Page 88 of Stolen Kisses
Jack held up a hand. “I don’t have reservations about marrying Grace. I love Grace. It’s the crowd and the commotion.”
Noah furrowed his brow. “Are you serious right now? You just had an open house for your new business and half the community was watching.”
“Yeah, watching me cut a ribbon. That’s easy. But I wrote vows for Grace. I poured my heart into the words on this paper.” Jack tapped a folded piece of paper in his chest pocket. “What if I screw them up? This day istheday. The one that Grace will remember for the rest of our lives. What if what I wrote sucks, and people laugh?” Jack sat back down and leaned forward on his elbows, looking sick to his stomach.
“Geez. Are you having a panic attack?”
“Not quite, but I’m headed there.” Jack looked up and blew out a breath. “What do I do, man?”
Noah’s gaze flicked all over the room as if the answer were somewhere hidden in the corners. “I don’t know. Think happy thoughts,” he finally said, returning his attention to his brother. “Forget about the other people. They don’t matter. Just think about Grace. She’s what today is about.”
Jack inhaled deeply.
Noah took that as a good sign. “Visualize Grace in her dress, waiting for you at the gazebo you’re getting married under.”
Jack closed his eyes. For a moment, Noah was amazed that his older brother was actually taking his advice for once. “There’s no crowd in sight. Just you and Grace. Now, take out your paper, unfold it, and see yourself reading those words to Grace. See her smiling back at you. Maybe there’s even a happy tear in her eye,” Noah said, imagining it himself. He led his brother through the entire event, all the way to the point where the preacher pronounced them man and wife.
When Jack opened his eyes, he looked a lot calmer. He actually smiled up at Noah. “That worked,” he said. “Where the heck did you learn to do that?”
Noah shrugged a shoulder. “It’s just something the guidance counselor taught me to do in school when I got worked up about a test or something. I just close my eyes and imagine the situation ahead of time. It seems to help.”
Jack stood. “Yeah, it helped. Now, if you don’t mind, drive me to the beach before Grace thinks I’m standing her up.”
“That’s my job as your best man. Anything you need today.” Noah jingled his keys. “Now let’s get you hitched, bro.”
—
Noah had never really paid attention at weddings. They didn’t usually interest him, but today he took it all in. Maybe it was because he was standing front and center as best man. And maybe it was because Krista was standing just a few feet away, wearing a wine-colored silk dress with a low hanging neckline. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, and he couldn’t wait to touch her. Krista’s eyes were misty as Jack read the special vows he’d written for Grace. There was no chance of anyone in the crowd laughing as Jack had feared. Jack’s words were romantic and sincere, and even Noah felt a lump tightening his throat.
The ceremony took all of fifteen minutes and then the wedding party and guests dispersed back to The Landing, which was closed to the public for the night. The tables were decorated in Grace’s colors, a simple vase of gold and deep purple flowers at the center of each. Tables were shifted to create a dance floor and music hummed through the speakers.
Noah weaved through the crowd looking for Krista. She’d been understandably busy all day, but the day was coming to a close and he needed to see her, kiss her, steal her away to the dance floor, and then to his bed.
Her laugh caught his attention first. He honed in on the sound, finding her at a decoration that she and Abby had created for wedding guests to take their pictures at. A corner of the room was overrun with flower arrangements that surrounded a burlap, picnic-style blanket for couples to sit and pose on. A picnic basket off to the side held a sign that read:GRACE AND JACK SAWYER’S WEDDING,followed by the date.
Noah smiled as he stood frozen, mesmerized for a moment watching Krista laugh, head tossed back, hand to her chest. She’d put so much effort into helping Grace and Jack with this wedding. She was a good friend. A good person. Plain good at everything she did.
And he loved her.Reallyloved her.
Shit.
For a moment, Noah imagined marching right up to that picture stand and telling her so. The feeling was so strong that he knew, deep in his chest, it wouldn’t fade. His love for her was interwoven in his DNA. He was as committed to her as he was to his own skin. And he wasn’t afraid that he’d scare away like he had with his college girlfriend. As long as Noah had Krista by his side, nothing scared him.
And he wanted to tell her so. Right now. Right here. The setting oozed with romance, due to Krista in large part. It was the perfect place to tell her how he felt.
He weaved around wedding guests, friends and family of both Grace and Jack, and brushed his hand over Krista’s to get her attention. Her gaze warmed as she looked at him and her smile notched up, brightening her face. He thought she’d never looked more beautiful than she did at this very moment.
“Hi,” she said.
“I’m a patient man, but I can’t wait another second to hold you in my arms.” He locked her hand in his. “Care to dance?”
The dance they’d shared at the Sawyer cabin resonated in his memory as he guided her to the open floor. “Always and Forever” by Luther Vandross crooned through the speakers, singing the exact words he felt in his heart.
“Today was beautiful, don’t you think?” Krista asked, leaning in to his ear so that he could hear her over the music and guests.
“The prettiest wedding I’ve ever been to. You made Jack and Grace’s day special. You make everyone’s day special.”
Three little words sat unsaid on his lips. He ran his tongue over them, prepping the vessel.
