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“I need to crash that wedding.”
“IT’S A NICE day. Clear sky and the sun is out,” Brody said, staring out at the Cascade Mountains. If he looked at the pacing crazy woman who’d replaced his sister, the words “calm down” would escape. And then she’d try to bite his head off again. He glanced at the half-dozen people gathered in the clearing by the trees.
Josh stood with his arm around Megan. Beside them, Chad held tight to Lena and Hero, her service dog curled at her feet. To Lena’s right, Eric stood beside Georgia, who maintained a tight hold on Nate. The four-year-old kept eyeing the construction equipment resting beside Katie and Liam’s future home site. Even though work had begun on the foundation, his sister had insisted they hold the wedding here. And on this perfect Oregon day, it seemed like a good idea. And the people that mattered—his family—were all here.
Except for Kat.
“I swear, if you mention the weather one more time,” his sister said, pacing at the edge of the woods. “I’m going to—”
The sound of a car bumping down the dirt road leading to the clearing cut Katie off. Brody turned and spotted a cab that looked as if it belonged at the Portland airport, not out in the middle of nowhere.
“What the hell,” Katie said.
The door opened and out tumbled the woman he loved. She pulled her fancy, oversized suitcase out of the backseat, swept a few errant strands of blond hair out of her eyes, and headed toward them without even a glance at the group gathered by the trees.
“Kat?” He met her halfway, easily covering the distance between the edge of the clearing and the driveway. Behind him, he heard the rustle of satin or chiffon or whatever the hell his sister had chosen for her dress.
“I’m sorry,” Kat said, drawing the suitcase to a stop. “The traffic was awful. Am I too late?”
The familiar sound of the bridal march blasted from the speakers they had set up the day before. Brody looked down the pair of fir trees. “No, but—”
“Stop the music!” His sister screamed.
“Katie—”
“Dr. Katherine Arnold’s here,” Katie called like a herald proclaiming the queen’s arrival. But there was a hint of mischief in her bellowing voice. “She’ll be down in a few minutes and then we’ll start.”
“Katie.” Liam’s voice held a world of warning.
“I’ll be there, Liam. I promise. ” His sister turned to him. “You have five minutes. Five. So don’t go crazy.”
His sister headed back to the spot she’d insisted was the proper place to start her walk down the “aisle,” and Brody turned to Kat. The clock was ticking. There was so much he wanted to say.
“You’re here,” he said. “Why didn’t you call? I would have picked you up. When did you get to Portland?”
“I arrived this morning.” She smiled up at him. “I took the red-eye.”
“You flew all night in an evening gown?” he said, surprise dragging him away from the right words. She was here, in Oregon, with his family. He didn’t care if she wore jeans to the wedding. Though he had to admit, he liked the strapless neckline pressing against the swell of her breasts. And the way the fitted pale blue dress hugged her curves.
Five minutes. He had five minutes.
“If I’m going to crash another wedding, I wanted to at least be dressed for it,” she said.
“You’re not crashing. You were invited.” You belong here. “And I’m damn glad you decided to say yes.”
Brody drew her into his arms, his lips claiming hers, kissing her deeply, thoroughly.
“Two minutes!” Katie called.
Breaking away, he stared down at her. He had a feeling his smile matched hers. “I want more, but it will have to wait until after the ceremony. After my sister says her vows, we can sneak away. Thank you for being here. I don’t know what you had to do to make it happen, but I appreciate it.” His lips brushed hers, stealing one last kiss. “How long are you staying?”
“Forever.”
BRODY’S EYES WIDENED. Beaming up at him, Kat broke free from his hold and gave him a gentle push toward his sister.
“Go,” she said. “Walk your sister down the aisle. I’ll not leaving, Brody. I promise.”
Abandoning her suitcase by the driveway, Kat ran, as fast as she could in heels on the soft Oregon dirt, to where her Independence Falls family stood by the pair of fir trees. Claiming a spot beside Lena, she turned and watched the man she loved lead his sister across the grassy field to her happily ever after.
