Page 68 of Blue Jean Summer

Hallie waved it off. “Nibble on what you can. I made cherry coffee cake too. A little sugar and some carbs might sit easier than the bacon.”

“How’s everything going out there?” I asked as I took a fortifying sip of coffee.

“Coming together nicely. You’d never know we threw it together in a week or two.”

I let out a wry laugh. “Good. I’ll be out to pitch in when I’m done.”

Hallie propped her hands on her hips. “Excuse me? No, ma’am. It’s your wedding day. There will be no ‘pitching in.’ Mason and I have things covered.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fake wedding.”

“Unless you’re filing a fake marriage license, it’s a real marriage. Ergo, it’s a real wedding.” She squeezed my shoulder. “Enjoy it.”

I let out a shaking breath and nodded. “Enjoy it. Right.”

The photographer we hired for the day was surprised when I didn’t want photos of the getting-ready process. I played it off as if it were unnecessary since I didn’t have any bridesmaids. But in all honesty, I just wanted the time to be alone. As soon as I put the dress on, the pressure would be on too.

“Need a hand?” Hallie asked when she saw me eyeing the gown that was hanging after being steamed to perfection. There was no way I could do all those buttons myself.

“Please.” I shimmied into the dress, then stood stock-still as she painstakingly buttoned me up. “You have the patience of a saint,” I said as I peered over my shoulder.

She chuckled. “It comes with being a parent and running this place.”

“I don’t suppose ‘impromptu wedding planner’ was on the job listing when you applied.”

She laughed harder. “Heavens no. But you know me—I just go with the flow.”

There was another knock at the door as Hallie finished the last button. “Come in,” I hollered as I wiggled the top of the dress to make it fit just right.

I looked up and found Hayes, dressed in his dark suit, standing in the doorway. His eyes went wide as he took me in.

Neither of us spoke; we both simply stared at each other. Frankly, I wasn’t sure if either of us was breathing. Hayes looked absolutely dashing—like a fairy-tale prince. He stood tall and held himself with a calm confidence. His hair was neatly styled, pushed back and to the side. His suit was fitted in the most flawless way. It definitely wasn’t off-the-rack. Everything about him was sharp—his jaw, the set of his mouth, the cut of his shoulders and hips. But the tenderness in his eyes was unmistakable.

“Well,” Hallie said, breaking the silence. “I’ll come get y’all when it’s time.”

“Thanks, Hal,” I said, not taking my eyes off Hayes.

Hallie pulled the door shut behind her, giving us privacy.

“Hi,” I croaked as my heart did a somersault.

Hayes let out a single slow breath. “Hey.” He blinked but never took his eyes off me. “Wow…you look…” Another exhale. “Wow. Uh—”

“Thank you,” I said as I let out my own nervous breath. “So…we’re really doing this, huh?”

Something akin to pain flashed across his face. But as soon as it came, it was gone.

Is Hayes getting cold feet?

“It’s not too late to back out,” he said.

“In for a penny, in for a pound.” I studied the impeccably tailored black suit he was in. “You clean up nice.”

Hayes moved swiftly to close the distance between us. One step, then two. “You look beautiful, Catherine,” he said as he reached out and tucked one of the face-framing curls behind my ear. The rest had been pulled back in a smooth chignon, per Savannah’s instructions.

Heat flooded my neck and chest as he tenderly cupped my cheek. “Thank you.”

His mouth turned down. “Where’s your ring?”