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“Do you have any idea how incredibly proud I am of the woman you’ve grown into, shortcake?”
“What’s going on?” I ask, and he smiles so big, I think it might split his face open.
My mother comes around the corner and hands me a bouquet of the palest pink roses I’ve ever seen. They match my dress perfectly. “Mom?”
“You wanted small. You wanted no fuss. We’re giving you both. Your family and closest friends are around the corner. No fuss. No muss. Everyone was going to be here for the gala anyway. We just hijacked the roof for a few minutes.”
“Mom... I don’t know what to say.” My voice shakes as I take the flowers and throw my arms around her.
“Don’t say anything, darling. Just be happy and let me watch you marry that man. Because, Madeline, no on in the world will ever love you the way Easton Hayes does. When you were hurt... My God, he loves you.”
She wipes my face, then takes gloss out of her purse and dabs it on my lips.
“I’ll see you after, sweetheart.”
Brandon watches Mom go, then walks us around the corner to where my family members all stand on either side of a black-velvet aisle. And there, at the end of the aisle, is my husband, standing next to my brother, Max, who’d gotten ordained to marry one of my siblings at some point. I laugh because I can’t even remember which one.
“You ready?” Brandon asks.
“If I could, I’d run to him right now,” I whisper back and lock my eyes on my husband.
Once I reach the end of the aisle, Brandon puts my hand in Easton’s, and I lean in and run my lips over E’s mouth. My family laughs, but I don’t care. “I love you, hockey boy.”
“Till we’re old and gray, princess.”
* * *
Twenty minutes later, my husband’s arms are wrapped around me as we watch the ball drop and yell along with the countdown.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
“Happy New Year,” I whisper as Easton cradles my face in his hands and presses his lips to mine.
“I told all of you they’d be kissing when the ball dropped at midnight,” Everly exclaims right before Maddox wraps an arm around her back and dips her dramatically, then plants a serious kiss on her lips.
My entire friend group stares as he stands her back up and wipes his mouth.
“Happy New Year, madman,” Evie kinda pants, and Maddox smirks.
“Not happening, demon spawn.” He turns to Gracie, and she shoves him back.
