Page 106 of Love You, Mean It
People were frantically running as they hauled ass to the tent. But I stayed right here with Violet, and Harper had one arm wrapped around my leg and the other in Violet’s hand.
Like the three of us were unbreakable.
That’s how it felt lately.
The rain poured down on us as Thomas, a medic I’d grown up with, led the gurney away. Blakely had agreed to ride in the ambulance with the mother of the groom, who’d insisted that they move forward with the wedding.
Once they’d stepped away, Violet turned to look at me and shook her head. Her hair was soaked, her dress clinging to her body, drenched from the rain.
“You saved that woman’s life, Firefly,” I said.
She started laughing, and once she started, she couldn’t stop.
And of course that made Harper laugh hysterically as I pulled Violet up on her feet, knowing I needed to get them both inside the tent and out of this rain.
“You okay?” I asked as I wrapped my arms around her before lifting Harper and settling her on my hip.
“She wouldn’t move the ceremony inside the tent. Knowing it was going to rain, she still wouldn’t do it.” She shook her head, tipping it back again and letting the rain fall on her beautiful face. “And then the mother of the groom goes into anaphylactic shock. I can’t make this up.”
“If I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I probably wouldn’t have believed it. Let’s get you both in the tent, yeah?”
“Race you there,” Violet said as she took off toward the tent. Harper erupted in giggles when we chased after her.
Montana was there with a few of the waitstaff they’d hired for service, and they passed out towels so the guests could dry off. I had no idea where she’d found this many towels, but these women were full of surprises when they threw weddings.
They chatted briefly before Violet went to speak to Velveteen and Ralph, along with both families. It was decided that the wedding would take place immediately, since Ralph’s father wanted to get to the hospital to check on his wife. They didn’t want to take the time to move the chairs over; they just wanted to quickly say their vows and make it official.
Everyone stood in the covered space, the rain beating down on the heavy canvas above as they said the fastest vows I’d ever heard. I was far from a pro when it came to wedding etiquette, but this seemed unusually quick.
This was my kind of wedding.
Violet and Montana were thrilled that the rain let up briefly as they moved the guests over to the other side of the property where the reception had been set up.
Harper gasped when we stepped inside, because there were several crystal chandeliers hanging above, as well as tables covered in white linens with flowers and candles every which way you looked.
The ceremony may not have been what the bride wanted, but this room looked like something you’d see in a magazine.
“Daddy, someday when I get married, can I have sparkly lights like this?” Harper asked. “Oh, and all the flowers. But I want all the pink flowers. Light pink. And dark pink.”
“Sounds like you want to have a Pinkalicious wedding?” I teased. “And yes, you can have whatever you want, Harps.”
Violet had gone back inside to help her sister get her hair and makeup fixed from the rain, as they’d be making their grand entrance soon.
We made our way over to where Benji was manning the bar. He made Harper a Coke filled with more cherries than any one little girl needed, which made her smile. He cracked a beer open for me and passed it over.
“That was a whole lot of drama for one ceremony, huh?” he chuckled.
“Yep. But from what Violet tells me, it’s par for the course.”
He nodded. “I can tell. Let’s hope the reception is drama-free.”
“Yeah, that would be nice. I’ll come check on you in a little bit. We’re going to go find our table.” I knocked my knuckles against the wood bar top and led my daughter over to where our name tags were.
I was surprised to see we were seated at the family table, but happy because Huntington and Brenton were there, and they were cool dudes.
“I guess we’re sitting with you,” I said, my gaze moving to their father, sitting beside them. I hadn’t met him yet, but he’d walked Velveteen down the makeshift aisle in the tent, so I’d figured out who he was.
“Yeah. Thankfully Velveteen didn’t make us sit with the wedding party,” Huntington said, and his father shot him a look.
