Page 74 of The Wedding Run
Keeping an eye on the time, I help Andrea out the alley door with her mother and maid of honor. We circle the block and approach the front awning so she can make her big entrance.
At 6:22, the first rays of light breach the shops along Storyteller’s Lane. I nod to the DJ, and theWedding Marchwafts out the door Luke holds open. Andrea’s father offers his arm to the bride, and they enter The Brew.
From my vantage point, the groom’s expression shifts as the moment overwhelms him. Suddenly, he blinks hard and fast. Heswipes his face with the sleeve of his jacket. His best man leans forward and clasps his shoulder in an encouraging man hug.
Even from where I stand, I can hear Taylor say, “I’m the luckiest man alive.”
The click of Charlie’s camera captures this moment for a lifetime. It will make a wonderful keepsake.
When the bride and groom take their places under the decorated archway, I step outside and shift gears. I open my iPad to check my lists for the reception, but I’m struggling to breathe.
“You okay?” Luke surprises me by standing so close. The door has closed, and the wedding continues without our help.
I manage a watery smile. “I think so.”
“Having regrets? About your wedding?”
I shake my head. “No, I, uh… Not at all.”
He touches my cheek, wiping away a tear. “Then what is it?”
“The way Taylor was looking at Andrea—that’s love. Pure and simple.”
Luke gazes through the glass window at the bride and groom exchanging vows. “They’ll be happy.”
“You should go in,” I say. “They’re your friends.”
“I’m where I want to be.”
My gaze slips upward to meet his. “Do you know why I have no regrets about my wedding?”
He shakes his head.
“Because Derek never looked at me that way. Not once. Not even when he saw me in my wedding dress. But that look? Not even close.”
Luke wraps his arms around me, and I lean into him, grateful for his solid shoulder. Yet, my mind drifts in an entirely different direction. I find my hands encircling his waist, and I step back. “Sorry.” I smooth a hand down his suit jacket, his chest solid and reassuring beneath. “I’m just tired. As we all are.”
“It’s okay to long for someone to love you.”
“Is it?”
“You deserve love, Libby, and you deserve for someone to look at you the way Taylor looks at Andrea.”
CHAPTER 38
Libby
Smiles and more photographs accompany the joyful sounds of laughter and congratulations. The DJ plays Bruno Mars’Count on Me. Even though it’s still before most folks’ rise on Saturday morning, these guests are energetic.
Luke keeps up with the demand for lattes and cappuccinos, preparing them for guests—nonfat, full fat, almond milk, oat milk, sugar-free, extra pumps of syrup, no syrup, extra shots of espresso, you name it, and he makes it—all while chatting with guests in a friendly, seemingly unhurried manner.
Roxie assists Elle with the hot quiches and scones. I hold a reflector for Charlie, then set up a scrim.
Finally, it’s time for the wedding cake. The guests gather around as Taylor lovingly offers Andrea a bite, then she playfully shoves a piece into his mouth, smearing it across his cheek. They laugh, smile, and share kisses. Then Elle swoops in to carefully dismantle her creation.
The DJ ramps up the sound for the couple’s first official dance, playing buttery-smooth John Legend’sAll of Me. The wedding couple dances as if they are alone on a sunlit shore of a deserted island.
I notice Elle behind the counter with Luke, asking him questions about his equipment, and he tells her all about how to make the perfect latte. Well, la-dee-dah! Isn’t that something?
