Katherine clapped softly. “That’s it. That’s the one.”
“I love it,” I gasped.
Peyton covered her mouth as tears came to her eyes. “It’s perfect.”
It was even better than the one that had been made for her. The one at the bottom of a fiery grave. Somehow, this fit her lithe ballet figure to perfection. The bust was all lace in an almost balconette structure with visible boning that gave the top a corseted look. An airy tulle skirt reminiscent of all the past ballets Peyton had danced in fell to the floor with an embroidered floral design starting at the top and tapering off. The entire thing shimmered slightly when it caught the light. And to her delight, it had two of her favorite things—a hidden slit to reveal her baby-blue heels and, best of all, pockets.
“Who designed this?” Peyton asked. “I must write to the designer to thank them.”
“Of all people, Harmony Cunningham,” Katherine said, standing and fingering the skirt. “Her mother handed over most of the reins to Cunningham Couture to her, and it is blooming. Who knew that taking the girl out of the spotlight would revitalize the brand?”
“I used to always want to wear Elizabeth Cunningham’s vision,” Peyton admitted.
“She designed my wedding dress,” Katherine said. “Well, that’s the one. I’ll tell Harmony. She’ll be pleased. You’ll probably even have your wedding in magazines.”
Peyton laughed. “That was already going to happen. Ex-prima and her new beau.” She rolled her eyes. “Magazines have been hounding me for the last year.”
“And in that dress, you’ll be the highlight of the season.”
“Thank you, Katherine,” Peyton said, drawing her into a hug. She turned to me next. “See? Nothing to worry about.”
“You were right,” I told her. “Now, let’s get you married.”
“I’ll say, ‘I now pronounce you man and wife,’ ” the pastor said.
“Then we kiss,” Isaac said with a wink.
Peyton flushed.
The pastor laughed. “Exactly,” he said.
I stood off to the side of Peyton, holding her fake bouquet during the rehearsal. Peter was on my other side. Jordan and Annie stood for Isaac across from me and my brother. I liked that they’d gone nontraditional and had their people on either side rather than separating guys and girls. At the end, Jordan and Annie would walk down the aisle together, a precursor to their impending wedding. And I’d walk with my twin. It was going to be perfect.
“And that’s that,” the pastor said. He gestured to Nora. “All yours.”
Nora nodded solemnly. She was back in her heels, trying so hard to regain the bounce in her step. But she didn’t quite manage it. She was professional but not enthusiastic.
“Excellent. Let’s do the walk out. Each aisle will go one at a time, starting with Peyton’s family and then Isaac’s,” Nora said, directing everyone. “Afterward, we’ll take family pictures. While that is going on, we’ll move everyone inside to the barn. Any questions?”
The parents all crowded around poor Nora. Isaac and Peyton were speaking with the pastor about the wording and such. I stood with my brother, Jordan, and Annie.
“It’s hot as hell,” Peter grumbled.
“Supposed to be worse tomorrow,” I told him.
“Great.”
Annie laughed. “This isn’t even a bad May day.”
Jordan shook his head. “At least you aren’t in a three-piece suit.”
“Exactly,” Peter added.
Annie and I exchanged a conspiratorial smile. We’d gotten lucky. Peyton didn’t care one lick about what we were wearing as long as it was in the champagne, rose gold, or blush family. We’d gone shopping together this winter and picked something out that didn’t cost either of us a fortune and ended up with these gorgeous, shimmery dresses. They weren’t exactly the same, as we were different builds, but they complemented each other. In fact, they worked out even better with Peyton’s new dress. I couldn’t wait to see the entire vision come to life.
Jordan had just gotten on the phone for business when another truck pulled into the parking lot. My smile lit up when I recognized it. I traipsed across the lawn of Wright Vineyard and rapped on the window.
Hollin rolled it down and hung slightly out the side. “Can I help you, ma’am?” he drawled, low and country.
I laughed. “That is quite some twang you have on you.”
He tipped his cowboy hat at me. “Ma’am.”
“You’re ridiculous. I didn’t think you were coming up here for the rehearsal.”
“I wasn’t,” he said as he popped the door of his truck. “But I wanted to see you.”
“Oh good.”
He wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed me. He’d been letting a beard grow out the last week, and the whiskers scratched against my face. I hadn’t minded them scratchy elsewhere.
“You keeping this?” I asked, pulling gently on the beard.
“You like it?”
“I am yet undecided. You look good either way.”
“Well, it’ll be gone soon. We all agreed not to shave until the wedding. Julian hates it,” he said with a laugh. “So, it’s half the fun.”
“Ah, I see. No wonder Jordan and Isaac both have beards. Why did you even decide this?”
Hollin shrugged. “We’re guys. I don’t know.”
I rolled my eyes. Typical.
He took my hand in his as we returned to the rehearsal. Everyone had moved out of the baking sun and into the air-conditioned barn. Thankfully, the reception would be indoors even if the wedding was out in the sun.
Jordan and Isaac both shook hands with Hollin.
“Just think, you’re next,” Isaac told Jordan.
“Patrick first,” he said with a laugh.
“Sure. Patrick and then us,” Annie said with a smile. Her eyes darted down to her ring. She hadn’t stopped messing with it since he’d proposed.
“And who’s after that?” Isaac asked. “Julian?”
Jordan quirked a self-satisfied smile. “Maybe Hollin.”
I laughed at the suggestion. We’d only been dating since Easter. Julian and Jennifer had been dating a year. There was no way that was in our future yet.
Hollin pulled a ridiculous face. “Yeah, right. We all know Julian is next.”
I frowned slightly at the way he’d said it. The way he’d scrunched up his face. The immediate denial. It wasn’t like I was looking to get married. Far from it. But I’d stopped to consider it. I’d said yet in my head. That was a huge step forward, but eventually, I wanted to get married. Maybe even to Hollin.
Hollin frowned. “What?”
I laughed, brushing it off. It was stupid. A month ago, I hadn’t even wanted to date him. “Awfully quick about that Abbey.”
He pressed a kiss to my lips. “It is Julian next. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Someday, dude,” Jordan said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Someday, you’ll have to grow up.”
“That day is not today,” Hollin said. “Marriage is a trap.”