Chapter Fifty-Six
Delilah
Present Day
Thalia half-turns in her chair, facing me, tapping the program against one leg.
“And then at the end, they both propose to her? Even though she’s the one choosing?”
“It’s weird,” I agree. “Though the nice Bachelorettes usually don’t let the guy they’re rejecting get that far. The dude makes some speech, and sort of goes to kneel, and she’s like, ‘Noooo, don’t do that!’”
“But God forbid she propose.”
“Exactly.”
“Do any of them actually get married and stay together?”
Around us, people are drifting through the rows of seats, greeting one another, sitting down. The trees above us sway in the breeze, shade moving and shifting.
It’s a beautiful day for a wedding.
“I think a couple have,” I say. “I don’t watch it religiously, I mostly drink wine with my best friend and marvel at the life choices being made.”
Thalia laughs, throwing her head back, and I grin.
When Seth told me Caleb’s girlfriend was a year younger than Ava, I worried. I remember myself at twenty-two all too well, and I was absolutely not the kind of person anyone should have switched careers for.
But Thalia’s nothing like I was. She’s got her shit together in a way that took me years. I think she’s probably more mature than I am now.
They’ll be fine.
“That actually sounds really fun,” she says.
“Let me know next time you’re in town, we’ll make it happen,” I offer. “You’d love Lainey, too.”
“I think I already do,” Thalia says, just as a small, chubby hand enters my field of vision.
I turn my head to see Thomas grinning at me, mouth open, drool on his chin, reaching for my hair.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
He just reaches harder against Charlie’s arm until he finally makes contact, and I start laughing. Charlie looks over from her conversation with Violet and sighs.
“Dude, you can’t just grab hair,” she says, putting her finger into his outstretched hand and wiggling it. “It’s impolite.”
Thomas, who has no use for her finger, shoves it away and reaches for me again.
“I can take him,” I offer. “This’ll keep him entertained for a while.”
“Sure, if you dont mind,” Charlie says.
Thomas doesn’t mind, and a moment later, he’s on my lap, patting at my hair with wide eyes.
“Hey, cutie,” Thalia says, leaning in. “I like your outfit.”
Thomas, who’s currently nine months old, is wearing a very small and adorable suit, along with a bandana to catch the drool. It’s a lot of look.
He grins at Thalia and makes some noises, showing off all five teeth.
“The bib with the suit is a strong choice, but you’re making it work,” she agrees. “Though I can’t help but notice that —”
She stops as music fills the air, the opening strains of something bluegrassy, and everyone in the audience turns, goes silent.
The aisle between the two sets of chairs leads to a path that cuts between two trees and then disappears. It’s only about fifty feet until it comes out the other side, by the old hunting lodge-turned-wedding venue, but it makes the clearing where the ceremony’s taking place feel magical, like it’s in the middle of nowhere.
After a few moments, June’s brother Silas emerges, a leather-bound folder in his hand, and walks very officially down the aisle, taking his place behind a microphone at the front.
Thomas giggles at nothing, and Charlie looks over.
“You like Uncle Silas?” she whispers.
Next are Rusty and Hedwig, Levi and June’s dog. Originally, Rusty was supposed to be the flower girl, but when it came time to get the outfit, she decided that flower girl wasn’t really her thing.
She then decided that her thing was beastmaster, and now she’s wearing a three-piece gray suit, her curly hair piled on her head, and walking Ringbearer Hedwig. When they walk past our row, she glances over at Charlie like she’s a little nervous.
Charlie grins and gives her a giant thumbs up. Thomas squeals, because he’s obsessed with his big sister. They sit in front of us, and Charlie leans over and gives Rusty a kiss on the back of the head.
Finally, the wedding parties walk in. One by one, each Loveless brother glances at our row as they escort a bridesmaid down the aisle. Daniel grins at Charlie, Thomas, and Rusty. Caleb winks at Thalia. Eli gives Violet a serious, smoldering look.
“He must’ve found the note I put in his pocket,” Violet whispers to us.
Seth is last. His hair’s behaving for once, his suit fits perfectly, and honestly, he’s just hot as fuck. When he walks by, he gives me a look like he’s laughing at some private joke we have, and then Thomas pulls my hair.
The music changes, and everyone looks to the back again. A moment later, Levi and Clara step out from the path. She says something to him, and he laughs, then smiles the whole way down the aisle. At the end she gives him a huge, long hug, then sits next to Rusty.
“How’d I do?” she whispers.
Rusty gives her the a-ok sign.
Then we all stand. I heave Thomas into my arms, Charlie gives me a you good? Look, and I nod.
June and her parents emerge and walk down the aisle. Her dress isn’t quite traditional: it falls to just past her knees, and it’s mostly white with blue flowers embroidered on it.
Thomas grabs at my hair, and I remove his hand. He tries the other one. I block that too and look up to see June hugging her parents, and then turning to Levi.
He lights all the way up, like he’s giddy to see her. They join hands, she takes her place, and then he leans in and whispers something in her ear.
June laughs, and I swear Levi lights up even brighter. He kisses her hands, grinning.
Silas clears his throat into the microphone, and they both look up.
“Excuse me,” he says, and the whole audience laughs. “Not yet.”
June says something we can’t hear, but Silas just shrugs.
“Listen, you’re the one who thought it was a good idea to give me a microphone,” he says, and everyone laughs again.
He flips open the folder in a very official manner.
“Please be seated,” he begins. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union…”
I check out Seth again. Still hot. It’s the same suit he wore to Ava’s wedding, since Levi thought the idea of making his brothers buy new suits was ridiculous, and I take a few moments to fondly remember the way it looked on the floor that night.
“…at this gathering,” Silas is saying. “If anyone has any —"
He frowns.
“No one’s objecting, I thought I took that part out. Sorry,” he says, and then grins. It’s a very charming grin. “If you’ve got an objection, come talk to me later.”
More laughter, and the wedding proceeds as weddings do. They wrote their own vows. June cries. Her maid of honor cries. Violet cries. I cry. Levi wipes away a tear, and when I look at Seth, he’s clenching his jaw pretty hard.