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Chapter Five
Abbey waited in the church vestibule with Leah, Cassie, her father Phil, and Leah’s five-year-old cousin Amy who was the flower girl. She smiled over at Amy. The little dark-haired girl wore her hair down in loose waves. Her little white lace dress was accented with a cornflower-blue sash around her waist. The white lace-trimmed basket Amy held was filled with white and cornflower-blue rose petals.
Leah gently stroked Amy’s hair. “You know, Miss Amy, it’s not right to look more beautiful than the bride.”
Amy giggled and blushed sweetly. “I’m not more beautiful than Cassie.”
Cassie acted as if she was giving Amy a thorough once over. “I don’t know, you look like a much cuter little bride. I sure hope Jake still wants to marry me after he sees you drop your rose petals down the aisle.”
Amy didn’t miss a beat and rolled her eyes. “Jake’s my cousin, silly, plus I’m not getting married ’til after I’m an astronaut.”
“I think that’s very smart thinking, Amy,” Abbey’s father added.
The calming sound of classical music wafted through the vestibule doors. Abbey took a few deeps breaths to calm the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.
It’s going to be all right. It’s your reboot weekend. Go with the flow and have fun.
Two more deep breaths and she felt some of her stress drift away. She smiled to herself. It would be fine. Her sister was getting married, she was going to be an aunt soon, and she’d find another job. A better job. OSG would regret letting her go.
Abbey turned at the sound of heels clicking on the slate vestibule flooring, Hannah rushing toward them.
Hannah came to a stop in front of Cassie. “I hope you don’t mind, but there’s a little last-minute change in the procession.”
Before Cassie could ask what the little change was, Abbey saw Heath and Luke striding toward them. The butterflies in her stomach took flight and her heart raced.
Ten years. It had been ten long years since she’d seen Luke Stryker. He looked exactly the same but different. Gone was the young twenty-year-old boy she’d lost her heart to, and in front of her stood a tall, blond Viking. Luke stood at six-foot-four, compared to the six-foot-two when they last saw each other. His shoulders were broader and his body had filled out and strengthened into the hunk of a man she was now looking at. Thick, wavy, blond hair, sparkling baby blue eyes, and that smirky dimpled grin made her weak in the knees every time. God, he looked delectable in his tuxedo. She could feel her nipples tighten and her pussy get wet. This was not good.
All those old feelings resurfaced as if they’d been in hibernation for the last ten years, waiting patiently to be set free again. Feelings of love, betrayal, and sorrow filled her, nearly overwhelming her right where she stood.
How the heck did she think she would be to handle a reunion with Luke with calm, cool, and confidence when all she wanted to do was screw his brains out and scream at him for breaking her heart so many years ago? She stared at him, dumbstruck.
Snap out of it! Get it together. You’re calm and confident. Seeing Luke again is no big deal. Weekend reboot, remember?
Abbey stood there silently and watched as Luke and Heath shook her father’s hand.
“Good to see you, Luke. We missed you at rehearsal.” Abbey’s father had always been fond of Luke. Abbey hadn’t told her parents the real reason they had broken up ten years ago and made Cassie promise her she wouldn’t either. For some stupid reason, she hadn’t wanted to her parents to think any less of him.
Luke had the decency to look embarrassed. “I know, Mr. Jayne, I’m sorry. It couldn’t be helped. But don’t worry, you’ve got me for the entire weekend—at least.”
That surprised Abbey as she assumed Luke would be on a red-eye tonight or an early flight Sunday morning, off to another city to pitch another game.
Abbey’s father smiled, looking pleased. “That’s great. So you’ll be joining everyone for brunch tomorrow morning at the Fairchild?”
Luke smiled wide, his sexy dimples on full display, and nodded. “I’ll be there. Wouldn’t miss it.”
Luke was staying the entire weekend? At least? What did that mean? What was going on? “What’s the little change in the procession, Hannah?” Abbey asked before Cassie could.
Luke turned to Cassie, smiling brightly. “We thought it might be nice for Heath and me to walk the bridesmaids down the aisle rather than have them walk down alone. What do you think?”
Cassie smiled back at Luke and nodded. Before Abbey could object to Luke stepping in and taking over, Cassie said, “I like that idea.” Cassie turned to Abbey and Leah. “What do you two think? Wouldn’t it be nice to walk down the aisle with these two handsome men?”
“I think that’s a great idea!” Leah looked over and Heath and flashed him an enthusiastic smile.
Just great. If Abbey refused, she’d seem like a total bitch. She would not be that petty, not on Cassie’s wedding day. And not in front of Luke after seeing him for the first time in ten years. “Sure, Cassie. That’s a great idea. Very traditional.”
Cassie shot Abbey a knowing smile and winked at her. She rolled her eyes. Obvious much?
Abbey’s father clapped Luke on the shoulder. It was slight but she could have sworn Luke winced.
