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Austin stuffed the rings back into his pocket, swallowing the last bit of laughter. “Same,” he muttered.
A hush fell over the meadow as the violinists pulled their bows across their strings, the familiar first chord of ‘Canon in D’ reverberating throughout the field. All heads turned to the entrance of the forest. In a pale-yellow dress, Lauren appeared from the trees, her heels resting on the edge of the aisle runner.
“Ready or not...” Austin whispered, squeezing his brother’s shoulder as Lauren took her first step forward.
Josh’s body went rigid, the nerves exuding from his soul. He turned, a wild grin appearing on his lips. “You know, I asked Mavis to marry me right here.” He pointed to the ground. “We were just kids.” And with a step forward, he moved closer to the minister.
A smile grew, blossoming from within as his heart accepted the truth for the final time.
She was never mine.
He lifted his gaze, smiling as his sister graced the aisle, each curl on her dark head swept back in a sophisticated bun. With each step, she matched the rhythm of the violinist until she reached the altar and wrapped her arms around Josh. She winked in Austin’s direction and stepped back, standing in place on the opposite side of the minister.
Austin’s gaze returned to the forest, the breath leaving his body as Casey stepped forward. Where Lauren emitted elegance, Casey emitted radiance, the sun catching in her bright blonde hair, highlighting the curls pinned to the top of her head. She smiled, her eyes focused on Josh as she made her way down the aisle, each step in her heels calculated and slow.
Josh stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug as Austin released a sigh of relief, peering over his brother’s shoulders to lock eyes with Casey.
“I did it! I didn’t trip!” she mouthed, falling in line beside Lauren.
Austin winked and stifled a snort. His gaze followed her, watching as she tightened her grasp on her bouquet and adjusted her dress. Laughter fell from her lips as Lauren hugged her around the middle and dropped her chin on her shoulder.
The moment froze in his mind. The music quieted, the birds calmed, and the only thing left to listen to was the soft laughter bubbling from Casey’s lips. She stood, a picture of perfection, bathed in the sunlight and love filling the meadow. Austin swallowed as a chill raked his skin—the quirky girl from Wrigley Field squeezing his heart all over again.
I love you, Casey girl. I love you so goddamn much.
She winked at him, grinning ear-to-ear as she mouthed the words, “Cubs are up six to three!”
Warmth flooded through his body, her smile from across the aisle momentarily lifting the heavy choice bandaging his heart. Returning her smile, he mouthed back, “The Dodgers are a comeback team!”
She rolled her eyes and shrugged, lifting her gaze to the forest as Mitch and Mavis appeared among the trees.
The music quieted, ‘Canon in D’ melting away as the birds in the treetops carried their own tune. The guests rose from their seats, all eyes turning to the woman in white as the violinists raised their bows and struck the first note of ‘Amazing Grace’.
Mavis seemingly floated down the aisle on Mitch’s arm, her dark curly hair spiraling down her back and pinned with a single diamond barrette—the glimmer of her childhood locket catching in the sun. An elegant train followed her footsteps until her feet stilled at the base of the altar, her green gaze lifting to meet Josh’s.
A swell of emotion blanketed his body as the memories of her washed over him, a tidal wave crashing into the sand as the tide pulled back and disappeared. Every secret, every kiss, every admission of love consumed his heart until he blinked and released the past into the breeze.
It’s over, Princess.
Relief flooded through his bloodstream, bathing his heart with sweet release as the minister’s voice boomed out over the meadow.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”
Mitch squeezed Mavis’s fingers and held her hand out to Josh. “She gives herself, but with her family’s blessing,” he answered.
Austin grinned, the nerves in Mitch’s voice paramount. The minister nodded and Mitch shuffled sideways, taking his place beside Austin. He sighed and bumped his elbow. “Now where’s the booze?” he whispered, exhaling a breath of relief.
Austin stifled a laugh and nodded, returning his eyes to the minister.
“Joshua Michael Templeton, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
Josh trembled, but a resoundingI dorang in the stillness of the afternoon.
“Mavis Marie Benson, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” she answered, her smile touching her eyes.
The minister nodded and continued. “Joshua, repeat after me. I, Joshua, take you, Mavis, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, ’til death do us part.”
