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hat matched in color and tan heels. We didn’t look like we were going to a wedding, but Kassa was happy with our outfits when she walked downstairs.
The sleeveless, cream-colored maxi dress she wore could have easily passed for a wedding dress. The keyhole cut in the front gave a small flash of cleavage while still being classy. Paired with strappy gold heels and her hair pulled up into a chic twist, she looked gorgeous.
Alicia was crying before Kassa even got to the bottom of the stairs. “Oh, my sweet girl. You’re so beautiful.”
Beaming, Kassa hugged her. “So I look okay? Do you think Gray will like this?”
“I know he will,” I assured her, more than a little choked up myself. “He won’t be able to take his eyes off you, Kas.”
“Let’s go.” She was practically dancing with excitement. “I can’t wait to become Mrs. Grayson Knight.”
Alicia looked like her head was hurting more, so I offered to drive us in my rental. Gray had made a few calls that morning before we left, and Alicia had asked one of the judges she knew to officiate. The guys were already waiting in Judge Welsh’s office when we arrived, and I stuck my head in to get Jace. It might not be a traditional wedding, but Jace was going to walk his sister down the aisle regardless.
As he came out to join us, Gray handed him a bouquet of flowers. “Give this to her,” he instructed his soon-to-be brother-in-law. “And tell her I love her.”
Jace nodded as he came out of the office. His blue eyes widened when he got a look at his sister after she took off her coat. “I thought you said you didn’t have a wedding dress,” he choked out, his eyes taking all of her in.
She shrugged. “It’s not one. Just a maxi I found a few weeks ago while I was shopping with Santana. Do you like it?” She twirled around, letting him see the laced back. “Do I look okay?”
“You’re beautiful, little sis.” He bent and kissed her cheek, then handed over the bouquet of white and pink roses. “Gray picked these out for you, and he said to tell you he loves you. He’s sweating bullets, by the way. I think he’s worried you might bail on him.”
She snorted. “Yeah, as if that is likely to happen.” Lifting the roses to her nose, she inhaled, a smile playing at her lips. “Oh my God, this is really happening,” she whisper-shouted. “I’m getting married.”
Alicia patted her on the arm. “Yes, sweetheart. Now, are you ready? Can we go in now?”
“More than ready.”
Laughing, I opened the door and let Alicia walk in ahead of me. I followed her to the judge’s desk, where the thin man with salt-and-pepper hair came forward and shook her hand. “Thanks for doing this, Harold. It means so much to me to have you officiating.”
“It’s my honor, Alicia. I’ve seen these two grow up. I’m happy to be the one to join them in matrimony.” He glanced behind us and saw Jace standing at the door, but Kassa remained out of sight. “Are we ready?”
Jace gave a nod, and Gray wiped his hands nervously on his slacks. I moved to stand beside him, giving his arm a pat as I took my place in front of the desk. He relaxed slightly at my touch, as if he’d needed someone to ground him. I took a closer look at him, realizing he wasn’t the same Gray I used to know. In the past, he’d always been a selfish asshole, only really caring about one other person in his life.
Now, he was still an asshole, and at times still selfish, but he’d grown a lot since getting with Kassa. He wasn’t as big a prick as he used to be, and yeah, there were times I still wanted to slap him upside the head, but he wasn’t nearly as annoying as he used to be.
My eyes were still on him when Jace and Kassa finally stepped into the room, so I knew exactly when his gaze landed on his bride. His chin trembled, and he sucked in a deep breath as his hands came up to scrub over his face, wiping away the tears that instantly filled his eyes and spilled onto his cheeks.
Seeing his reaction had tears welling up in my own eyes, and I turned to watch Kassa walking toward him, her arm through her brother’s. Her tears were like diamonds as they fell from her lashes and onto her cheeks, and I saw her mouth “I love you” to him seconds before she reached him.
The whole ceremony took less than fifteen minutes, and then Jace and I were signing our names at the bottom of the license as witnesses, while Gray continued to kiss his wife.
Alicia cleared her throat, attempting to remind them there were others still in the room. “Gray,” she hissed when he didn’t even flinch. “Let the girl breathe.”
While Judge Welsh chuckled and Alicia blushed like she’d never been kissed the way her nephew was kissing Kassa, Jace turned me to face him. Before he opened his mouth, I was shaking my head. “No. This is definitely not the right time.”
His face fell, but he bent his head to kiss me. “I’m not giving up. You’ll say yes someday.”
I bit my lip to keep from saying anything. I lost count of how many times he’d asked me to marry him now, and even though a part of me wanted to scream Yes and jump into his arms, I couldn’t help but hold myself back.
Yes, we were back together.
Yes, I loved him more than life itself.
Yes, I wanted to marry him.
But no, I couldn’t give him the answer he wanted to hear.
I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know when I would be and, if I were truly honest with myself, if I ever would be. Part of me was still broken, and I was afraid he would demolish what was left of me if I gave him too much of myself again.
