Page 70 of Seein’ Red

“Ah, right on time,” he says, beaming. My heart squeezes, taking in how dapper he looks in his tux. "You, my little co-conspirator, are glowing. It’s about time you were happy.”

I swallow hard, tears piercing the corner of my eyes. Ken has been a staple in my life since I was born, like an uncle who was always there to lend an ear, with more sage advice than any one human should have. His simple statement shouldn’t feel so heavy, but it does. Damn hormones.

“Co-conspirator?” Kenzie questions.

Halfway turning back to her, I push down my emotions and drum up as much sass as I can find. “Someone had to make you and Dustin see sense.”

“Willa,” Kenzie says, her eyes watering.

“Don’t you start. You start, I start…and damn it, Kenz!”

I sniffle, blinking rapidly, trying to think of something else. My mind betrays me though, flashing back to the warm September evening, texting with Ken to force a meeting between Kenzie and Dustin, trying to get them their happily ever after. The one we all wanted and knew was meant to be.

It was one of my better meddling moments—if I do say so myself—but their reunion isn’t what sticks out to me. The part I remember the clearest was wishing that Nash had been by my side. That he was my partner in crime, pushing Dustin the same way I was pushing Kenzie.

Instead, he’d been a complete pain in my ass, unwilling to cooperate or answer my texts. If it wasn’t for Noel mentioning to Ken that the twins were taking Dustin out fishing, I never would have known where to find them.

Which means we never would have been standing here, all dressed up and ready to witness true love at its best.

Effing Nash…

As if the memory summoned him, Nash appears, leaning against the doorjamb. He looks good enough to eat, that tux cut perfectly for him. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they’d sewn it right onto him.

My mouth waters, eyes going wide, words getting stuck in my throat as I try to find something to say. I got nothing.

Fuck me…

No, wait…that’s how we got into this mess.

“Ready, ladies? The groom’s awaitin’.”

“Then let’s go! The sooner I’m Mrs. Wilder, the better!”

We all laugh, filing out of the room and making our way down the long staircase toward the chapel, Bronwyn dashing ahead to get to her seat. Nash takes my hand, going slowly to make sure I don’t trip over my long dress, taking each stair one by one. It’s a sweet, loving gesture, and I can’t help but swoon a little bit.

Okay, a lot.

“You look beautiful,” he says, sidling up next to me in line for the processional.

“You don’t look bad yourself. Turns out you clean up alright.”

“It's okay to admit that you can’t wait to take it off me though.”

Busted…

I scoff. “Oh, is that what I’m thinking?”

“Sure is.” He nods, his confident air humorous. Then again, he’s not wrong. I was thinking just that. Not that I would ever, in a million years, admit that. To anyone. “Want to know what I’m thinking?”

“What?”

Nash pauses, gaze meeting mine, those deep brown eyes melting my insides. It’s like he sees so deep in me, that even if I wanted to lie to him, I couldn’t. That he knows everything about me without even asking. It’s the scariest and most comforting thing I think I’ve ever experienced.

“That I can’t wait to hold you close and slow dance with you all night long.”

And I’m done…

That’s where his mind is right now? Our best friends are about to get married. A wedding that we have waited for since we were teenagers. It's the event of the year in our small town, one that is going to leave people talking for a long, long time.