AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Weddings happened every day, all the time. Half of them ended. He hoped his brother and Sophie would not be one of the failures, but who knew? Jake wasn’t a sentimental man, or at least he hadn’t been. But today, the woman beside him and his brother’s big day were making Jake feel things.
At the Bismarck, they left Nikki’s outerwear at the coat check in the main lobby. In the elevator, riding up to the twentieth floor, he studied her. She wasn’t looking at him, so it was easy to sneak a peek.
She was so beautiful, it made his chest hurt. As a seventeen-year-old teenager, she had been cute and pretty and full of life. Now, she carried the maturity of a woman—a woman who had faced many of life’s challenges and persevered.
Her magnolia skin, so often associated with redheads, was still the same. Soft, unblemished. Begging to be touched. Lust stirred uneasily in his gut. Today was about his brother, his twin. But despite the occasion, or perhaps because of it, Jake was drawn to his wedding date, his Nikki. He had missed her fiercely the last two days. The strength of that feeling convinced him he needed to move forward carefully.
He cleared his throat, feeling claustrophobic in the small space. “Joshua and Sophie asked their guests, in lieu of gifts, to make a donation to Haley Shaw’s charity. I wrote a check. But I also sent Sophie a large potted orchid this morning from you and me with best wishes for a wonderful wedding day.”
Nikki’s head came up, and she actually smiled. “That was a lovely gesture. Thanks for including me.”
The elevator dinged, and they exited. The entire top floor of the Bismarck had been completely transformed. Plate-glass windows in every direction showcased the view. One section of the giant room was set up with rows of white chairs and a center aisle marked with a satin runner. At the front, seasonal live flowers covered a trellised arch. Along the center aisle, candles burned inside crystal globes atop brass stands.
“This is beautiful,” Nikki said, scanning the room with interest.
“C’mon. Let’s get a seat.” The front row on the right-hand side was reserved for Jake’s mother, for Oliver and his fiancée, Samantha, and for Jake and Nikki. Jake watched as Nikki greeted each member of his family. Then they sat down.
Eve shot her son a knowing glance, but he ignored it.
The area set aside for the ceremony filled up quickly. The guest list might have ended up closer to sixty than fifty, but the crowd was still small enough to be described as intimate. A buzz filled the space as anticipation mounted.
Suddenly, Jake needed air. He had been blind for far too long. He was beginning to know what he wanted, but he had to make plans. Now he was trapped by the time. Three minutes before the hour.
From a side alcove, Joshua appeared, beaming. The minister accompanied him. The two men took their positions. A stringed quartet had been playing for the last twenty minutes. Now they paused and began the first notes of “Pachelbel’s Canon.”
Nikki touched his forearm. He jumped at the unexpected contact. His skin felt too tight for his body, and his chest was constricted.
She looked at him with concern. “Are you okay?” she whispered.
Nikki knew without any doubt that Jake was definitely not okay. He ignored her question. They stood with the other guests as the bride began to walk down the modest aisle. The expression on Sophie’s face when she looked at Josh made Nikki’s eyes damp with emotion.
Weddings always got to her, but this one more than most. Joshua had borne the weight of his father’s sins and had worked for years to restore the community’s trust in Black Crescent. He deserved to be the man of the hour.
His bride was stunning in an off-the-shoulder white satin gown with dozens of cloth-covered buttons down the back. Her hair was twined with tiny white flowers. She had opted for no veil.
Sophie and Joshua held hands and faced the minister. Their voices as they spoke their vows were clear and strong. They had chosen a traditional wedding liturgy with phrases like “love, honor and cherish” and “’til death do us part.”
At last, the minister placed his palm over the couple’s hands for a blessing. Then he said words that rang out over the small assembly: “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Everyone cheered and clapped. Josh bent Sophie over his arm and kissed her enthusiastically, not seeming to mind that they had an audience.
Nikki, without thinking, twined her fingers with Jake’s, fighting a flood of feelings that threatened to overwhelm her. When he shot her a surprised sideways glance, she realized what she had done and dropped his hand immediately. But it was too late. She had inadvertently let him know how much she cared about him. Her face heated with humiliation.
The bride and groom exited. Everyone stood up and moved toward the reception area, talking and laughing.
Nikki spoke in Jake’s direction without actually looking him in the eye. “Excuse me,” she said stiffly. “I’d like to speak to Haley Shaw.” She fled, managing not to run.
Fortunately, Haley was nearby. She had been sitting with Chase Hargrove. But Chase had moved away to chat with someone else.
“Hi, Haley,” Nikki said. “You look beautiful.”
Haley beamed. “Thanks. So do you.”
“I didn’t get a chance to say everything I wanted to the day I showed up at Black Crescent to talk to your boss.”
Haley seemed surprised. “Oh?”
“I never thanked you for all those years you’ve stood by Black Crescent. Your loyalty to Vernon and my dad. And the way you stayed to help Joshua after everything fell apart.”
