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“It’s starting,” I whisper to Evie. The rapid thump in my chest urges me to practice deep breaths. If I have an attack right now, I’ll be mortified. My anxiety has been increasingly better as I put in the effort to practice strategies for calming myself and fighting the fear. Still, I’m definitely not out of the woods yet.
I push the breaths into my belly as I work on loosening my neck, shoulders, and chest. The tense muscles contribute to the sensation I’m short of breath, but it’s a lie. The next pair moves down the line.
“Are you ready?” I ask my sister to distract me from my inward thoughts and feelings.
“I’m ready.” She rests her chin on my shoulder and peeks out the door with me.
Cami and Dane are next. I reach down to my side and find her hand. “Love you.”
“Love you too.” She squeezes me back. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Let’s get you married.”
With only Nathan and the kiddos left, we finally emerge from the room. His face splits into a massive grin upon seeing his best friend’s fiancée.
“You’re gorgeous, Evie. Rhett’s so going to cry, and I’m going to win the bet.” He links arms with me.
“You bet on whether my husband will cry when he sees me for the first time?” Evie attempts a stern face but fails. “Why wasn’t I allowed in on this?”
“That just wouldn’t be fair.”
Her retort is lost as we begin our unhurried trek. About fifty guests witness our advance, various smiles in place. Cameras aim from all directions, sending my heart racing again.
“Nathan.” I stutter a step, anxiety stealing rational thought in an instant.
“Look up, honey. Don’t think about anything else.”
Confusion wrinkles my brow, but I follow his suggestion. My heart gives a hard thump, mimicking a dead stop. Dane stands at the end of the aisle, one space beside the groom. He has his hands cupped in front of his waist, and his awed expression steals my entire breath.
He rocks back and forth on his heels, an intense energy emanating from him while a classical wedding melody floats around us. His stormy gray eye contact nearly roots me to the damn spot. Only Nathan’s measured steps keep me moving steadily down our path. The urge to run down the aisle erupts even though this isn’t my wedding. A piece of me longs for the comfort of his embrace.
As we near the end, Dane flashes a half smirk and a wink, almost like he can read the uneasy sensations soaring through me. Luckily, I don’t have enough time to dwell. Tommy and Ophelia skip down the aisle, stealing hearts and laughing along the way. Then the music changes. Guests rise in unison and turn toward the back to wait for Evie to appear.
The room expresses a collective gasp. She floats down the aisle, her mermaid skirt swishing around her knees with each leisurely step. The smile gracing her face is pure radiance. I take my eyes off her, intending to check the status of the men’s bet. Rhett’s tears only capture my attention for a second before my gaze finds him.
He watches me unabashedly in a room full of people, their full attention is on the bride and groom. His heated stare infiltrates the cracks exposed in my healing heart. The organ jumps as if it’s trying to flee straight to him. Tension ignites as he traces down my body like I’m a present waiting to be unwrapped. The large bow at my side certainly adds to the impression.
I subtly shake my head to scold the tempting man. He’s distracting me from my maid-of-honorly duties. Ignoring him proves challenging as I watch my sister take the final steps to her forever man.
Rhett dries a solid tear with his shoulder before cradling Evie’s face in his hands. Without preamble, he takes her lips in a swift kiss.
“If you can hold on for just fifteen minutes, I’ll let you know when it’s time for that part,” the minister jovially reprimands. The guests chuckle along with him.
“I just couldn’t wait.” Rhett brushes his thumb across Evie’s lips to fix her smudged lipstick.
“That’s okay,” she breathes with stars in her eyes. These two are damn near perfect for each other.
