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“So, were you spying on me?” I asked, putting a hand on my hip.
“No, I was checking to see if you were still out here. It was getting hard to keep Aria away from the windows. She kept asking me to open the curtains and let light in. Called me a vampire for preferring them closed.”
I snorted. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine, I just faked a headache. But then when I peeked outside and saw Zac lean down to kiss you, I almost ruined the surprise by squealing like a teenager. Until you saw me, and then I almost ruined it in a different way.Gah, I’m so sorry again.”
“Stop saying sorry. I’m glad you stopped that kiss.”
“Why?”
“Uh, maybe because Zac can’t just waltz back into my life and win me over with his amazing kissing skills. I need more than that.”
My sister huffed and crossed her arms. “If you say so.”
“Lyndi, you’re the one always comparing real life to your romance novels. Would you think it was a good thing if the heroine suddenly accepted the hero’s apology and fell back into his arms all willy-nilly?”
She laughed at my erratic hand motions while I spoke, then gave in. “Fine. You’re right. He’ll have to do more than woo you with his kisses if he wants to get you back.”
“Ugh, now it sounds like I’m playing games with him. I’m not. I swear. It’s not like I’m trying to make him jump through hoops to earn my love. He has my love. It’s just that sometimes … I don’t know, maybe love isn’t enough.”
Sadness crept over her face as she looked at me, then she reached out and wrapped her arms around me. “I’m sorry, Lay.”
I settled into the hug, grateful for it, even if I was the type of person who hated to be touched when I was upset. It only made it worse. But this was Lyndi, and she was the more touchy-feely one of the two of us. She wore her heart on her sleeve and wasn’t afraid to express her feelings, whether good or bad. Maybe that was because she’d never had her heart shattered into a billion pieces.
Pulling back after an appropriate length of time, I gave Lyndi my most reassuring smile. “Thank you. Now, scoot, I need to finish my background so I have time to create a masterpiece in the middle of a wedding reception.”
Even as I said the words, I worried that I’d fail. But I squared my shoulders and pushed those thoughts away. Zac was the one who’d used that word to describe my art, and something about his authoritative tone when he’d told me not to downplay my talent had me making an effort to listen to him.
* * *
Aria was way too distracted by the handsome man holding her hands at the altar to notice that I’d left my place beside the other bridesmaids. I dashed over to the easel at the back of the ceremony space and picked up my pencil, sketching as quickly and efficiently as I could manage.
I didn’t plan to put too much detail into the guests in the foreground of the painting, so I did minimal outlining there, but I knew I wanted to get most of the prep work down before everyone left the space and headed for the cocktail hour.
My hand worked feverishly over the canvas, making little notes for myself in the form of featherlight streaks. Rays of light here, shadows there. Light breeze blowing this tree to the right and the dresses of the bridal party swaying with it.
Man, if only I had some kind of magical remote so I could freeze time or put it in slow motion. Then I would feel so much more prepared going into the main event later, in front of the guests. Even better, I’d love a rewind function. Then maybe I could go back to that night when Zac had broken up with me and convince him to trust me instead of running scared.
Banishing the thought as rapidly as it had come, I focused on the painting until I heard my cue to head back to my place. Aria’s assistant nodded at me, acknowledging that she’d move the easel, and I zipped back to the front of the ceremony, taking my bouquet of pink roses back from Lyndi.
“All set?” she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.
“All set.”
“I can’t wait to see.”
“And now,” Ms. Hattie said triumphantly, beaming at Aria and Will as they stood before her in her light-pink suit, “I happily pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
All eyes were glued to the embracing couple, but I looked toward the end of the aisle, where Aria’s assistant was snapping photos to send me for reference. I hadn’t wanted to risk being at the back when they made their way through the crowd at the end, so I’d need to rely on those photos to re-create that kiss on my canvas.
In a flash, I was linking arms with Brody to head down the aisle, and before I knew it, the usual routine of taking photos with the wedding party was over. We then made our upbeat intro into the reception and joined the crowd in cheering for the new Mr. and Mrs. Will Paxton.
And then just like that, it was time for me to take my place behind my easel. I shook out my hands, trying to dispel all remaining doubt about my abilities. As much as I wished it weren’t true, there was only one voice in my head as I did so.
