Page 56 of Another June with You

She headed toward the church doors, and he walked quickly to get ahead of her and hold the door. “Why are you here so early? Hair and makeup?” she teased.

He smirked. “Chase wanted me to deliver a gift to his bride before all the momentum of the day picks up.”

“That’s so nice.”

“Yeah, he’s sweet that way.”

She stopped when she realized he wasn’t walking into the church with her and turned to look at him.

“I have to get back to Chase.” He pointed over his shoulder toward the parking lot.

“Oh, right.” She let out a nervous laugh and walked swiftly toward the room where the girls were getting ready.

“Shannon!” Micah’s voice carried down the hallway behind her.

She rotated to face him as he caught up to her, moved her camera equipment from her shoulders to the floor, and pulled her into an embrace.

“What’s this for?” she asked, feeling quite content to stay put for a while.

“I wanted to start your day on a happy note.”

She giggled softly into his shoulder. “That’s sweet, Micah. It’s already been a good morning, and you just made it better.”

“Good. I’m glad. I hated seeing you have such a hard time yesterday.”

“It’s not up to you to make my day happy.”

He let go of her then. “I know, but I still want to.” He gave her that cute little closed mouth smile that had always melted her heart, gave her back her equipment, and slowly walked away down the hall.

Shannon watched his every step, wondering if he’d turn back to look at her. Just as he reached the door, he glanced back with another sweet smile and nervously ran his hand over the back of his neck as he walked out.

She sighed. If only things were different.

The sound of chattering girls led her down the hallway to Keely and her bridesmaids. Two hair stylists and a makeup artist were there to work on the girls’ wedding looks, and Shannon captured it all—the sweet compliments to each other, the laughter, the inside jokes they all shared. This little group seemed more like sisters than friends, and it made Shannon miss Sophia.

She missed their high school days—sitting up late, pigging out on pizza, talking about boys, laughing until their stomachs hurt. Only a year after her PCOS diagnosis, Sophia had graduated and left for New York. She hadn’t been there when they discovered Shannon had a cyst. She hadn’t come home for Shannon’s procedure. When she did come home, it was usually for a quick weekend visit, and she spent most of the time on her phone, wrapped up in her own little world. Things weren’t the same between them, which saddened her.

She shook off thoughts of her sister and went back to work.

“Do you think I should open it now?” Keely asked of the small square package Micah had delivered to her for Chase.

“Heck, yeah,” Becca replied. “He wanted you to have it this morning. Maybe it’s something for you to wear for the wedding.”

Keely opened the envelope Chase had sent with the gift. She read it over, then sighed and read it aloud. “Keely, you are priceless to me. More precious than diamonds. I love you. Chase.”

The girls all sighed or aww’d.

She tore off the wrapping paper and opened the box to find a delicate diamond bracelet within along with a little note that read “Something to wear down the aisle.”

“See! I told you!” Becca declared.

Keely touched it lovingly. “He’s the sweetest.”

“And he’ll be your husband in about four hours,” one of the bridesmaids said.

Keely squealed, which elicited the same from the rest of the girls, and they all met up in a group hug.

Shannon was so thankful for the equipment that had been lent to her, which allowed her to capture this precious moment.

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