You’re happy?”
More tears flow, and I have to laugh at myself. I never considered myself a crier until Griffin Reed walked back into my life. “What part of me bawling doesn’t say happy to you?”
Finally, his face breaks out into a blinding smile. “Just checking, angel. I have a couple of surprises for you if you’ll come with me.”
I try to think through that. “But you didn’t know I was coming.”
“Not for sure…but I hoped.”
With that, he takes my hand again and leads me into the main house, where everything is a bustle of activity. I see a wedding cake on a stand in the dining room that looks eerily like one I fell for in a bridal magazine. Same pale blue fondant, same classic white trim. White lilies and plumeria decorate the three tiers.
It’s even more breathtaking in person.
I try to stop and stare. I’d love to take a picture for our wedding, hopefully soon. But Griff keeps dragging me toward the master bedroom. What is he up to?
I’m about to tell him we can’t make love in Maxon and Keeley’s bed—then ask if there’s another one free in this house—when I see someone I didn’t anticipate seeing for weeks. “Mom?”
She rushes forward in a formal cocktail dress in a coral shade that looks beautiful on her and embraces me. “Baby Britta…”
No one calls me that except my mom. I smile at all the childhood memories those two words evoke. I didn’t grow up with a father, but I grew up sheltered and loved. My mom is the best ever.
I squeeze her tight, then lean back to look back at her. “What are you doing here? When did you arrive?”
“Thursday evening. Griff called me a few weeks ago and asked me if I’d like to come to your wedding.”
I spin around to face him in shock. “A few weeks ago, you thought I was marrying Makaio.”
Slowly, he shakes his head. I look up and see a wedding dress hanging on the front of the door, one I tried on with Keeley weeks ago—that I fell in love with—all pressed and repaired. I see a satiny pair of shoes I pointed out to Harlow when we did some window-shopping.
“A few weeks ago, I knew you had plans to be marrying him…” Griff begins. “But I was hoping you would marry me instead.”
I glance between my mom and the dress. I remember the cake, Harlow’s polished makeup, and the chairs set up outside…
Oh, my god.
“You planned us a wedding for today?” I gape at Griff.
He nods. “Three o’clock.”
My mother reaches up to kiss my cheek. She soothes my back. “Your engagement ring looks lovely. Congratulations, baby. I’ll let you two talk.”
She leaves and closes the bedroom door behind her. I hear impatient feet and hushed whispers just outside the bedroom.
“Keeley, Harlow…” Griff calls. “Can you give us a minute?”
“Ugh. If the wedding is on, we need to start hair and makeup,” Keeley insists. “Oh, the caterer is here. BRB.”
“You suck, big brother. Hurry. You need to make sure Jamie’s tux fits, and we have to try on Britta’s dress in case she needs any last-minute alterations. Oh, and it’s way past time to hug her and welcome her into the family.”
“Soon,” my groom shouts. “Scram.”
They might do so reluctantly, but the duo scampers off. I’m staring at my now-fiancé in blinking shock. “You and all the people I love… You did this?”
“For you. I couldn’t stand the thought of you marrying Makaio, of course. I wanted you to marry me. But I wanted you to have the wedding you’d been planning, dreaming of… You deserved that. So I took your magazines out of the trash can and gave them to Keeley and Harlow. We all took note of your preferences, then the girls took you wedding shopping on the pretense that Keeley needed your help for her big day.”
“Oh, my… I kept wondering why they both seemed so interested in what I thought of everything. I mean, it was her wedding. Or I thought it was.”
“No, it was for ours. This is all for you.” He stares into my eyes, his sincerity making my heart catch.
The tears won’t stop falling now, but they’re accompanied with smiles. I throw my arms around Griff, and he pulls me in, holding me against his body for a long embrace. He kisses my forehead, my temple. I reciprocate on the top of his shoulder, his jaw.
“This is the most amazing, beautiful gesture…” I’m moved beyond words.
“So you’re okay with becoming my wife in less than three hours?”
“Okay?” I take his beloved face in my hands. “I can’t wait. I’m going to love and honor you. And I’ll protect you always.”
“I’ll do the same. And I vow to trust you, no matter what.”
We kiss softly, sweetly, a lingering expression of the devotion we feel.
The rest of the family comes in to break it up with smiles, good-natured ribbing, and champagne. Griff and I are separated with Harlow’s stern, “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. Your turn to scram.”
Maxon tries to pull Griff out of the room, who hangs on to the doorjamb. “Hey, did you cancel that honeymoon suite you booked?”
“No.” I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
“Excellent. Maybe we’ll have some freaking privacy tonight,” he shouts as his brother tugs him out of the room. “See you at the altar…”
I giggle. “See you then!”