She had to go hug her sister.
“You’re married,” she said to Erin.
Erin had such a sweet blush to her cheeks. And the happiest smile she’d ever seen.
“I know! I still can’t believe it. It’s like a dream.”
She took Erin’s hands in hers. “The best dream. Soak it all in.”
“I intend to. I love you, Brenna.”
“I love you, too.”
Then everyone took their seats and champagne was poured.
As the oldest sister and official maid of honor, Brenna made the first toast.
“Erin and Jason, when I see you together, I see happiness. I see joy. I see a future where you can both grow and have everything you’ve ever wanted. You bring out the best in each other, you calm each other in times of stress and you celebrate each other’s successes. I hope you know that you can always count on your families to be there for you whenever you need us. We will always have your back. I hope that the love you feel for each other today is the same love you will feel every day for the rest of your lives. To Erin and Jason.”
She lifted her glass and everyone toasted.
Then Clay gave his toast, and it was about friendship and love and brought a tear to Brenna’s eye.
Finn grasped her hand under the table. “Those were some sweet words you said.”
“Thank you.”
“I always wished I had siblings.”
“You do. You have Erin and Honor.”
He took in a deep breath. “Thanks for not adding yourself as a sibling, because that would be creepy.”
She laughed. “I have never once thought of you as a brother.”
“You were hot for me even back then, huh?”
“I have no comment.”
He looked her over. “Did I tell you today that you were beautiful?”
“No, you didn’t. But thank you.”
“That dress looks nice on you. And I like your hair that way, down around your shoulders, and some of it pulled up. It’s very beautiful. Then again, you look pretty all the time.”
He always said all the right things, and they were unpracticed, not bullshit lines. She could tell they came from his heart. She squeezed his hand, then leaned over and gave him a soft kiss. “You’re so . . . I don’t know . . . Finn.”
He let out a soft laugh. “Yeah, that’s me, grá.”
She knew that word—it meant love. And didn’t that set her heart to doing those flippity-floppity things again.
She ran her fingers down the front of his shirt. “You in a tux? That presents quite a picture, Finn Nolan.”
He looked down at himself, then back up at her. “I thought it gave me a rather James Bond kind of look.”
“You look dashing, for sure.” Then again he could be sweat soaked in jeans and a T-shirt, and either way he could still turn her on. It was the man himself that did it for her, not the clothes he wore.
Dinner was served next, and it was a delicious feast of steak and lobster along with a creamy potato mash and a wonderful mix of fresh vegetables.
And, of course, the wine was spectacular.
“I could have eaten that meal twice,” Finn said, laying his fork and knife on the plate.
“You do like your food.”
“Pretty much all food. But great food? That’s the best.”
“Maybe you should consider becoming a chef in your spare time.”
He laughed. “I’ll add that to my to-do list. Along with climbing Mt. Everest, skydiving and becoming a neurosurgeon.”
“Oh, that’s quite the list.”
“What’s on yours?”
“Actress, singer, photojournalist, prima ballerina and queen of England.”
He nodded. “Ambitious. I like that about you. Don’t let anything stop you from achieving your dreams.”
She loved that he supported her dreams, even the ridiculously unattainable ones.
She left the table to go to the restroom, fix her lip gloss and mess with her hair.
“Stop, you’re already gorgeous.”
She turned to smile at her mother. “And so are you.”
“That burgundy dress does amazing things for you.”
“Thanks, Mom. And you look beautiful tonight.”
Mom sighed and glanced into the mirror to apply lipstick, then stopped, a wistful look on her face. “I can’t believe Erin is married.”
All three of them were close to their mother. Brenna knew this was both a celebratory and difficult night for her. She walked over and put her arm around her mom. “You raised us all well, taught us everything you know. Erin’s going to be fine.”
“Oh, I know she will. Jason’s a wonderful man. But it seems like it was just yesterday the three of you were getting dirty together out in the vineyard. And now, Erin’s a married woman. Time moves too quickly for me these days.”
She caught the telltale tears glistening in her mother’s eyes and pulled her in for a hug. “You know she’s not leaving you.”
“Of course not,” her mother said, sniffling. “It’s just a big day. I’m allowed to be emotional.”
“Yes, you are.”
Mom took her hand. “Come on. I think we’ll be dancing soon, and we don’t want to miss that.”
“No, we definitely do not.”
Ending on a positive note, her mom spun her around like she used to do. Brenna felt that little tug of nostalgia from dancing with her mom like she did when she was little.
Nothing like doing a little dance and twirl with your mama in the ladies’ room. Brenna laughed and slipped her arm into her mother’s, and they strolled back out to the reception.
“Okay, what did I miss?” Erin asked as she caught up with them.
“Mom’s all teary-eyed because one of her babies got hitched tonight.”
“I was not teary. Okay, maybe a little.”
“Aww, Mom.” Erin threw her arms around her mother. “Don’t cry. It’s a happy day.”
“Why are we crying?” Honor asked as she came over.
“Mom’s crying over Erin being all married up.”
“Oh, that’s sweet.” Honor put her arms around Erin and Mom. Since Brenna didn’t want to be left out, she joined the hug fest.