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He said the words back, wishing that his love had been enough to keep her safe all those years.
Outside the tent, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” started playing, the number Ari had chosen for her bridesmaids to walk down the aisle before her. Gideon wanted his sister to see the procession—especially the Mavericks and Noah—but even more, he didn’t want to ruin her day with all the emotions swirling inside him.
As he walked her to the tent’s exit, the makeup artist and the hairdresser swung the flaps wide open. Kelsey gathered up her bouquet, walking slowly to meet Sebastian in the middle between the two tents.
Then Ari gasped.
The arms and legs of Sebastian’s white tux were covered with black and silver ducting like the puppets onstage. He held out his arm with a robotic movement, and once Kelsey took it, he walked her down the aisle with stiff-legged mechanical steps, his head moving side to side with ticks and snaps as though he had gears moving his neck. Lyssa went next, meeting a machinelike Daniel. Then Evan took Chi’s arm, guiding her, straight-legged like the Tin Man.
“I can’t believe they did this!” Ari hung on Gideon’s arm, laughing as Rosie straightened the short train of her wedding dress, draping it in perfect folds. “I love it
.”
When Ari had decided on a robot puppet show in a puppet theater, the guys had decided to go with a complete robot wedding as a surprise. Thank God his sister loved it, her hand over her mouth, laughter bubbling from her lips.
In the grueling hell of a desert sun, Gideon had lost not only all the years of watching her grow up to become the incredible woman she was today, he’d also forgotten how to laugh.
As he worked to push the grim thoughts away, Rosie passed him with a brush of her hand on his arm. As if she somehow knew—and understood—everything happening inside him.
Of course, she couldn’t. He’d never told anyone the full story. Not even Ari. But Rosie seemed to know how desperately he needed a touch, her touch, to snap him back into the here and now on his sister’s magical wedding day.
Seconds later, Rosie left the tent to meet Will, taking his robotically extended arm for their walk up the aisle. Gideon should have been concentrating on his sister beside him, but for the moment, all he could see was Rosie.
Her lovely smile.
Her curves beneath the flowing lilac chiffon.
Her bare shoulders.
Her gorgeous skin revealed by the low dip of the dress’s back as she walked away.
If it hadn’t been for Noah, he might have stood stock-still watching Rosie until she reached the stage. But when Noah marched to the center aisle like a little tin soldier, his legs straight, not one bend to his knees, holding his ring-bearer’s pillow like a treasure, he commanded everyone’s attention—including Gideon’s. Noah wore a boy-size white tuxedo, with the same black ducting as the Mavericks, his face painted white-gold, his lips in black, his costume topped off by a robot helmet complete with antennas on the top. In white-gloved hands, he clutched the pillow, the rings tied to it.
He was so happy, so proud to have the honor, beaming at Ari as he passed.
Ari put her hand to her mouth, tears of love and joy glistening in her eyes. “He’s adorable. I love him so much, I’m going to cry.”
Gideon reached for Ari’s hand and squeezed it tight. He knew exactly how his sister felt.
Normally, the ring bearer would take a seat in the first row, but Noah marched right on by, following Will and Rosie. When it was his turn, he would stand between Matt and his best man, Will. It was exactly right; Ari was taking them both into her heart forever.
Then the pianist changed songs, signaling that it was Ari’s turn. With his heart in his throat, Gideon led his sister to the top of the aisle and waited for their signal from the wedding planner. In moments, he would give her away to her future husband. It was an awesome responsibility. One that meant more to him than Ari or Matt would ever know.
At last, Rosie and Will reached the front and separated to walk up the steps to the stage on either side of the groom and officiant. As Rosie turned to take her position, across the seemingly vast distance, their eyes met…and even though he knew it was crazy, he let himself imagine he was walking down that aisle to meet her. As if she were his future. His forever.
Of course, she wasn’t. She never could be.
But even Gideon, a man with a past that felt far too huge to overcome, had his secret dreams.
Chapter Five
Ari was radiant in her elegant gown, her hand looped through Gideon’s muscular arm as he walked her down the aisle. They were brother and sister through and through, his hair a darker blond, his face tanned from years spent working outdoors, but their eyes were the same blue.
When Gideon’s eyes had met Rosie’s just moments ago, she could have sworn she felt a thread of deep connection. Maybe it was simply their mutual love for Ari…but it had felt like more. Like something special was taking place between the two of them. Special enough that his walls were starting to drop, whether he intended that or not.
Seated in the first row with Susan and Bob Spencer, Jorge gave Rosie a thumbs-up for making it down the aisle without tripping in her heels. She’d been afraid she might. Oh, how she loved her kid with all her heart and soul. Though he could sometimes be a handful, especially around bath time, at least he still let her give him butterfly kisses on his cheeks—and when he was really tired at night, he still liked to curl up on her lap.
Matt’s expression as he watched his bride come down the aisle—as though Ari was nothing short of a miracle and he was the luckiest man alive—brought fresh tears to Rosie’s eyes.
