I heaved a breath and smoothed down my dress. It was pale pink satin, sleeveless, and tightly fitted around the bodice with a tulle overlay. Floral embroidery in periwinkle, lilac, and sage green cascaded over the full skirt. Letitia had pulled my natural hair into a loose, elegantly messy bun with tendrils falling softly to frame my face.
“Do you think Ronan will like the dress?” I asked the room. “It’s not exactly conventional.”
Bibi cackled from her seat. She looked beautiful in red with a lightweight beaded jacket over her shoulders. “Since when have you two been conventional? Doing everything backward from the get-go…”
“She has a point,” I said, grinning at Mama in the mirror. “Wearing white wouldn’t fool anyone—we have a toddler.”
I smiled, thinking of that toddler, who was currently on the men’s side of the building, readying for his role as our little ring-bearer.
“Girl, that dress is stunning,” Letitia said, looking pretty stunning herself in her lilac bridesmaid dress.
Violet nodded, coming to stand with me. My Maid of Honor already had tears in her eyes. “Gorgeous,” she agreed. “Mostly because you look so happy.”
“I am. I never thought…” I shook my head. “I’ll cry and mess up my makeup.”
Luisa, my employee-turned-friend and third bridesmaid, rushed over with a tissue. “That’s my Bat Signal.”
I laughed. Luisa Coelho was an artist in her own right—doing makeup tutorials on YouTube—and had lent her services, giving me a subtle look that complimented the softness of my hair and dress.
I looked at the assembly of amazing women in my life, marveling at how blessed I was. How it seemed like too much happiness for one person.
A knock came at the door and Holden Parish stuck his head in, covering his eyes.
“Is it safe?”
I laughed. “You’re good.”
He peeked open one eye, then both, and clutched his heart. “The sheer volume of beauty in one room is rather excessive, don’t you think?”
Aunt Bertie chuckled. “What a charmer. Where did you find him, Shi?”
“No one found me, my dear lady,” Holden said. “I sprang full-blown from Ronan and Miller’s imagination.”
I exchanged grins with him, and he winked.
After graduation, Holden had disappeared, leaving River Whitmore to wait for him like I had with Ronan. Holden had been all over Europe, killing his own demons, purging them and putting them between the pages of an award-winning novel.
Now he was back and was one of Ronan’s groomsmen, along with Miller and Hector. He looked devastating in a soft gray suit, no tie, the top buttons of his white dress shirt undone. A sprig of pale purple, yellow, and baby blue wildflowers—a miniature version of my bouquet—were tucked in his lapel.
“The coordinator is busy with some flower emergency.” Holden flapped his hand. “I’ve been sent to tell you…it’s time.”
I blew out a breath, butterflies taking flight in my stomach.
“That’s our cue.” Bertie, resplendent in deep purple, helped Bibi to stand. They kissed my cheeks—Bibi’s eyes full, seeing me like she always had. Straight into my heart. She said nothing but patted my cheek, and I pressed into her hand, the love for her overflowing.
The other gals hugged me, and everyone slowly made their way out, Luisa shooting Holden—her partner up the aisle—an appreciative smile.
Holden leaned into me. “Since rehearsal dinner last night, that girl can’t stop making eyes at me. Not that I blame her…”
“It must be such a burden, being as beautiful as you are.”
“It really is,” Holden said seriously, his green eyes twinkling. “If it gets worse, I’m going to have to jump River in the middle of the ceremony to show I’m spoken for.”
“Pretty sure you were going to do that anyway.” I laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Shoo. Behave yourself.”
He shot me another wink and went out, leaving me alone with Mama.
She faced me and took a steadying breath. “You sure you don’t want Uncle Rudy walking you down the aisle? Or Bibi? There’s still time to get her back. I know she’d be honored.”
I shook my head and slipped my hand in hers. I’d thought about it, but Bibi and I had talked it over.
“A parent gives the bride away. There is no better way to show Marie that you see her than to let her do this.”
I agreed.
“You’re my mama,” I said with a teary shrug.
She felt the weight of everything in those three words, her eyes shining too. “Thank you, Shiloh.” She hugged me close.
“You don’t have to thank me…”
“I do.” She pulled away, her smile beautiful. “I know a second chance when I see one.”
June Seong, my wedding planner, rushed in and delicately cleared her throat. “Excuse me, ladies.”
She’d done such an impressive job with the grand opening of my shop, her name was the only one on my list to handle the wedding. As I knew she would, June made it the beautiful, somewhat rustic event I’d dreamed of. Unfussy, set in the backdrop of the forest, with just enough touches to give it an understated elegance that wasn’t too fancy, nor too casual.
“Crisis averted,” she said. “Your flower girls showered your ring-bearer with all their petals, much to his delight, but everything is ready now.”
I grinned. While Ronan was incarcerated, Maryann Greer had been promoted at her work and moved from the Cliffside apartments to a better place, but we never lost touch. She and her twin girls were frequent visitors at our home, Cami and Lily treating August like their baby brother.
“You both look gorgeous,” June said, sizing us up. “Ready?”
Mama and I nodded and followed June outside. The day was warm but with a breeze rustling the leaves in the trees to keep it from being too hot. I couldn’t see around the corner to the flower-laden awning in the clearing amid the redwoods that served as our altar, but I could hear the soft sounds of Miller’s guitar as he accompanied the procession down the aisle—Cami and Lily, then August, then our bridesmaids and groomsmen.
The music changed to “Here Comes the Bride” and I heard the rustling of fifty guests as they rose from the white folding chairs that faced our little awning. I laced my hand around Mama’s arm and she gave it a squeeze. Then we walked.
I’d already seen the wedding preparations, of course, at the rehearsal yesterday. But seeing the finished product, with everyone Ronan and I loved in the world gathered together, stole my breath.
And Ronan…
My heart ached to see him standing there, devastating in the same soft gray suit, no tie, his hands clasped in front of him stiffly. His eyes widened to see me come down the aisle, and his jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek.
I had to bite the inside of mine to keep the tears in check. We arrived at the end of the alter, and the officiant—Eleanor Hutchins, a friend of Bibi’s from one of her church groups—smiled down at me from her small podium.
My mother gave me away, placing my hand in Ronan’s, and when I looked up into his eyes, nothing could stop the tears from blurring my vision.