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I gradually turned around and smiled at her. “I’m not going to lie. I’m nervous as hell. My hands won’t stop sweating. Hell, my body won’t stop sweating. I feel sick to my stomach and all I really want to do is see him.”
She laughed and nodded her head. “You’re doing great then!”
I looked at her confused. “Huh? Mom, am I suppose to be freaking out like this? I’ve been so calm the last five months planning this wedding. I mean, we’ve built a house, planned a wedding and started Lark’s cattle business. Why is this freaking me out? I want it more than anything, so why…why am I terrified out of my wits?”
She walked up to me and took my hands in hers. “Sit down, darling.”
We both sat down and I took a long breath.
“Do you love him?”
“Yes! Mom, I love him so much I can hardly stand to be away from him.” I looked around and then back at my mother. “Oh God! Is that even healthy? Should I need him so much? Should I be sitting here before my wedding thinking about how I just want to be in his arms? Is it healthy to want someone so much?”
She let out a giggle and said, “My goodness. I’m having déjà vu right now!”
I pulled back and looked at her confused.
She took a small breath and let it out. “When I married your father, I felt the same exact way. I remember telling my mother I felt like I was addicted to him.”
I put my hand up to my mouth and said, “Yes!”
She chuckled again and said, “What you are feeling, honey, is true love. A love like this doesn’t come along to everyone. Embrace it. Shelter it. Nurture it, and never take it for granted.”
I nodded my head and wiped the tears from my face. My mother reached up and wiped a tear away as she said, “Marriage takes work. Even the strongest of loves need to be taken care of.”
A sob escaped my mouth and I said, “I love him so much, Mom. I just want to make him happy.”
She tilted her head and grinned from ear to ear. “Your father and I just left Lark.”
I sat up straighter and asked, “You did? How is he? How did he look?”
She giggled and said, “Yes, we did. He was nervous just like you, but when he saw your father I’m pretty sure I saw that Marine’s hands start shaking.”
I laughed and shook my head.
She winked and said, “He looked very handsome, but then again he always looks handsome.”
“Yeah he does,” I said as I wiggled my eyebrows up and down.
She got up and rolled her eyes. “You have got it bad, my dear.”
I stood up and hugged her. “Thank you, Mom.”
The door opened and Jessie, Ryn, and Stephanie, the wedding planner, came walking in.
Jessie smiled and said, “We need to start getting you ready.”
My mom kissed me on the cheek and said, “I’ll be back in a bit.”
I nodded my head and fought to hold back my tears. When she walked out, I looked over at Jessie. “How is he?”
She laughed and said, “Well, considering Scott is going on and on about a man card or something and Lark just keeps telling him to fuck off…I think he is doing good.”
I grinned and asked, “Do you think we can change our minds and just elope?”
Jessie put her finger to her chin and looked up as she said, “Umm…no. Too late for that, my dear. Sit down so I can do your hair. We are running out of time.”
I let out a sigh and sat down. I had asked everyone to give me a few minutes to myself and that’s when they sent my mother in.
I watched as Jessie worked her magic with my long brown hair. She had pulled it up and piled it on top of my head loosely. I had a few curls hanging down to frame my face.
“The key here is hairspray,” Jessie said as I busted out laughing.
Stephanie looked at us with a questioning look. “What is so funny?”
Jessie shrugged and said, “Inside joke.”
Next came the makeup. Ryn was doing my makeup. When Lark and I talked about our wedding, we knew we wanted two things: keep it small and have the wedding at the beach where our journey to love officially began.
I wanted my makeup to look as natural as possible, but I told Ryn smoky eyes were a must. I knew it would bring out the light brown in my eyes and Lark always talked about how much he loved my eyes.
Ryn turned me around and said, “If you cry, don’t worry. I used waterproof mascara.”
I grinned as I turned and looked into the mirror. I let out a gasp and gently touched the side of my face. “Ryn. I look…”
Ryn, Jessie and Stephanie all whispered, “Beautiful.”
I turned around and looked at her. “I love you.” I held back the sob I almost let out as she pulled me up and into a hug. I pulled back and looked at Jessie and Ryn. “I love you both so much. Thank you for being here.”
