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The frown deepens. “But Em has a job.”
“I’m just thinking of other options she might like to explore. I’m sure she loves working for you, Kellan.” Mom pats him on the shoulder. “But maybe she doesn’t want to be your personal assistant for the rest of her life. She used to be a teacher. If another teaching job becomes available, she might even want to return to doing that.”
Kellan appears no happier with that revelation than he did at Mom’s suggestion about Emily being a wedding coordinator. His gaze goes to the house, where the woman in question is somewhere inside with Simone, Kim, Zara, and Avery, getting ready to walk down the aisle.
Tuuli and Robert see me and come over to join us.
Tuuli hugs me. “The place looks incredible, Lucas. I can see why you and Simone wanted to have the wedding here.”
She and Robert had offered to have the wedding on the land they’re selling because it means so much to Simone and me. But it was too difficult for some of our elderly guests to negotiate the terrain with their walkers and wheelchairs.
“Thank you. And thank you both for coming.” I give Robert a man hug.
“We wouldn’t have missed it for anything,” he says. “I must admit when we talked to you about you and your brothers’ single statuses, we had no idea it would result in this.” He gestures to the wedding setup with the wave of his hand, then grins. “But I can’t say I’m too surprised.”
Before I can ask him what he means, Delores approaches us with her husband, Fred. Both are beaming at me brighter than a bogey caught in the sunlight.
“Are you ready for your big day?” Her warm voice is soft and crackles with age.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“When Fred and I first met, it wasn’t uncommon for couples to meet, fall in love, and marry a few weeks later. Now when you do that, folks believe the man knocked up the bride, and it’s a shotgun wedding.” She and her husband peer at me through questioning eyes. And I know what she’s really fishing for.
“Simone isn’t pregnant.”
“Oh, well. I’m sure that will be coming soon enough. You look like a virile young man.” She winks. Fred chuckles.
The truth is, Simone and I haven’t discussed having kids. I figure that option is on the table once we’re ready. Assuming I’m not in prison. She has always loved kids, and I have no issues with having them. Just…not yet.
I smile politely at Delores. I don’t have an answer for her or my mother or Tuuli, all who are listening in. Hope glows on Mom’s face like a beacon in a storm. All four of her sons are in their thirties. All of us are capable of giving her grandkids, as far as we know.
But until a month ago, all of us were supposedly single.
Troy comes to my rescue. “Em just let me know that everyone is ready to start.”
“That’s our cue to take our seats,” Fred tells his wife.
Grateful to escape Mom’s hopeful expression, I walk over to Jerome, our wedding officiant. He’s busy chatting with the two teenage girls who will be playing the music for the ceremony. One holds a violin, the other a cello.
“We’re ready,” I tell them.
Mom positions Rose’s wheelchair at the end of the row and sits next to her. The rest of the twenty or so guests also take their seats.
The music begins.
Kim walks down the aisle in a short burgundy dress and is carrying a bouquet of roses. She stops where my brothers and I are standing under the glowing lanterns. Kim passes her bouquet to Rose. Kellan hands Kim her camera, and she gets into position to shoot the rest of the wedding.
Emily is next, followed by Zara. Zara’s mouth curves wide when her gaze lands on me, the smile genuine.
Which is more than I can say about Avery when it’s her turn to walk down the aisle. She arrived in Maple Ridge two days ago, and I get the impression she’s not a fan of mine. I have no idea why she doesn’t like me.
The music switches, and everyone who can stand does.
Simone appears at the far end of the aisle. And for a moment, I’m positive I’m hallucinating. That the woman I’ve known for most of my life isn’t walking toward me in a short white dress with my father next to her.
I close my eyes for a fraction of a second. When I reopen them, she’s still walking toward me. She didn’t change her mind. She didn’t flee town.
And fuck…and fuck, she’s gorgeous.
