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Sage worried her newly manicured nails in her teeth, sure everything that was about to happen that day would be a mistake.
Including three big dogs in a wedding took some real guts, after all.
So did moving in with another person.
And saying I do.
Sage wasn’t sure she could do any of it, and she wasn’t the one moving everything she owned into someone else’s house.
No,she told herself.It’s not your house. It’s his too. It’sourhouse.
She’d told Ty that right out loud, and she needed to start thinking it and saying it. He’d sold his wonderful, pink house by the sea and had started moving over boxes last week. She loved him all the more for agreeing to live her waterfront way of life, and she fell for him all over again every time he said, “Iwantto do it, Sage. I want to be in that house with you.”
“Sage,” Cass said as she came into the master suite. “Why aren’t you dressed?”
“I told you she wouldn’t be,” Bea said. She entered hot on Cass’s heels, and of course, they were both dressed already.
Joy came next, and she paused and shook her head. “You’ve got to stop chewing your nails.” She kindly lowered Sage’s hand from her mouth as she knelt in front of her. “You’re zoned out. Is this really how you want to be today?”
“I—no.” She met Joy’s blue-eyed stare and got to her feet. “Cass.”
“Right here, Sage.” She held her wedding dress so Sage could simply step into it, which she did.
“I have the shoes,” Bessie said.
“I brought the entertainment.” Lauren cooed at her seven-month-old, and Sage couldn’t stop herself from smiling at Daisy too.
“Let’s button her, ladies.” Cass pulled the dress tight along Sage’s chest, and then she stepped around to the back, where seventy-four cloth buttons needed to be done up.
Sage held still while five pairs of hands fastened the buttons, and then she turned into her friends. Arms went around one another, and Sage sniffled in the middle of them all. She could, because she hadn’t done her makeup yet.
Her hair, yes, but she could cry and not ruin anything.
“I love you guys,” she said tearfully. “Thank you for being here with me today.”
“Of course,” Bea murmured, and it was like she spoke for the group.
“We’re so happy for you,” Bessie said. “You’ve—you’re so amazing, Sage.” She peered at her, her dark eyes earnest and kind. “I hardly recognize you right now. I didn’t realize how unhappy you were.”
“I didn’t either,” Sage said as the huddle broke up. She wiped her eyes and patted her hair. “Plus, I dyed my hair, so it looks amazing of course.”
Stunned silence filled the bedroom, and Sage grinned as she looked around at her friends.
“I knew it,” Lauren crowed, her smile filling her face. “Did you guys hear that? She dyes her hair!”
“Just for her wedding,” Joy said. “Right, Sage?”
She shook her head. “No, I’ve been dying it for a while now. Whenever I want it to be more even, be shiny.” She’d done her soon-to-be mother-in-law’s last week too, and she’d never seen a person radiate so much shine after they’d been to the salon.
“You snake,” Bea said with a smile and a gentle push to Sage’s shoulder. She’d opted for a dress with sleeves, because she was over fifty and had upper arms to consider. She wanted her photos to be perfect, and if she cared about any part of her body looking good, it was her upper arms.
“You need to be outside in ten minutes,” Cass said. “Get over here and let’s get your makeup done.”
“I’ll lay out the jewelry,” Lauren said.
“I still have the shoes.” Bessie stayed out of the way as she played with Daisy, and ten minutes later, Sage finished putting on her earrings and she stepped into her shoes.
“So?” She spread her arms wide and did a full turn. “How do I look?”
