Picture Perfect?

Three months later ;

DEVLIN'S POV :

I've reached the conclusion that anyone who says that it's impossible to pull off a wedding in three months isn't really trying . It's entirely possible , if you have roughly twenty people running around like headless chickens to put it all together .
After we got engaged , we both decided that we didn't want to wait a year or more 'til they finished touring .We actually discussed the idea of just going to the courthouse and doing it there , but after my family and his both threatened to kill us if we did , we recruited pretty much everyone to help , and set the date for September 5th . We're getting married in Missouri , since both of our families are there , for the most part , and it's a more central location for everyone else to travel to , like my aunts and uncles who live in New York , where my mom is originally from .
So my folks , and Ashley's , took care of things on that end , like booking the location , arranging for the food and flowers , and that sort of thing . On our side of things , I got Alice , Tiff ,Juliet , Inna , and Ashley's friend Jazy to help me with getting out the invitations , doing the pictures , ( it's pretty much impossible to take your own engagement pictures , after all ) , and , of course , finding the dresses .
After taking pictures of umpteen thousand weddings , there were two things that I was definite about when we all went dress shopping . First of all , there's no way I'm wearing something that I , or anyone else , is gonna have to worry about tripping on , and secondly , I'm not sticking my bridesmaids in anything that makes them look like my brother has been attacking them with his pastry bag . Not nice to them , plus it makes for sucky pictures later .
We found the perfect dress at the third shop we went to . I'd already told all of the shop people that I wanted something a bit different , but the first two insisted on trying to get me into dresses that made me look like I was wearing the wedding cake . The guy in charge of the third shop just walked a circle around me , then said , "Oh , yes , dear ! I have just the thing for you ! Just go to the fitting room , and I'll send Delia in with it straight away ."
She brought me the dress and helped me get into it , and when I walked out , all of the girls , including Holli , Darcy , and my mom , let out a collective squeal . The dress is pale silver , with a handkerchief hemline that stops just short of my ankles , and a bodice that laces up the front and sort of resembles a ballet costume . It actually fit perfectly , and the only changes that needed to be made were to have the color of the lacings changed , and to add a bit of embroidery to the skirt , both in purple , since silver and purple are actually the colors that Ash and I decided on . After we got that taken care of , we did a bit more looking , and found gorgeous dresses for all of the girls . Theirs are sort of floaty - looking spaghetti strap dresses , with the skirt hitting just above the knee in front , going down to mid - calf in the back . Holli's is a violet color , since she's my maid of honor , and the others are wearing sort of a lilac shade . After finding a really pretty dress for my mom , too , we went and found shoes , then called it a day . I just hope that Ash can get the guys to be a cooperative about their suits . I've already informed Juliet that if Andy even THINKS about showing up in any of his Batman nonsense , I'll personally give him such a wedgie that she won't get laid for a week .
So we're here in Missouri now , and the wedding is tomorrow afternoon . Now , apparently , it's time for everyone to split up and go party . It seems that our LA friends have been communicating with my siblings , and some of his family , to get everything set up .
He gives me a hug , and a big kiss , and says , " Apparently we don't get to see each other again until the wedding , so if I look like hell tomorrow , you'll know why . I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to sleep without you there ."
"Not exactly my favorite thing , either , but I guess we can look at it as practice for the tour , babe ." , I respond , still clinging to his waist .
Juliet and Jazy come over and grab me , while CC and Andy take hold of Ash . "Come on , now , we've got partying to do !" , CC shouts . "It's not like you're not gonna see each other for a year , it's only like eighteen hours or so !"
So we split up , and go to our separate parties . Right now , we're in Kansas City , because the location we have for the wedding is in a park about fifty miles away , near my brother's airbase , and this is the nearest really big city . I'm in the car with Inna , Jazy , Juliet , and Darcy , who's driving , and Holli is following us , with Alice , Tiff , and a couple of Ashley's cousins . Darcy eventually pulls up in front of a good -sized building , and we walk in . I see that it's a strip club , of course , and we get a table right in front of the stage . They've brought along a silly plastic tiara for me to wear , and a beauty - contest type banner that says BRIDE in big pink letters .
Then , they have a blond dude , in what only faintly resembles a tuxedo , come over and dance for me , while they're stuffing bills into the thongs of several other guys . At one point , Alice , Jazy , and Juliet are up dancing with them , while everyone else is clapping and cheering like mad .
Just as the blond finishes his dance , my phone rings . I stuff a couple of bills into whats left of his costume , and answer it .
"Hello , who is it ?"
"Help me darlin, , I'm surrounded by plastic boobies !" , I hear Ash whispering over the noise of the bar .
I giggle and say , "I know how you feel , hon , this place has barely concealed Johnsons as far as the eye can see . Unfortunately , none of them are the one I'm interested in ."
"Same with the boobs , love . I've developed a preference for the real thing , as long as they're attached to the girl I'm gonna marry tomorrow ."
"Stay sober enough to get through the wedding tomorrow , and they're all yours ." , I tell him .
Just then , I hear Andy's voice saying , "Get off the damn phone , dude ! You're missing your own fuckin' bachelor party , for fuck's sake !" Then I hear sounds of scuffling , and the call cuts off .
A bit later , we leave the club , and get back into the cars . We drive for a few minutes , and stop in front of a store , with a sign that reads , "Cirilla's" , and we park in the lot .
"What are we doing here ?" I inquire .
"Bridal shower shopping !" , is the collective answer .
This place turns out to be an " adult" store , with skimpy lingerie , movies , and ..... things . Some of which we can't even identify the purpose of .
Tiff holds up something that looks like an oversized , orange rubber corkscrew , and says , "I wonder what alien life form they modeled this fucker on ." She flips the switch , and it starts not only vibrating , but twirling around madly .
"Jesus , turn that thing off before it gets loose and attacks someone !" , Holli tells her , and the rest of us crack up laughing .
After that , they all get down to some serious shopping , buying me lingerie , a couple of "educational " DVDs , and some of the less frightening items that they think Ash and I might make use of , along with some things for themselves , of course .
"Kinda makes you glad that Mom decided to sit this one out , doesn't it ?" , Holli asks me .
"No kidding ! I think she would've lost it when Tiff turned on the Martian cock awhile ago ." , I reply .
"Almost makes me want to send her a picture , and tell her we're buying it for you ." , she says , with a mischevious grin .
"YOU WOULDN'T DARE !"

