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Vada laughed, shifting her gaze between Trista and Gage. “What are you doing?”
Gage stalked up next to her, offering her his arm. It was old school. Old world charm. And perfect. “Since you didn’t ask me, I took matters into my own hands. Asked Tris, and she said you wouldn’t mind.”
Vada sucked in a breath and looped her arm through his. “But you said…”
Gage scoffed. “Said that bullshit ’cause I didn’t want you thinking you needed anyone. And you don’t. But fuck, if you’re asking, hell yeah, I’m walking you down the aisle. Isn’t this what brothers do?”
Vada was so overcome with emotion. She felt the onset of tears coming on, and she choked on her words. “This means so much to me.”
Trista gasped. “Jesus Christ, Gage, don’t make her cry. Her makeup!” Trista pushed past him and ordered her to look up, then blew lightly on her face. Vada tried to think of anything other than Gage’s sweet words.
“Vada, your makeup is too good to ruin on Gage,” Trini teased.
Vada chuckled at Gage’s expense.
Gage snorted, glancing toward the door. “I remember when you used to be nice, Trini. East is rubbing off on you.”
The teasing was just what she needed.
“You good now?” Trista asked, and Vada nodded.
This wouldn’t be the last time she was overly emotional today. But for now? She was good.
Trista leaned in, giving her a kiss on the cheek, and then turned, kissing Gage on the lips. She walked to the open door and disappeared. Trini waved them forward and held up her hand, indicating for them to stop just before they got to the door.
A minute later, Trini waved them forward, and Gage guided her to the door. Her stomach was full of butterflies, but not from nerves. She was beyond excited to marry Hades. Finally.
The music echoed in the background, and everyone turned back. Due to the uneven terrain of the yard, Vada had requested everyone remain seated while she walked down the aisle.
Vada tightened her hold over Gage’s arm as they walked out. She just wanted one second to soak it all in. She smiled, scanning around and taking in all the familiar faces. Everyone had shown up for them. As her gaze swept the East members and their women sitting on her side of the aisle, her eyes halted on the two empty seats in the front row.
This wasn’t a shock. She knew her parents weren’t coming. But she’d forgotten to mention that detail to Jill. Now, it seemed it was a taunting reminder. In the grand scheme of things, when she looked back at this day, those two seats wouldn’t matter. The ones filled would be what she remembered most. She swallowed the lump in her throat.
“You all right?” Gage whispered.
She nodded and looked up to Hades. He was focused on someone in the crowd, but before she could follow his gaze, a loud ruckus sounded. Grain was standing and bulldozing through the row, dragging Regina behind him.
“Christ, Grain,” Gage muttered.
“Is he leaving?” Vada whispered.
This was all so confusing. It was only a fifteen-minute ceremony. Surely he could wait to grab a drink. Once he made it to the outer aisle, he walked toward the front row. There were two cards on the seats marked reserved. Grain grabbed them, and he and Regina settled into their seats. Grain rested his arm on the back of his chair and winked.
Family. Not by blood but in every other sense of the word. Vada couldn’t think of two better people to serve as surrogate parents for her.
“Makeup,” Gage muttered, and she drew in a quick breath as he walked her down the aisle.
It wasn’t a very long aisle, and she found herself walking faster than Jill had instructed. Suddenly, details and tradition didn’t matter. The quicker she got to Hades, the closer she was to being his wife.
The pastor stepped forward. “Who gives this woman away?”
Oh dammit. She’d forgotten to talk about that part with the pastor. It would have been fitting if her father had walked her down, but not Gage.
“Oh, um…”
“I get a choice?” Gage laughed and looked over at Hades. “I can say no, brother.”
Hades gaze hardened, and he growled, “Try it, Gage.”
