Leading the way toward the back of the house, Sophie ushered them into the den. Any other time Melanie would take a moment and appreciate the beauty of the way they’d managed to bring the old and the new together with the décor and the built-in bookcases that ran from floor to ceiling.
But right now Melanie was more intrigued with all the secrecy.
Cash released her arm and moved forward to hold open the French doors. Tanner stepped up next to her side and palmed the small of her back.
The moment they stepped onto the patio, Melanie couldn’t suppress her smile. There were three outdoor benches on each side with a small aisle in the middle. The white petals on the stone running from the doorway, down the aisle, and to the beaming couple at the end told the entire story.
“Surprise,” Piper shouted, wearing the blue dress Livie had purchased for the wedding. She stood between Jax and Livie, holding their hands. “We’re getting married.”
“We didn’t know when we’d have time to plan everything, so we decided to just do it,” Olivia stated. “Also, Melanie, you don’t have to worry about a dress fitting.”
Melanie laughed. “Well, then, congratulations to both of us.”
“We’ve closed this section off to the guests for the afternoon, so it’s all ours.” Sophie went to stand next to Zach and wrapped her arm through his. “We’re so excited everyone could make it.”
“We had no idea what was going on,” Cash stated, stepping forward and slapping Jax on the back. “Good for you guys. I’m happy for you.”
Jade moved in on the other side of Melanie. “I can’t believe you kept this a secret. How did you manage that? And by the way, you look stunning.”
Livie glanced down at her simple floor-length lace dress and then to Piper, who stared up at her with that little girl sparkle in her eyes.
“Piper and I may have been doing some behind-the-scenes work to make this happen,” Livie explained. “That’s another reason Tanner had Piper the other day. I was picking up my dress and Jax’s suit.”
“This is the only occasion she’d ever get me in a suit,” Jax chimed in.
The always masculine Jax could typically be found in jeans and a tee or a flannel shirt. Work boots were always the shoe of choice. But today he had on a charcoal gray suit with matching shirt and black patent shoes. Melanie had to admit he looked handsome, even with the scruff along his jawline and the unruly hair he attempted to fix.
“Eyes over here, darlin’,” Tanner whispered in her ear.
Melanie squeezed Tanner’s hand and threw him a glance. “Just taking in all the scenery.”
He leaned over against her ear, his lips brushing the sensitive skin. “All the scenery you need is right beside you.”
Her body trembled and she couldn’t figure out how the man could turn her on so simply and with all these people around.
“If you guys are ready to get started, just take a seat.” Sophie gestured toward the benches. “The minister is inside talking with Liam. I’ll go get him.”
Piper headed down the aisle toward Melanie. “Do you like my dress, Aunt Mel? I’ve never had a dress so fancy, but Mom said it was perfect for the wedding.”
Melanie’s heart melted. “It is perfect. But you know, you’re just as beautiful in your overalls helping your daddy in the hangar. You know what makes a girl beautiful?”
“Her heart?” Piper asked with a slight wrinkle of her nose.
Melanie nodded. “That’s right. Did Livie tell you that?”
“She tells me all the time that being nice is more beautiful than what I wear or how my hair is.”
Melanie looked to Livie, who stood with tears swimming in her eyes. “Your mom is one smart lady. You’re a lucky little girl.”
“I changed my mind about the boy. I want you to have a little girl,” Piper added. “We’ll be best friends and I’ll teach her about planes.”
Melanie tapped her finger on the end of Piper’s button nose. “No matter what I have, you are going to have to teach this baby all about planes, because you know way more than I do. Is that a deal, Pip?”
Piper nodded, her curled hair bouncing around her shoulders. “It’s a deal.”
She ran back down the aisle toward Livie and began chatting, no doubt telling her about the new deal.
Melanie took a seat on one of the garden benches that had been moved to the patio for the ceremony. When she sat next to Tanner, he placed his hand on her knee and leaned in.