I’d been a single man a long time and never once had I envisioned what my wedding might be like, but here I was…thinking about it. It was almost crazy, and, yet, it was probably the sanest I’d ever been. Even the idea of standing in front of a lot of people didn’t bother me. That was how I knew I was fully invested.
I hoped my hesitation around the issue of children hadn’t ruined things with her. I understood logically that if the Lord wanted us to be together, nothing would keep us apart, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t worried I’d screwed it up.
Hunter walked Sabrina to the SUV she was sharing with her parents, and once they left, he walked over to me. “You’re still here.”
“Yeah, I wanted to let you know I’m excited for you. This wedding…it’s been a long time coming and you deserve to be happy.” Hunter and Sabrina had been best friends for five years before it finally turned into more, and I knew Hunter was a happy man right now.
“Thanks.” He ran a hand through his hair and smiled. “What happened with you and Jazmin when you followed her out of the room? Were you able to talk?”
I shook my head. “No. She needed space this evening, but she said we could talk after the wedding.”
Hunter nodded slowly. “Don’t break her heart. She’s family now which makes me a protective cousin-in-law.”
I grinned. “Do you plan to rough me up if I don’t step it up?”
He laughed. “You know it.”
“Good. I would expect nothing less.”
Chapter 12
Jazmin
“You look stunning.” I stood with Sabrina in front of a full-length mirror and admired her bridal gown. Her dress had layers of lace flowing down to the floor, and the bodice hugged her tiny waist. She’d purchased it in L.A. about a month after we returned from our trip to Alaska last summer, and I was lucky enough to be with her when she found it. Her sisters, my other cousins, were all picky when it came to clothes, but everyone had agreed once they saw her in this dress. It was perfect.
Of course, when we had to decide on bridesmaid dresses, there had been a lot of disagreement, but we finally settled on Sabrina’s favorite: a floor-length royal blue dress with lacy long sleeves. And since we knew it would be cold, we’d all gotten faux fur wraps to keep us warm, including Sabrina.
“Thank you.” She beamed and turned to check the clock on the wall. “Let’s get this show on the road. I can’t wait!”
Her mom laughed. “Good luck getting your sisters ready on time.” One glance was all it took to see they were still running around zipping up their dresses, curling their hair, and putting on makeup. Basically, they were like chickens with their heads cut off.
I chuckled. “Weddings aren’t usually punctual, anyway.”
“Well, this one is going to be,” Sabrina said, determination in her voice.
Tina, the wedding coordinator walked in. “Ladies, we have five minutes.”
Sabrina suddenly sobered and put a hand over her stomach. “I can’t believe this moment is finally here.”
I took her hand and squeezed it. “Are you nervous?”
“Not about the marriage part. I can’t wait for that, but I’m a little anxious about standing through the ceremony. I just hope I don’t faint.”
“You’ll be fine,” I said. “Hold on to Hunter’s arm for support. He won’t let you fall.”
She nodded. “I’m so excited. I’ve waited for this for so long.” She waved a hand in front of her face as if attempting to ward off tears.
“We’ve all waited for this day,” her mom said. “It’s a blessing from the Lord. Just enjoy it.”
A few minutes later, Tina walked in and motioned for us to follow her. By that time, my other cousins had pulled it together and everyone looked amazing. There was an energy that pulsed through us as we strode from the bridal room to the front entrance of the church where we met the groomsmen.
My gaze landed on Clay, and butterflies stirred in my stomach at his handsome appearance. His muscled physique filled out a black tux, and he wore a royal blue tie to match our dresses. His hair was slicked back, and he remained clean-shaven. His eyes misted when he saw me, and it was the first time I’d ever seen him that emotional.
He walked over and took my hand. “You’re so beautiful.” It came out like a whisper, almost as if I’d caught him off guard and he was nearly speechless.
“And you’re very handsome. I’m impressed.” He looked so different from the man I met at that wedding last summer, but both styles were attractive. I would be drawn to Clay no matter how he dressed or wore his hair. Whether he shaved or didn’t shave. None of it mattered. It was the person inside that had captured my heart.
He lifted my hand and gently kissed it, and the gesture made me want to cry, but I pushed those feelings down and refused to allow myself to fall apart. It was clear he cared a great deal about me even if he understood we couldn’t be together. Getting carried away with that knowledge would be foolish. Sometimes love wasn’t enough to make a relationship work, and I knew that only too well.
Yesterday, he’d asked to speak to me during the rehearsal dinner, and I was ninety-nine percent sure it was more about him wanting to
