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I dusted my face with a little makeup, playing up my blue eyes, and Tessa put my hair half up and curled it down my back. It was loose and fun. She tucked in a few swanky bobby pins to make it an official wedding hairdo. I think she enjoyed this more than me.
There was a knock at the door, causing Tessa to squeal frantically. "You can't see her until she walks down the aisle!" she yelled.
"There is no aisle!" Grady shouted back.
"Okay, well, he still can't see her."
"He's not with me."
Her approving glow returned as she unlocked the door and let him inside. He barely noticed me with Tessa there, but he eventually stole a glance that made me blush.
"Baylor, you look…stunning."
"She does, doesn't she? You can thank me for that," Tessa professed.
I could tell Grady was picturing himself and Tessa in a moment that may never come to pass.
"You don't look half bad yourself, Mr. Grady," I added.
And he didn't, at all. Like last night, he looked divine. He was masculine and handsome, and if Tessa didn't have his heart wrapped around her finger, he would be quite the ladies' man. His suit was black with a white silk shirt hidden underneath the jacket and a turquoise handkerchief in his lapel pocket.
"You look gorgeous," Grady complimented Tessa.
Tessa was wearing a very similar cut dress as me but in turquoise.
"Thank you," Tessa responded and kissed him on the cheek, remaining there a bit longer.
"You ready?" he addressed me.
"I am." He took both of our hands and led us out.
THE PICTURES DIDN'T do the park justice. It felt like we were in the middle of a national forest, surrounded by towering pine trees, fresh air, and solitude for miles. The sun was mild on our faces, and a little breeze filled our senses with the natural woodsy smell of a forest. When I searched the place on the internet, I had heard about a footbridge over a creek bed and knew it was the perfect backdrop for our little ceremony.
My dad was waiting at the curb when we pulled up. I had my arm entwined in his while Grady and Tessa ran off into the direction of the bridge.
"You look incredible."
"Thanks, Dad." I inhaled a deep breath.
"Are you nervous?"
"A little bit, but not in a bad way. I think it's more that I'm anxious to get all of this over with. I'm not a big fan of all the fussing over me."
"I remember the day I married your mother. I thought I was going to throw up." He laughed.
"Really?"
He started leading me slowly down the dirt path.
"Yeah, I think it was fear that your mom would change her mind and leave me at the altar, because there was no doubt in my mind I wanted to spend eternity with her."
"Dad, that's so sweet." I squeezed his arm. I was glad the bridge was about a quarter of a mile away, because it gave me a chance to bond with my dad before I officially dropped the family name and became a Reilly.
"You know it's every dad's dream to walk his daughter down the aisle, but it's also the most dreaded moment."
"Why?" I could hear a little bit of the sorrow behind his words.
"I'm relinquishing my protective rights to another man. That's not an easy thing to do."