ASHLEY'S POV :

Andy confiscated my phone after they caught me calling Dev at the strip club , and refuses to give it back 'til we get to the hotel . They keep telling me to have fun , so I'm trying , but it's harder than I thought it would be . It's weird , a year ago this would have been right at the top of my list of fun things to do . Even when I was dating Tanya , I usually hit the titty bars at least a couple times a month , but now it just doesn't really interest me anymore . Why go out to look at tits and things I can't touch ( or at least probably shouldn't ) , when I have a gorgeous , loving , passionate woman at home to live out all of my fantasies with . I have to say , this is the best my sex life has ever been , and I'm looking forward to finding out if it can get even better .
Fortunately , I'm not the only one who doesn't seem to be completely impressed by what's on display , as Paul is less than enthusiastic about the random vaginas that keep waving in his face .
"Dude , are we totally weird , or something ?" , he asks me .
"No , I think we both just know how much trouble we'd be in if we did anything that could be called inappropriate . I don't know about Darcy , but Dev would leave me in a heartbeat if I ever even thought about being with someone else ." , I reply .
"You're still better off than I'd be , man ." , he informs me . "If I was ever stupid enough to do something that stupid , it could end my career , as well as my marriage . Adultery is still frowned upon by the brass ."
"Well , I guess it's a good thing you don't have to worry about it , then "
"Whoo - hoo ! Who wants to go skinny - dipping ?" , we hear from the next table . We turn around to find CC and one of my cousins attempting to pull off their clothes and climb into the fountain in the center of the club , while Andy and Tony are laughing so hard they're actually crying , and Jake is recording the whole thing for posterity . Or possibly for one of his vlogs . Same thing , I guess . Same with Andy's cousin Joe .
"How the fuck did they get that hammered already ?" , Blasko yells .
" Either they got a head start , or they're out of practice ." , Jinxx says .
We look over and see the bouncers heading our way , and they don't look exactly thrilled .
As I get up and start heading toward the fountain , I look over at Paul and say , "Oh well , I guess this means the party's over ."

A/N :
Sorry it took so long to update . We're having our annual holiday shutdown at work this week , so they were loading us with overtime to make sure we got all our orders done beforehand . So after spending ten hours a day arguing with my machines , my brain wasn't exactly in shape to form anything readable . Stay tuned , next chapter ; Dev and Ashley's wedding !

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