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“Are the flowers here?” I ask the room. I may be the maid of honor in name, but the other girls were kind enough to distribute my duties. Although the distraction would have been nice, there’s simply been too much on my plate with this extended visit and a strained workload.
“They’re here.” Kiersten answers while clearing away empty pizza boxes.
I lower my shoulders from my ears and release a deep breath. “If you two are ready, do you mind giving us a minute alone?”
“Sure.” Cami fixes a soft smile in place and pats my forearm as she passes. “Gives us an excuse to spy on our men.”
“Nathan wears just about anything well, but seeing him in a suit?” Kiersten fakes a groan. “He’s downright yummy.”
My nose scrunches. “Thank you. It’ll just be a minute.”
The door closes softly behind them.
“Not going to lie, when I pictured having a minute alone before my wedding, it wasn’t you standing in the room.” Her attempt to lighten the mood falls slightly short at the concern marring her brow. “What’s going on?”
I move close and take both her hands in mine, steeling myself with a cleansing breath. “I don’t want to draw this out and send us both down the aisle a blubbering mess.”
Her gaze flits between my eyes. “Okay?”
“Eric should be here with you. I know he was supposed to be the one walking you down the aisle someday, and I know you’re strong enough to walk alone.” I fiddle with the clasp around my neck. “This doesn’t even come close, but I want you to have this.”
She gasps, her palm flying to cover her mouth as tears glisten in her eyes. “Caiti…no. I can’t,” she chokes out.
I pull her hand from her mouth and wrap her fingers around the vial of Eric’s ashes. “You need to. This belongs to you more than me.”
She moves her attention between the vial and me. “What does this mean?”
Every cell in my body fights to hold back the wave of tears. “It means I’m letting him go.”
“Caiti…” Heartbreak scores across her face.
“No. We aren’t doing this on your wedding day. I just wanted him to be with you. Not some flower stuck in your bouquet as a memorial. Tangibly, he’s here with you.”
She’s quiet for a moment. The words sink in deep between us. “You know, when I told Rhett about my parents' death, I struggled too. One of the biggest reasons I didn’t want to live in Germany with you and Eric is because it felt like leaving them behind. Do you know what he said?”
My lips remain sealed, and I shake my head.
“He reminded me I carry them everywhere inside me. That it’s impossible to leave them behind. Eric’s there too. So if you need this…” She shakes her fist with the vial clenched inside.
“It belongs with you.” I hold my voice firm.
“Do you love him?”
It takes a moment to realize she’s no longer talking about Eric. Guilt forces me to glance away. “Isn’t it too fast?”
“I’m only going to be sappy because it’s my wedding day, but your heart will tell you exactly what it wants. You just have to be willing to listen.”
“My heart was once promised to someone else. I don’t know how to move past that.”
“You don’t force it.” Evie grips my shoulders, the vial pressing into my skin. “You passively accept whatever happens, and when you’re ready, if you’re ready, you’ll know.”
“I think I know,” I answer hoarsely.
“Then you should know not to let that go. I knew my brother pretty well. We’d been through a lot together. I can state with confidence that he wouldn’t want you to be alone.”
“I love you, Evie. You’ll always be my sister.” I dash away a stray tear with the back of my hand. She jerks me into an impossibly tight hug.
“I love you too. Thank you for this gift. Help me put it on?”
“You want to wear it?” The gold chain doesn’t necessarily go with her dress.
“Of course.” She presents her back and waits.
I loop the two ends around her neck. “You know, I almost dumped him over the cliff on the hiking trail you brought us to. It felt romantic at the time, but I’m really glad I didn’t.”
A watery laugh bursts from Evie. “That was a good day,” she sighs. She and Eric bickered the entire hike about how she should come home with us and stop stubbornly living out of her car. Obviously, Evie won the argument.
The clasp hooks into place. She spins around, holding a hand to the vial centered on her chest.
“Are you ready to get married?” I hand her a simple bouquet of pink roses. Three are orange to represent her parents and Eric.
“I’m ready to run down that aisle and march straight off to our honeymoon. Unfortunately, our guests would be disappointed, and we aren’t actually leaving for another month.”
We link our arms.
“Let’s start with step one. You put enough money into this to at least see through the ceremony.”
The rest of our wedding party mingles in the foyer when I poke my head out. Evie remains in the room, wanting to keep her appearance a surprise until the very last second. The pairs queue up. Evelyn heads the precession as a junior attendant, walking beside Evie’s blind and deaf pit bull, Ghost. Behind her is Kiersten paired with Cami’s husband Law, followed by Cami and Dane. Nathan stands beside him chatting away. As the best man, he’ll be my partner down the aisle. Ophelia and Tommy sit with their heads bent together on the floor in the very back.
I linger a little too long over the image of Dane in a suit. The man looks hot in a pair of jeans and a tee but cleaned up…my god. The tailored fit showcases his muscular stature. The rounded glutes and lean quads. The white shirt tucks into a trim waist hidden by an opened coat. Someone should tell him to button up before the precession starts because if I have to go over there, I’ll have a hell of a time not convincing him to just take it all off.
The music trickles in quietly at first. Conversation beyond the church doors gradually ceases. Evelyn begins a slow march down the aisle, kicking off the event.
