Page 103 of My Silver Lining

When we got home, a slew of people who worked for the wedding planner were in the backyard getting things set up for tomorrow. This was what Emerson wanted. A wedding at the childhood home where we’d grown up.

Henley and Easton were sitting on the couch, drinking a glass of wine with Nash, while Lulu and Cutler were playing cards in the same place they’d been when we left.

I handed my mom the bag of parsley and suddenly wondered what the urgency was. “The rehearsal dinner isn’t even here, and the wedding tomorrow is catered. What did you need the parsley for?”

“Oh, turns out I don’t need parsley,” she said with a chuckle. “But wasn’t it nice to have a little time with Em?”

“You are a devious woman.” I wrapped her in a hug and kissed the top of her head.

“All right, we need to get home and change if we want to make it to the restaurant on time,” Easton said, with Henley on his heels.

“Beefcake, you’re a shark!” Lulu said over a fit of laughter and tossed the cards onto the table.

“I don’t know, Lulu. You had me worried for a minute.” Cutler pretended to swipe his brow. “Uncle Rafe, your girl is a shark, too.”

Your girl.

“Hey, I thought you said that I wasyourgirl.” Lulu ruffled his hair and smiled down at him.

“Oh, you’re my girl, too, Lulu. But I just didn’t want to hurt Uncle Rafe’s feels,” he said.

“You mean Uncle Rafe’s feelings.” Nash quirked a brow.

“Nope. I mean feels, because Mama told me that Uncle Rafe is all in his feels for Lulu.”

Everyone erupted in laughter, and I rolled my eyes, acting unfazed.

But they were right.

Uncle Rafe was definitely up in all his feels for this girl.

twenty-eight

. . .

Lulu

When we arrivedat the house for the wedding, I couldn’t get over how stunning it looked. I’ve only attended weddings in banquet halls and country clubs. I’ve never been to a wedding that was so detailed and warm and everything a wedding should be.

Beefcake had introduced me to all the friends that had come from Magnolia Falls. Romeo and Demi had the cutest little baby boy named Hayes. I fangirled a little bit because I learned that Romeo was a professional boxer, but I remembered that fight he won as the underdog. It had been all over the news for months. River and Ruby were hilarious, and Rafe, Henley, and I sat in the middle of them during the ceremony.

Emerson and Nash had decided not to do a big wedding party as they thought it would be too many people, so Keaton walked his daughter down the aisle, sweet little Melody dropped flower petals and delivered the ring, and Cutler stood up there with them. Easton had officiated the nuptials, since he went through the process a few months ago so he could marry them.

They only wanted close friends and family to attend the ceremony, and I felt honored to be included. Apparently, thewhole town would be coming out for the reception. The chairs were lined in rows, and there was a huge floral gazebo with the river in the distance. Peach and cream flowers were draped along the aisle.

They said their vows, and I’ve never experienced a more heartfelt wedding before. There wasn’t a dry eye out here. Hell, I didn’t know them that well, and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Once they were announced husband and wife, we moved to a gorgeous area under these giant trees for photographs.

The sun was shining, and the sound of the water moving down the river was so soothing.

Hayes and Savannah introduced me to their twin baby girls, Piper and Penelope. They were passed around the group and everyone took turns holding them while we stood together as different groups were called for photos. Kingston and Saylor had just come back from using the restroom for the third time in an hour because she was very pregnant and apparently couldn’t go very long without peeing, and everyone teased her endlessly about it.

“I wonder what they put in the water in Magnolia Falls,” Henley whispered as we watched different groups pose for photos.

Emerson and all her brothers and cousins took a slew of photos. My eyes tracked Rafe like it was my day job. The man wore a tan suit and cowboy boots, and it somehow managed to be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.

“Trust me, I don’t drink the water. I’m not risking getting knocked up before I’m ready,” Ruby said, and Henley and I both laughed.

“Oh, we’re blaming the water, huh?” Savannah said, cradling one of her sweet little girls in her arms.

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