Page 43 of Take Me
Taking her place on the right, she turns to watch Maxine stride down the aisle with her flowing red hair held back by a gauzy white veil.She’s breathtakingly beautiful, clutching a cluster of burnt-orange roses and baby’s breath laced with blue thistle.
“God, she’s stunning.”Brooke dabs her eyes with a tissue.“I hope I look half that beautiful for my wedding.”
“Like you have anything to worry about,” I whisper back.Brooke Braham looks amazing even when she’s wearing sweatpants and no trace of makeup.“You’ll be a beautiful bride.”
“Thanks.”She glances at my hand wrapped up in Mason’s and smiles.As her eyes lift to mine, she winks.“So will you, when your time comes.”
I don’t get a chance to respond, since the officiant starts the ceremony.There are lots of sweet little moments, like Maxine’s mom and sister singing an upbeat rendition of Brandi Carlile’s “You and Me on the Rock.”
There’s a point after that where the brides perform rock, paper, scissors to decide who goes first with her vows.Snickers roll through the crowd when Maxine makes a quip about scissoring, then blushes deeply when she hears that her mic picked it up.
Mason laughs softly beside me.“That’s something I’d do,” he murmurs.“I’d say something goofy for only my bride to hear, and I’d end up talking dirty to everyone’s grandparents.”
“Sounds like my kinda wedding.”Why did I say that?“I mean, your future wife would have to appreciate your sense of humor, right?”
“Right.”Mason squeezes my hand again as Sam starts reciting her vows.
The brides wrote their own, and there’s tender stuff about love and loyalty intertwined with real-world details about mucking out stalls and spending their first-date anniversary on a book tour with Brooke.
By the time the brides get to “I do,” I’ve got tears in my eyes.
“You okay?”Mason murmurs, and I nod.
“It’s really beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
Something connects us beyond just our intertwined fingers.It’s probably all that rosé.Or maybe the fact that I almost forgot my parents’ last anniversary.I feel time slipping past with only my father to mark all the milestones.
My mother will never watch me walk down the aisle to marry some guy I probably haven’t even met.
I dash away tears, blaming the wine or the hay or the flicker of candlelight.
Mason hands me a tissue, and I pull it together, forcing myself not to look at him.Pushing back thoughts that keep crowding my brain like unwelcome wedding guests.
Chapter7
Mason
“So with all of that said, let’s hear it for Maxine and Samantha.”Peter, my sister’s fiancé, lifts his champagne flute in the air.“I’m not losing a sister; I’m gaining a sister.”With a wink formysister, he straightens his tie.“Given how great my first sister is, I’m honored to welcome Max to the family.”
The crowd bursts into applause, and there’s the usual clinking of glasses.Somebody else gets up for another toast as I touch my champagne flute to Erika’s.
“Cheers.”She takes a healthy sip of her rosé.
“Back atcha,” I murmur, conscious of how much booze is now flowing through my bloodstream.“I think I need food.”
“Me too.”She sways as she stands, and I grab hold of her elbow.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.”Her smile seems a little bit tipsy.“Not used to this much bubbly.”
“It’s good stuff, huh?”We weave between bistro tables dressed up in orange and white tablecloths.The crowd flows around us, everyone smiling and wildflowers spilling from mason jars.“Don’t you think I should get royalties for having a jar named after me?”
“Huh?”Erika grabs my hand to tug me toward the buffet.“Come on, drunk guy.Let’s get some food in you.”
I start to argue that I’m notthatdrunk, but she’s got a point.I do need food.We kick through the hay, making our way to the food as the mic changes hands and someone starts telling a story about Sam castrating a goat.
