‘So we’ll have to get legally married later?’ Mia asked.

‘We couldn’t quite work out everything in secret.’

‘We can go to the courthouse one day next week.’ Aiden looked at Mia for confirmation.

‘I guess we could.’ Mia shrugged, then grinned wickedly at Aiden. ‘And you know, I can see advantages to having two wedding days.’

‘Like me getting a second chance to make sure I don’t forget our anniversary every year?’

‘You do and I smack you!’ Katie warned, laughing.

‘You threaten me so often that it loses impact.’

‘You upset Mia and I’ll make you regret it.’ Katie thumped his arm just a little harder than was strictly playful, making him chuckle.

‘As if you would, biker boy.’ Mia stepped closer to him. ‘Two wedding days means two wedding nights.’

‘Now that I like.’ Aiden wrapped his arms around her waist, fully intending to kiss her – his bride-to-be – but Katie stepped between them, using her shoulder and elbow to none too gently push him away. ‘Nope. We don’t have time for that. And it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride on their wedding day anyway.’

‘Bit late for that.’ Mia sniggered.

‘No, it’s not. Because it only just officially became your wedding day as of right now.’ Katie dragged Mia towards the door. ‘Come on, we’ve got things to do, and so do Aiden and Ophelia.’

‘Wait.’ Aiden blocked their way, and caught Mia’s face between his hands. ‘Are you sure about this?’

‘Sure that I want to spend my life with you?’

‘Sure that you want to get married in this crazy rush? Instead of taking our time and planning the day we want?’

‘I already told you, the day I want is the one I end as your wife.’ Mia smiled at him, and his stomach turned a happy summersault. ‘And I’m done waiting for my happy ever after to begin. Aren’t you?’

‘Yeah, I am.’ He kissed her quickly, before Katie manhandled her away from him, slamming the door firmly in his face.

‘So’ – he looked at Ophelia and Mist – ‘what are we doing now?’