Thankfully, Charlotte’s nerves clouded her ability to read me like an open book. All she did was nod. “Yeah. It will be good.” She smiled. I did my best not to give a sigh of relief. If Charlotte had asked anything more about Sam, there was no way I could not tell her. Distracted or not, Charlotte knew me well enough to tell. And right now, I wasn’t ready to address just what had happened last night.
While the taste of Sam still lingered on my lips, it was easy enough to distract myself with all the wedding prep. Once Charlotte had eaten, I went about getting my hair done. Then there was the getting dressed, making sure everyone’s makeup was just right.
And before long, we were ready to head over to the church so Charlotte could get married!
The storm had left the sky a beautiful, crystal-clear blue, as if the rain had washed away any lingering drabness or dirt. Sun streamed through the stained-glass windows of the church, painting patches of color on the bare floor.
As maid of honor, I went in just before Charlotte, pushing open the heavy oak door and drinking in the expectant hush of the wedding guests. Though I’d walked into the church a hundred times, it felt different to do so in a floor-length gown and carrying a bouquet.
My dress wasn’t white, of course. But part of me imagined that it was. My eyes sought out Sam, standing so tall and proud next to his brother. For a dizzying instant, I felt as if past, present, and future had all slammed together at once, spilling bits of the life I’d left behind into this very moment.
I blinked, taking slow, measured steps up the aisle. Pat flashed me a nervous grin. It was all I could not to run to him and throw my arms around him. He was going to make Charlotte so happy!
While the vicar spoke slowly through the marriage service, time seemed to dilate and contract. One moment it felt as if he’d been talking forever. The next, Pat and Charlotte were facing each other, flushed with joy as he slid a wedding ring onto her finger.
Watching them exchange vows was as beautiful as I had imagined. Charlotte’s soft ‘I do’ lit up Pat’s eyes so that they shone like stars in the bright interior of the church. The smile on his lips was so sweet, so achingly familiar…
“By the power vested in me,” announced our vicar with a fond smile, “I now pronounce you man and wife.”
The ripple of joy that spread across the audience wasn’t quite a cheer, but it was pretty close!
I hid a few happy tears in Charlotte’s bouquet while Pat pulled her close and kissed her. This moment had been a long time coming. I truly couldn’t be happier for both Charlotte and Pat. They were going to make a wonderful married couple, making each other so happy that I almost wondered what they would do with it all!
The photographer guided us all through the next steps, snapping away while Pat and Charlotte signed the documents which would make their union truly official.
I hardly had time to catch Sam’s eye. At least, until the photographer suggested a shot of the two of us together.
Dabbing at my tear-stained cheeks with my handy handkerchief, I nodded.
Sam was a solid, warm presence at my side. Once the photographs were done, I smiled up at him.
“So how does it feel to have a new sister?” I asked, teasingly. “You’d better take good care of her!”
The deep laugh my comment earned made my stomach flip. It felt good to make Sam laugh. I’d never get tired of hearing that sound. His smile was wide, happy. I had to draw my eyes away so thoughts of wanting to kiss him again wouldn’t overwhelm me.
“It’s great! Charlotte’s lovely and I know she’ll love Pat no matter what, so she’s very much a welcomed part of our family,” he answered easily, tone so genuine that it made me smile back. Sam was truly excited for Pat and Charlotte, it was impossible not to appreciate that.
After a moment, Sam gave me another smile, a softer, more personal one. “Thank you for texting me earlier,” he told me gently.
It made me glad I hadn’t shut down the impulse to reach out to him. Even though we weren’t together, I never wanted Sam to feel alone. And I knew how nervous he got about things like this.
“I was only telling you what I told Charlotte,” I admitted. “That you needed to eat breakfast because otherwise, your mind wouldn’t be on the wedding. You’d be thinking about your stomach, instead!”
Right now, Charlotte looked completely, blissfully happy, standing for yet more photographs with different combinations of Pat’s family and hers.
“It was a beautiful ceremony,” I said. “I cried a little. Can you tell?” I tipped my head back, so Sam could check whether there were red lines around my eyes. Hopefully, my makeup was covering any evidence of tears.
Sam’s eyes felt piercing as they focused on me. He actually checked the makeup rather than just assuring me it was fine. “There’s a little smudge,” he informed me. “May I?” Sam asked, holding one hand up, so close to my face but not actually touching. I couldn’t even find the words, just giving a soft nod.
The touch was gentle, barely brushing over my skin as he rubbed the skin just at the corner of my eyes, so careful that it made my breath catch. Our eyes met, that kiss flashing before me. I could almost feel it flashing before him, too. For a moment, neither of us said anything, just watching each other.
It was so tempting to tiptoe and kiss Sam again. But this wasn’t the time or place, if
