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Sofi felt her own tears fall and she would bet there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.
Lake’s father led his daughter down the aisle, slowing as they approached the eager groom. Lake leaned down to hug each of her girls before her dad led them back to the saved seats on Sofi’s row. Lake then grinned up at her groom and took his hand. It seemed that only then did Logan relax, tension releasing from his shoulders now that Lake was at his side.
The ceremony went quickly, Lake causing laughs with her vows as Logan’s elicited tears. And then it was done. Somehow Sofi had managed to keep from yearningly watching Austin, but only because the couple that were being married deserved all of her attention.
After the bride and groom had gone back down the aisle as husband and wife, Lake’s daughters jumping up to follow close behind, Sofi waited for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to follow, her eyes on Grace, Holland, and Lottie as she couldn’t look at the groomsmen. She knew there was only one man who would capture every bit of her awareness.
But Grace walked a few steps forward to her family as Lottie went a few rows back to her husband Leo and her brood of adorable children. Holland hurried to her mom, giving Morgan a gigantic hug. Ruby stood up from her seat and giggled as Jackson met her, rising on tiptoes to whisper something in his ear.
Brooks was soon beside Sofi, speaking to his grandparents, and Sofi realized the entire wedding party wasn’t walking back down the aisle but had instead dispersed to their loved ones.
Before Sofi could second guess whether she should seek out Austin or stay just where she was, a large callused hand she knew all too well took hers and lifted her to her feet before spinning her right where she stood.
“You are a sight for sore eyes, Sofia Castillo,” Austin mused as his gaze appreciatively took her in.
See, this was what she didn’t understand. She knew Austin found her attractive, she knew they were compatible in every way, yet he’d friend zoned her so hard there was no coming back from it. Why?
“I’m a lucky man to have you as my date,” Austin said as he spun Sofi into his arms and gave her a hug.
Sofi relished the feeling of Austin’s strong arms around her, his embrace the most comforting space in the world.
“You are,” Sofi said saucily, forgetting all of her earlier qualms. When she was with Austin her confidence soared. He always made her feel beautiful and appreciated, just not his.
Austin laughed as he let go of Sofi too soon. “And I promise not to get engaged until after our date.”
Sofi slugged Austin in the arm.
Of course he’d have to bring that up.
“I can’t believe the guy did that to you,” Ruby chimed in, telling Sofi her story was already engrained in Ashford family lore.
“But if he invites you to his wedding, you should wear that,” Memphis chimed in, his eyebrows pumping.
Austin stood in front of his brother, blocking Memphis’ view of Sofi.
“He already told me I won’t be privy to an invite after the way I treated him on our date,” Sofi replied with a grin, grateful she was able to laugh about the disaster of a date so soon.
“No,” Madi gasped.
Sofi nodded and they all began to laugh before the wedding planner came to gather them for pictures.
They followed her to the field Lake had chosen for most of their wedding photos and the wedding planner called out groups. First the entire family and wedding party, followed by Lake’s family and then Logan’s family and then just the bridal party.
Thankfully the setting June sun wasn’t too warm and it made for the perfect weather and setting for pictures.
Sofi stood to the side, watching Austin joke with his brothers, especially Logan, as the photographer got lots of fun shots of the bridal party. Sofi was surprised that she’d been included in all of the family photos but stood to the side, unsure if she actually belonged. She knew the Ashfords loved her but she wasn’t Ruby, who would surely be getting a ring in the near future, or Madi, who had found the Ashfords after years of not knowing who her father was. Those two, along with Lake, would have forever ties to the family whereas Sofi was . . . just a friend.
Those words made her heart ache even as she smiled at the antics of the brothers. She adored them all so much.
When Sofi realized she was no longer needed for photos—even Lake’s daughters had wandered off by now—she made her way to the tent where the rest of the guests were already beginning the party with hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
“You okay?” Leia asked as Sofi joined her.
Sofi nodded, feeling so happy for Logan and Lake yet almost absent from her body, as if she was trying to protect herself from the inevitable hurt that was coming. She would never be Lake. An Ashford bride. And as much as she loved this day for Lake, it hurt to see it all and know it would never be hers. Even if it was what she wanted most in this world.
“Oh, Lake was the most beautiful bride,” Sofi’s mother, Darla, gushed as she and Sofi’s father joined Sofi and Leia.
Lake had been kind enough to invite all of Sofi’s family to the wedding but only her mother and father had accepted, her brothers finding excuses, any excuse, to escape a wedding.
