Divided Interests (Southern Bride 3)

My hair had been put into a low bun with only a few hanging curls. Jen stood on a stepstool and pinned on the simple veil. I didn’t want one that covered my face, yet it felt like I was missing something if I didn’t have it.

Lynn handed me the pearl drop earrings I had found in Millie’s things in the storage shed. I put them on and took another look at myself.

“You’re going to steal the air from the room,” Lynn said, kissing me and then turning to Jen. “I’m leaving her in your hands. I’d like to see my son, and then I think I need to get to my seat.”

I squeezed her hand. “Thank you for everything.”

She gave me a soft smile. “Of course, my sweet girl.”

After Lynn left, Jen looked at me and then we both took another glance at my reflection in the mirror.

“I hope he shits his pants,” I said with a silly giggle.

“Trust me. He will,” Jen said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.

Karen, the makeup artist from Fredericksburg, handed me the bouquet of pink daisies and white roses. “I’ve dried off the stems and carefully wrapped the handkerchief your mother gave you around the stems and secured it with the brooch.”

She wrapped it, so the initials could be seen. “You did a beautiful job. On everything,” I said.

“My God, you look like your mother.”

Turning, I smiled at my father. He was dressed in a black tux.

“You look handsome as all get out!” I exclaimed, making my way over to him. I kissed him on the cheek, and he took a step back, giving me a once-over.

“The bastard doesn’t deserve you. No man does.”

“I would bet Granddad told Momma the same thing about you.”

He laughed. “He did, and he was right. I was nowhere good enough for her, but I loved her so much.”

I smiled. “She loved you too, Daddy.”

He nodded and cleared his throat. “I happen to know that undeserving—”

“Daddy, be nice.”

With a roll of his eyes, he said, “I happen to know that Lucas loves you very much. I just saw him.”

“How does he look?”

He gave me a wicked smile. “Nervous as hell. I offered him some whiskey, but he declined.”

“You did not!” I said, slapping him playfully on the chest.

He sighed liked he had amused the hell out of himself. Taking my hands in his, he said, “It’s time. Are you ready?”

I nodded. “I’ve waited for this day for a long time.”

He held out his arm to me, and I slipped my arm through his.

“Let’s go get you married.”

Lucas

A SMALL HANDFUL of people sat in chairs in the greenhouse. Paige had kept the decorations surprisingly minimal. A few bouquets of flowers were scattered around the room, and the altar was an arch covered in light pink and white roses. Preacher Smith stood there, a smile on his face as we waited. The music started, and my heart nearly jumped to my throat.

I had asked Milo to stand in as my best friend, which had made the bastard start crying. It happened the day we had all been decorating the backyard until one in the morning. He was drunk as all get out and nearly passed out on the sofa. I walked in and saw him watching Top Gun for some unknown reason. When I asked him to be my best man, he broke down and hugged me. Yeah, awkward, but I was glad he agreed.

I smiled as I let my eyes sweep over the friends and family we’d invited to the ceremony. In all, it was only twenty-four people, most of whom were friends of ours growing up. The reception, on the other hand? We had sent out a text three days before the wedding and had invited over a hundred-and-fifty people. Some were former colleagues of Paige’s, some mine. A lot were our folks’ friends, people we’d known growing up, and one or two of our college friends.

Callie and Tom Jr. walked down the aisle, each of them nodding and saying hello as they made their way. Callie went off to the side with Jen, and Tom Jr. stood next to me. He had the very important job of holding the rings. I gave his hair a quick rub and winked at him.

“Good job, Junior.”

He beamed with pride.

The air changed the moment I saw Paige walking down the path. I couldn’t get a good look at her through the greenhouse windows, but the moment she stepped inside, my breath caught in my throat, and I swayed.

“Do you need me to hold you up there, Lucas?” Milo asked in a hushed tone.

I watched as Paige and her father started down the aisle. “Maybe.”

He chuckled and gave me a pat on the back.

As Paige walked slowly toward me, our eyes met. A million things ran through my mind. Things I wanted to tell her.