Page 104 of Before You Can Blink
My gaze swept over Aspen’s bridesmaids, Bex, Penny, and Harper, dressed in identical blue dresses. “You look lovely, ladies,” I remarked.
“What ’bout me?” Barrett’s tiny face pulled into a scowl.
A chuckle broke free from my chest. “You look mighty handsome, little man.” I winked at his sister. “You too, sweetheart.”
Looking at them, I couldn’t help but feel like only yesterday Tripp and Aspen had been their size. Damn, where had the time gone?
Music sounded from the string quartet, and that was our cue. The girls all wished Aspen good luck as, one by one, they made their way down the porch steps and walked around the corner, until I was left alone with my daughter.
This was the final moment before I gave her away.
Now seemed as good a time as any to impart some of the wisdom gleaned from my three decades of marriage to her mother.
Patting her hand, I said, “I wish I could tell you that the hard part is over once you find the one person placed on this earth meant to be your perfect partner.” My lips pulled together, and I sighed. “But the truth is that life has a habit of testing the strength of your relationship. Those are the times when you need to double down. Clinging to each other is the only wayyou’ll make it through. You’ll always be stronger together, no matter the situation you may be faced with. Understood?”
In my periphery, I caught her slight nod. “I understand.”
“Good. Now let’s get you hitched.”
Slowly, we followed the path the others had taken.
When we cleared the side of the house, the musicians switched to a different tune, and everyone gathered rose to their feet in anticipation of our arrival.
The second we reached the far end of the aisle, and Mac came into view, Aspen sucked in a sharp breath that turned into a gasp when he barreled straight toward us as fast as his legs could carry him.
I jumped out of the way just in the nick of time as my daughter’s fiancé put his hands on her face before kissing her softly. With their foreheads resting together, I could barely make out his whispered words.
“Your love saved me, Aspen, and if it takes the rest of my life to thank you, that will be time well spent. I’m so lucky to call you mine.”
Aspen let out a stuttered exhale. “I can’t wait to marry you.”
Mac nuzzled her nose, chuckling softly. “Guess I should go back to my spot then, huh?”
She nodded her agreement, and he pulled back to apologize to their invited guests before trekking back down the aisle. The music resumed, and I retook my place at my daughter’s side as we made our way toward her groom.
A giant grin split Mac’s face when we reached where he stood, his brown eyes brimming with unshed tears.
The preacher asked who was giving this woman away, and I replied that me and her mother were before stepping forward to shake the hand of the man who would be my son-in-law within mere minutes.
Leaning in, I said low, “You take care of my baby girl, you hear?”
Mac pulled back enough to meet my eye before he replied, “It’ll be the honor of my life, sir.”
In that moment, I felt a kinship with the man. We would forever be bonded by our love for the same girl. Though mine had begun when Aspen took her first breath, his would last until she took her final one.
With that, I surrendered my daughter to his care from this day forward.
There was no doubt in my mind that she was in good hands.
Chapter 25
Jett
Age 55
December
We’djustfinisheddinnerwhen Mac and Aspen walked in, so I was relaxing with a glass of whiskey in my recliner while Daisy washed the dishes. Since my back had been acting up, she refused to let me help, insisting that I take it easy for the rest of the evening.
