Page 61 of Another June with You

She smiled sweetly and left him where he stood, ashamed for tuning her out the way he had. He couldn’t help it. When Shannon was in a room, she was all he saw.

The bridesmaids came into the foyer then and began lining up to enter the sanctuary. Becca wound her arm through Micah’s and led him into position.

He couldn’t drag his eyes away from Shannon, standing in the aisle to photograph each bridal party couple as they entered. He was sure to give her his cutest grin when he passed by. She didn’t respond at all aside from pressing the shutter on her camera. She was completely focused on her job—a real pro.

At the front of the aisle, Chase was the picture of cool, calm, and collected—like he’d been ready for this his entire life. And when the doors opened to reveal Keely in her wedding dress, Micah looked over at his friend, who had tears in his eyes and the biggest smile he’d ever worn. It was enough to get Micah all choked up. This was a huge day for his best friend. He was marrying the love of his life, and Micah couldn’t have been happier for him. For them.

He noticed Shannon crouched down at the front of the aisle, capturing Keely’s processional. She rotated and snapped a few photos of Chase’s reaction to his bride, then looked over the top of her camera at Micah. For the briefest of moments, her lips curved up. Then she stood and snapped more pictures of Keely before moving back the aisle and capturing the entire bridal party on the stage.

Once again, Micah was in awe of her.

The ceremony began and, despite wanting to keep his eyes on Shannon, he had to pay attention so he would remember to give Chase the ring at the appropriate time. He’d never been the best man in a wedding before, and he didn’t want to blow it.

When Becca stepped up to the microphone to recite scripture, Micah’s eyes turned to the audience, and he found Autumn halfway back to his left.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast.”

When he thought about Autumn, he felt comfort, friendship, companionship. She was definitely all the things the verses in I Corinthians described.

“It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs.”

His gaze moved to Shannon. With her, he felt all of the things he felt with Autumn and so much more—attraction, passion, a fierce need to protect her.

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

His love for her had never faded away. If anything, the years apart had allowed his heart time to heal while that love stayed buried deep down inside, lying dormant as he became the man God wanted him to be.

Shannon looked over the top of her camera and locked eyes with him.

“Love never fails.”

Now was the time for love to bloom again.

The newlyweds celebrated long into the evening at Frederik Meijer Gardens. They danced and kissed and mingled and ate cake. They made out on the dance floor. They even snuck away for an hour alone while people were dancing. “To change” was all Chase had said. They were so obvious and so adorably in love.

An hour before sunset—the golden hour as photographers often called it—the bridal party went for a walk with Shannon to take pictures by the waterfall and among the gardens and sculptures. They couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful night for a wedding. A soft, warm breeze caressed them, while deep shades of orange, red, and yellow painted the sky.

As they returned to the building after their photo session, Micah held back to walk with Shannon behind the group.

“How much longer will you be shooting?”

She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and tightened the elastic around her ponytail. “I normally stop after the bouquet toss, but it’s Keely. I want to get as much of this for her as I can. She needs these pictures to remember every happy moment, especially after the day she’s had.”

The hair she had tucked fell again, fluttering softly in the wind. She was so pretty like that—so natural—and his mind flashed back to their kiss.

“Do I have something on my face?” she asked.

“Huh?”

“You’re staring.” She wiped at her cheek then her mouth as if to clear away some unknown crumb.

“I could stare at you all day.” He wasn’t going to hold back anymore. No matter how she reacted.

Her gaze shifted to the Children’s Garden as they passed by.

When they reached the building, he held the door for her.

“Thanks.” She gave him a little smile and began to veer toward the banquet room.

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