Page 130 of One Small Spark
Because we’ve known each other forever, and I would do anything for her.
I might be crying too. So gross.
I find Shepherd in the small audience. He knows exactly how to break me out of my melodramatic moment: he smirks. Why does the sight of him have my body breaking out in goosebumps? Sure, it could be the thirty-five-degree weather, but I wasn’t trembling before, either. It’s all him.
We’ve had one month of Shepherd-Wren bliss. People in Sunshine seem to think it’s some remarkable thing—and by that, I mean people think they need toremarkon it. Constantly.
“Didn’t you used to hate him?”
“I bet you’re eating your words now, honey.”
“What took you so long?”
That last one’s the hardest to answer. The first two are easy: yes and yes. But what took me so long to realize the guy who came into my bakery every week to antagonize me was actually the love of my life? Not that I call him that. Way too sappy. But LOML equivalent. Soulmate? Sure. That’s a more sensible description.
All I really know is that I’m grateful I finally wised up.
Hmm. Also, I apparently spaced out during the vows. Whoops.
Griffin dips Hope in a showy kiss, marking that they’re now Mr. and Mrs. McBride. They’re the cutest. I’m so happy for them.
Lila and I pair off with Grant and Griffin’s brother, Caleb, and follow the happy couple through the yard and intothe house. Lila and I go straight for the wood-burning fireplace in the living room. Hope found these really stunning wide-neck cable knit sweaters for us to wear, which could have been almost warm except that our sea-green skirts are paper-thin satin. At least she let us wear white Chuck Taylors underneath them in honor of the very chill day.
And sandals would have directly led to frostbite.
“I didn’t even know micro-weddings were a thing.” Lila’s mother has her arm around Griffin’s mom as they walk through the living room. “I had my doubts, but it turned out lovely.”
“I can hear you,” Lila says. She was Hope’s de facto micro-wedding planner. Whatever she suggested, Hope scaled down by a factor of ten.
“You’re a woman of many talents,” Kat McBride says to her.
Grant stands behind Lila, smoothing his hands over her arms to warm her up. “That you are, princess.”
Hope’s mom puffs up as she watches them. I can practically see the thoughts in her head. Tulle and lace. A hundred guests. Moonlight Lodge’s barn for the reception, festooned with imported flowers. I bet she’s hoping to plan a big blowout wedding next time around.
August runs over to join me at the fireplace. “Did you see me, Wren? I dropped the petalsandcarried the rings!”
“You were an excellent flower boy-slash-ring bearer.” I peeked from inside while he had his moment wowing everybody in attendance. Hope and Griffin don’t know any other little kids, so August got the responsibility of both jobs.
“Little babies like Colton can’t do that.” August’s smug expression says he doesn’t feel bad about taking a job from Griffin’s one-year-old nephew.
“At least you’re humble about it, kid,” Ian says.
Tess’s pirate looks dapper in a navy wool suit coat. It clashesbeautifully with his red man bun and beard, but he makes it work. Tess obviously thinks so—she’s got both arms wrapped around him like he’s her anchor.
“Jodi deserves some praise, too.” Tess nods at one of Ian’s aunts, who officiated the wedding. “That was the most beautiful ceremony I’ve ever heard.”
Oops. I probably should have listened harder. Maybe somebody got it on video.
Jodi holds an arm out, and Amy slips against her side. They’re even more sophisticated than the rest of us, with Jodi in a tan turtleneck sweater and brown twill jacket, and Amy in a similar sweater dress. They’re like a matched set. “I’ve learned a lot from a lifetime of love.”
“A lifetime?” Ian repeats. “You two are barely older than I am.”
Tess gently pokes him in the stomach. “Which is how old again?”
Ian takes her hand and kisses her knuckles. “Tread carefully, angel, or I might throw you over my shoulder and take you home.”
“I want cake!” August pipes up.
