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“What’s going on?” Mom asked in confusion as I rushed by her.
“Can’t stop and explain!” I called out as I followed Hadley up the steps. She was standing in the doorway of the large room where our reception would be held. We’d decided to have a small wedding, family and friends only.
The strains of a piano filled the air as I came to a stop behind Hadley. I knew the piece Emma was playing. It was one of Bach’s Cello Suites. I’d heard the cellist we’d hired, Louise, practicing it earlier as Emma and my mother listened. Louise was going to play it tomorrow when Emma and Hadley walked down the aisle.
“That’s so beautiful,” my mother whispered. “No wonder everyone in the orchestra loves her. She’s so talented.”
I nodded. “She is.”
Glancing down at Hadley, I felt my heart trip over itself. She was staring at Emma in awe. She’d told me so many times she wanted to be a piano player like Emma, and in the last few months, she’d excelled at her lessons. Of course, Emma was an amazing teacher.
Emma must have sensed us watching her because she looked up and stopped playing. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
“It was beautiful,” I said as I followed Hadley into the room. Suddenly, she took off running toward Emma. She had just enough time to slip off the bench and catch Hadley.
“I want to be just like you when I grow up, Mommy.”
Emma’s eyes met mine in a moment of pure shock. I smiled and nodded.
Holding ontoourdaughter a little tighter, she replied, “I love you so much, Hadley.”
My mother placed her hand on my arm and gave it a light squeeze. “I’ll leave the three of you alone.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I softly said before I made my way into the room.
Emma set Hadley down and then kneeled on the floor when Hadley tugged on her hand. “I talked to Daddy about calling you Mommy, and he told me to do it when my heart told me. When I saw you playing, my heart, right here, felt all weird. Like I was on a fast ride. I think it was telling me to tell you.”
Wiping away her tears, Emma cupped Hadley’s face in her hands. “You have made me the happiest person in the entire world. I’m so honored to be your mommy, Hadley. More than you’ll ever know.”
Hadley hugged Emma again, and when she looked up at me, we exchanged smiles.
If anyone told me that I’d be getting married again, I would have laughed in their face and called them crazy. Then Emma dropped into our lives, and I knew immediately that nothing would ever be the same.
“The sun’s about to set. Should we watch it?” I asked.
Hadley and Emma broke apart. Taking Emma’s hand in hers, Hadley rushed to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The house we’d rented for the week was the perfect place for our intimate wedding, with everyone able to stay either in the house itself or in the cottages sprinkled around the property. It also wasn’t far from Estes Park, so no one had to endure a long drive.
“Just think,” Emma said as she looked at the sun slowly sinking behind the clouds. “Tomorrow, at this very moment, we’ll be married.” She turned to face me.
“And I cannot wait. These last five months have been torture.”
Emma laughed and winked. There had been countless nights of Emma sneaking to my bedroom after Hadley had fallen asleep, and a few times where we’d both failed to wake up in time for her to slip back over to her place. Hadley had never stumbledupon Emma in my bed, but regardless, I was really looking forward to just having Emma with us all the time.
With a happy sigh, she read my mind. “When we get back, I’ll be all moved in.”
“And we’ll be a family!” Hadley practically shouted.
I rustled her hair and repeated her words. “And we’ll be a family.”
The day started out with utter chaos.
Everyone overslept because the power had gone out and not one person thought to put an alarm on their phone except for Tammy—who happened to be staying in one of the cabins and had no idea everyone else was still asleep.
Once Emma woke up and saw the time, everyone jumped into action. There really wasn’t much I needed to do, or Dalton, who was standing up as my best man. The girls, on the other hand, were heading to the spa to spend the day being pampered. They were back to meet the hair and makeup people Tammy had arranged to arrive at five. The wedding was to start at seven-thirty, with us finishing up the vows right before the sun was due to set.
When Hadley appeared in the doorway first, dressed in a mint green dress with her hair piled on top of her head and a huge smile on her face, my heart nearly burst with pride. Then Emma appeared. She’d opted to walk down the aisle by herself, even though my father had offered.
She wore a beautiful nude-colored dress that made her look like a princess. It was covered in lace and sequins that caught the setting sunlight in the most stunning way. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a few strands of blonde hair framing herface. She wore hardly any makeup, and her lips were tinted the faintest pink.
