“Hey!” Adam protested. “At least I didn’t use one of my witty puns on him.”
Trent’s turn to groan. “And for that we are all eternally grateful.”
Seth leaned down to whisper in Amber’s ear. “Did I miss something there?”
“All my brothers think they’re funny.” She grinned up at him. “In reality their humor is severely lacking.”
“Now who has jokes?” Adam asked. “Oh wait, that would still be me.” A mischievous glint entered his eye. “A reformed soccer player and a theology major walk into a bar—”
Jack stepped into the middle of the group, physically blocking Adam from continuing. “And on that note, I think it’s time to toss the bouquet.” She wiggled her spray of peach peonies and seeded eucalyptus.
Seth turned to Amber with both hands on her shoulders. He bent down, his lips grazing her cheek as he whispered into her ear. “You know what to do.”
A wholly pleasant shiver raced up her spine. She knew what to do all right, but just the same, she pulled back to clear her head.This is it. She stretched out her neck on one side and then the other. Nodded to him while bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“What is this? A coaching session before a big game?” Adam mocked.
Amber smirked at him over her shoulder. “Eye on the prize.”
“Oh, no you don’t.” Olivia gasped. “We’re next.” She pointed between her and Adam. “You guys just started dating.”
Seth shrugged. “Can we help it if we’re a faster study than some?”
Adam hooted and clapped Seth on the shoulder, moving to the side as more women spilled into the middle of the barn to catch the bouquet. “I think you’re going to fit in just fine.”
Amber swished back the chiffon skirt of her bridesmaid dress. Whether she caught the bouquet or not didn’t really matter. Seth had already been dropping hints about rings and weddings.
Olivia crouched a bit, eyes on Jack at the front. “Aren’t you going to be going home soon to finish up your degree? Be kind of hard to do that while your husband is an ocean away and ladies are falling all over him.”
Amber mimicked Olivia’s stance. “Nice try, but I trust Seth. Besides, I can keep my eyes on those so-called ladies since I transferred to the university here.”
Olivia glanced at her. “Really?”
“Yeah. Added bonus—Europeans are a little more progressive when it comes to accepting women in ministerial roles.”
“So, you aren’t going back to Florida?”
“To visit.” She eyed Seth. “But my heart and my home are here now.”
“Everyone ready?” Jack called, her back to the women jockeying for the best position to catch the flowers.
“Just remember that I’m a chef and highly skilled with a knife,” Olivia warned with a tease in her voice.
Amber laughed. “Duly noted. As well as the fact that Adam is the best criminal defense attorney around and therefore could get you off no matter what your crime.”
“Three. Two. One!” Jack’s arm lifted over her head and the flowers arced through the air.
Up. Over. Down.
Amber’s fingers curled around the stems, and she grinned triumphantly. Olivia’s face glowed as well, and that was when Amber realized her brother’s girlfriend had a grip on the bouquet just above her own.
They both laughed but neither one released the flowers.
Olivia’s brow rose. “Double wedding?”
Amber hugged her future sister-in-law. “Let’s go inform the guys.”
