“Is your dad coming?” I asked, hoping that wouldn’t destroy the happy bubble she was floating in.
She looked at the floor. “He’s back in rehab. But I didn’t want to wait to do this and neither did Jameson. Everyone that means something to Jameson and me is here today. And Maisie promised she would show up as well,” Willa said and stripped down to her underwear and strapless bra.
“Don’t make me cry again,” I warned and pulled her wedding dress out of the garment bag. I helped her pull it over her head and tuck it in place. Lacing it up took forever, and I cursed the whole time. But once I was done, I admitted it was worth the sweat because it looked amazing.
The dress was fitted around the bodice and had cap sleeves. Tiny butterflies sown out of beads were all over the skirt. You could only tell what they were if you looked closely. She looked beautiful and so incredibly happy, she was glowing.
“Willa,” I gasped. “This dress was made for you.”
She blew me a kiss and grinned. “It was my grandma’s who passed it on to my mom. Rayna kept it and gave it to me when she found out I got engaged. I got it altered to fit me, but otherwise it’s pretty much the same dress.”
“This is going to be the perfect wedding. I’m so happy I get to be here with you.”
We hugged and now it was Willa’s turn for a few tears. There was a knock on the door and Rayna popped her head in. Her eyes went wide when she saw Willa.
“Oh my God, you look gorgeous.”
Willa twirled, then she twirled again for good measure. “It only needed a few alterations.”
“They’re almost ready for you,” Rayna said. She went over to Willa and took her hands. “I’m so proud of you, baby girl.”
There was another knock on the door and Maisie’s head appeared. “I’m so fucking sorry I’m late.”
Willa waved her in. “You just made it.”
“What is going on?” Maisie asked and did a double take when she saw Willa. “Are you getting married?”
I handed a gaping Maisie the remaining garment bag and she took it without looking, her eyes stuck on Willa.
“Surprise,” Willa said and did another little twirl. “Now get dressed so we can get this show on the road.”
Maisie stripped out of her clothes and squeezed herself into the gold dress. I had to give her credit for not saying a word or pulling a face when she saw it.
Maisie was a fashion designer and obsessed with matching her outfits down to the last detail. A gold dress would not make it on her top one hundred.
“Okay, girlies, let’s do this,” Willa said and grabbed her flowers. “Oh, and you’re not only my bridesmaids, you are also going to give me away.”
Maisie and I hugged Willa, each taking one side and engulfing her completely.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Absolutely. Nobody else I’d rather walk me down the aisle,” Willa said.
“Okay, Wills. It will be our honor,” Maisie said and we each stood on one side and took her hands.
We led the way downstairs and Rayna checked if everyone was in place. When she gave us the okay we all walked outside to where Jameson, his brother, and Landon stood in front of a beautiful arch wrapped in flowers.
My steps faltered when I locked eyes with Mason, but I was quick to regain my senses and continued walking.
We stopped opposite the guys, and I felt Mason’s gaze burning into me. Willa’s eyes were on Jameson and a look at him confirmed that he only saw her.
If there was ever anyone made for each other it was those two.
The ceremony was short and sweet. She always talked about having a ten-minute ceremony and a ten-hour celebration. I guess she really meant it.
I couldn’t hold back the tears when they said their vows, and I had given up on wiping them away. I had to fix my make up anyways, no need to draw more attention to what a mess I was and wiping my face.
As soon as they separated from their kiss that was anything but a chaste peck, everyone descended on the happy couple. I stepped back, needing a minute to collect myself. Somehow I ended up standing next to Mason.
“How have you been?” he asked, his familiar baritone voice flowing over me. I hadn’t seen him in a few days since he had been away on business. Mason and Jameson bought old cars from all over the country and restored them. Willa told me it was a big part of their business and brought them a nice profit. Mason went to New Orleans to look at a few potential buys. Not that I had seen him much since our big blowout even if he was working in the garage.
“Good. You?” I answered, sounding anything but good.
“Good.”
We continued standing there in awkward silence, looking at everything but each other.
“Excuse me,” I said and walked to the bathroom, unable to stand the tension any longer. I wondered how long it would take for me to get over him. Because the last few weeks hadn’t dimmed my feelings at all. If anything, it had amplified them. Seeing him again, and in a suit for crying out loud, made my heart ache with sorrow. What had I done?
I walked into the upstairs bathroom that I used when I was staying at his house. I closed the door behind me, but it stopped before it could latch shut and was pushed open.
I stumbled back and there was Mason, his tie partly undone, his hair sticking up as if he had repeatedly run his hands through it. He turned and shut the door and locked it, resting his forehead on the wood. “Damn it, Stella,” he rasped.
What could he possibly be mad at me for now? I hadn’t talked to him in weeks, and I didn’t