The music began playing and I looked at Stephanie and said, “Oh God.”
She smiled sweetly at me and said, “Deep breaths. You’re marrying the love of your life.”
I nodded my head and followed her over to the dress that was hanging up.
I felt my heart drop when Stephanie unzipped the bag. “Oh wow. It’s just as beautiful as it was the first time I saw it,” Jessie said.
Jessie, Ryn and I had gone to Houston for the dress. I had seen a Galia Lahav dress in a bridal magazine and had set my sights on finding it. I knew the moment I tried it on it was the perfect dress. It softly embraced my curves with the French lace corset top and the draped silk netting exposed my legs from mid-thigh down. The lace appliques and pearl embellishments added the perfect touch. It was perfect for a beach wedding.
I opened my robe and dropped it on the floor and Jessie attempted to whistle. “Hot damn girl. Look at you in that sexy-ass corset! Lark is going to fall over.”
I wrinkled my nose and giggled. I had bought a practically see-through corset that jacked my breasts almost up to my chin. I knew Jessie was right. Lark was going to be so over stimulated tonight and just the thought made me wet. I closed my eyes and turned my wayward thoughts to something else.
When we carefully put the dress on and got the silk netting to fall just perfect, I turned and looked at myself in the mirror.
I let out a gasp and shook my head. “I look like a princess.”
“You are a princess.”
I turned to see my father standing there. “Daddy,” I whispered.
He walked up to me and took the veil from Jessie and motioned for me to turn around as he placed the veil on my head. Jessie handed him a few pins to pin it in my hair.
“I figured if I had to lift it up I should be able to put it on.”
I smiled and watched in the mirror as my father smoothed out my veil.
I turned and looked up into his eye
s. “I love him, Daddy.”
He nodded and said, “I know you do, princess. I know he loves you too. His eyes light up at just the mention of your name. I know he will love you and take care of you, but I need you to remember something.”
I nodded and waited for him to talk. He seemed to be struggling not to cry and I was doing the same.
He placed his hands on the side of my face and grinned slightly. “No one…will ever love you…the way I do.”
“Oh Daddy.”
He leaned down and gently kissed me on the nose through the veil. “Are you ready?”
I nodded my head and said, “Never more ready.” I had instantly relaxed. I was no longer nervous. I was now excited to see the love of my life.
I slipped on my shoes and put my hand on my father’s arm as we made our way to Lark.
Lark and I both decided it was only going to be family and our closet friends. I had asked both Jessie and Ryn to be in the wedding since Lark couldn’t pick Scott or Tristan as best man so he picked them both. Jessie was my matron of honor and Ryn was my maid of honor.
I couldn’t help but notice the way Tristan couldn’t keep his eyes off of Ryn for the last three days. At the rehearsal last night and dinner, he kept trying to not look at her, but he did a shitty job of doing it.
Before Ryn walked down the aisle, she turned back and looked at me. I was standing around the corner so I couldn’t see anyone yet.
She smiled weakly and said, “Damn Williams brothers.” She sniffled and said, “Stupid good-looking bastards.”
I laughed and gave her a thumbs-up. I knew it was hard for her to see Tristan, but I was so relieved when he showed up alone. I told Lark if Tristan brought Liberty, I would kick him so hard in the balls he wouldn’t be able to use his dick for a year. I’m pretty sure Lark passed that along because not only did Tristan show up alone, he made it known he and Liberty were just an off-and-on couple for right now. Lark pointed out he had said it loud enough for Ryn to hear.
“You ready, princess?”
My father’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I nodded my head. “Ready.” Stephanie handed me the bouquet of red roses. I smiled as I looked at the roses. Jessie and Ryn also had a smaller bouquet of red roses. The decorations for the wedding I kept simple. I wanted a white arch at the end of the massive deck that faced out to the ocean. It was covered in red and white roses. The tables had white linens, silver plastic plates and flatware and a simple red candle in sand sitting among red rose petals in the middle of each table. It was elegant…yet simple.
