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I heard the faintest good-bye follow me from the grove of trees. “Good night, Jake.”
Seeing her tonight had been painful. And it would be so much worse the next day during the actual wedding.
ChapterTwenty-Six
MONICA
The morning was filled with hair and makeup and dresses and pictures. We prayed over Krystal and joked about the wedding night. All while Hannah, the flower girl, cried almost the entire morning.
“I don’t want to walk with Chip, Mommy!”
“Youwillwalk down that aisle, young lady. It was very nice of Krystal and Bryce to ask you, and we’re not going to let them down.”
Krystal tried her best, but I could tell her nerves were fried. “It’s fine. She doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to,” she pleaded.
I was ready to call the whole tiny children part off, but my cousin, Laurie, was adamant that her kids would be in the wedding. Even if they had to do it kicking and screaming.
I turned to Krystal and pulled us away from where Laurie was pleading and fighting with Hannah.
“Are you ready for this?” I asked, studying Krystal’s face.
She grinned, her flushed smile broad and unreserved. “I’m so ready. I feel a bit like I’ve wasted so many years I could have had with him, you know?”
I nodded. It was understandable. “Remember what my dad said–God’s timing, right?”
Krystal nodded. “Right. What about you? You and Jake?”
I glanced over toward where Jake was waiting, across the lobby, but I was determined to ignore the way his dark-gray tux accentuated his broad chest and long legs.
I shrugged. “I don’t know what to think.” I paused for a moment. “I miss him,” I admitted finally.
Krystal’s expression softened. “Oh, honey. I’m sure you do. He’s one of the good ones. He’d move heaven and earth to make you happy, you know? I know he seems carefree, but I don’t think Bryce would choose Jake as his best friend if there wasn’t more substance there.”
I watched as he juked and swung his arm, pretending to box with Chip, the seven-year-old ring bearer.
I nodded absently. “It’s definitely there.” I thought back to our picnic at the nature park and how I’d admitted how Jake was different than I expected. Since I’d gotten to know him more, I’d seen the glimpses of the man behind the jokes and casual nature of his actions.
I loved that man–the one who let me see behind the curtain and showed me his emotions. But too often, I only got laughs and deflection. And there was still the matter of how he impacted my own choices.
The ceremony was due to start in just a few minutes. Hannah let out a loud wail, and her mother groaned in frustration. Krystal begged me with her eyes to do something about the situation as she ducked into the room where she would wait while the doors were opened.
Jake must have heard the commotion from the kids because he made his way over and knelt in front of Hannah. Her sniffles stopped as she looked up at the handsome man in front of her.
“What seems to be the problem, princess?”
My heart tugged at his sweet interaction with her.
Her smile was reluctant but snuck through the tear-stained cheeks. “I’m not a princess,” she said. “I’m a flower girl.”
Jake looked aghast. “You are? Are you sure? Because that dress is so pretty, I was sure you were a princess!”
She giggled. “It’s my flower girl dress. Mommy said it cost fifty-sixty dollars,” she said seriously. I laughed at her misunderstanding of the price.
A smile tugged at Jake’s lips. “Wow. That’s pretty special.” He leaned in closer to her, like he was telling her a secret. “I heard Krystal and Bryce were so excited that a princess agreed to be in their wedding.”
She giggled again. “I’m not a princess, silly.” Then, she seemed to remember that she didn’t want to be in the wedding anyway. “And I’m not going to do it!”
“Oh yes, you are, missy,” said Laurie sharply. I didn’t understand why she hadn’t realized her approach wasn’t working.
