Cole checked his watch. The ceremony would begin in less than fifteen minutes. By the time he and Leah had arrived, the bride and groom’s friends and family all gathered at the Florence Resort two miles outside of Piedmont Valley. Cole’s eyes twinkled when he spotted Leah mingling among the other guests. Her smile shone across the room, and when they made eye contact, she grinned extra wide. His mouth turned up into a smile, but his forehead creased when he noticed a woman talking to Leah. Based on the woman’s arms flinging in the air, something was wrong.
Cole scurried to the scene with his camera in hand. “What’s going on?”
Leah tilted her head toward him. “The bride is having a wardrobe malfunction.” She patted his shoulder. “No worries. I’ll be back.”
He gave her the okay sign, but a slap on his back diverted his attention.
“Good to see you here.”
Cole chuckled at his friend Jeremy. “Same here. Is April in the wedding?”
Jeremy smiled at the mention of his girlfriend. “Yes. Ever since April volunteered at the animal shelter, I can’t keep her away. She and Holly grew close, and I think she’s talked April into adopting a puppy.”
“I think that’s how Leah adopted hers. Holly is an advocate for the animals.”
Jeremy folded his arms over his chest. He raised an eyebrow. “Leah? Did you two come here together?”
Cole cleared his throat. “Yeah, she’s my plus one. I couldn’t show up here without one.”
“Uh, huh? Are you still crushing on her?”
“J, man—”
His friend gave a dismissive wave with his hand. “You don’t have to say it. I already know.”
Cole held up his camera. “I got a job to do, so I’ll see you later.”
“See you later.”
Cole explored the venue, taking pictures. Leah hadn’t returned, so he hoped everything was all right. He would photograph the bride and groom after the ceremony.
“There you are.”
He turned to see Leah staring up at him. “How did it go? Holly okay?”
“Yes. Everything is fine.”
He held up his camera. “One more shot?”
She waved her hand. “No, I’ve had enough photos of myself. How are the pictures coming along here?”
“Good. Having fun yet?”
She rubbed her forearms. “I am, but I can’t wait for the ceremony to start. It’s my favorite part.”
“Why’s that? Let me guess, the bride walking down the aisle and all the people admiring her dress.”
Leah wagged her finger. “No, Mr. Parsons, that’s not my favorite part. I look at the groom.”
He raised an eyebrow. “The groom?”
Her eyes danced. “I love how he looks at his bride to be. You can see in his eyes how much he loves her. My dad told me when he saw my mom, she stole his breath. I guess that’s…”
Cole wasn’t able to peel his gaze off her. “What?”
“It’s silly.” She lowered her eyes.
“Leah?”