Page 47 of Bailey

Cora wore an antique cream dress, seemingly made only of lace. It looked like something a bride might have worn two hundred years ago, while also somehow being fitting and fashionable for the times. She wore a hat, which also added to the old-fashioned charm of her dress, and she carried a country-chic bouquet in her hands made up entirely of cream-colored and pale pink flowers with dusty sage greenery. She arrived in front of Boston, and her grandfather kissed both cheeks and passed her to him.

“You are gorgeous,” Boston whispered.

Cora shone like the brightest star in the sky as he leaned forward and kissed her gently, then they turned toward the pastor together. Bryce angled his body so he faced the pastor more as well, and he clasped his hands in front of him, ready to listen to the whisperings of the spirit as it told him about the reality of God and the beauty of marriage.

Bryce had enjoyed dinner, a quick game about the bride and groom, and dessert. The dancing had been going for about a half-hour, and Codi looked ready to leave. His momma had Matthew, and Bryce got to his feet.

“I’ll go get Matty, and we’ll go, okay?” he said.

Codi sipped from her flute of apple cider. “I am tired.”

Bryce still hadn’t danced with Bailey, and he thought he might miss his chance, but as he got to his feet, the song ended, and she seemed to materialize out of nowhere, having just finished a dance with none other than Harry.

“I want to dance with Bailey too, really quick,” he said. “Do you mind?”

“No,” Codi said. “I’ll be right here, waiting for you and Matty.”

She sat with Cassie and Belle, and Harry flopped back into his chair as Bryce stepped onto the dance floor.

The night had cooled considerably, but the ballroom had been reset with tables for dinner, and that left dancing out on the terrace. Bailey looked lost, like she was trying to find someone, as he approached.

“Are you leaving?” he asked.

She made a half turn toward him, a smile touching her face. “I’m looking for Reeves,” she said. “Because I told him we’d only be here for two hours, and my time is up.”

Bryce grinned at her. “Do you have time for one more dance?”

“With you, I suppose?” Bailey grinned at him. “I guess so.”

He opened his arms, and she eased into them. He swayed with her left and right, his mind doing the same thing as he tried to latch on to the right words to say.

“How long have you and Reeves been dating?” he asked, thinking that was probably the most benign question.

“Only a few weeks,” Bailey said. “Two or three.”

“Before or after the rainstorm?” he asked.

“I actually think we started dating that night,” Bailey said. “Or maybe the next.”

Bryce hummed in the back of his throat and let his gaze sweep through the crowd as he too tried to find Reeves.

“I told him about us,” Bailey said. “And OJ.”

Surprise cut through Bryce, but he wasn’t sure why. “It’s probably a good idea.”

“OJ volunteers at my clinic, and he’s over at my place all the time. And well, you Youngs aren’t known for being discreet.”

Bryce chuckled. “I’m sure Reeves wanted to know why we showed up to help you.”

“He had asked me that question, yes,” Bailey said coolly.

“And how did he take it?” Bryce asked. “Everything with OJ, I mean.”

“Just fine,” Bailey said. “Honestly, he seemed more surprised that I’m friends with the Country Quad guys—and Harry, of course.”

“Of course.” Bryce laughed fully then. “He seems like a great guy.”

“Yes.” Bailey practically sighed the word out, and Bryce heard how much she liked him riding in that single word.