Page 257 of The Perfect Spiral
He knows she’s coming. But he’s staring at the closed double doors at the entrance, and when they open, she comes into view.
“Oh my god...” Tyson whispers, a tear escaping from his eye. He watches her in awe as she and Eric make their way up the aisle, their eyes locked on each other. It’s the most adorable thing.
As she nears him, he takes her in, tears still streaming down his face. When Eric hands her over to him, he takes her hand, and I take her bouquet.
She wipes his cheek, and they exchange smiles.
He whispers to her, “You look breathtakingly beautiful, babe,” lifting her veil. She replies, “You look breathtakingly handsome too, babe.”
The ceremony continues for an hour, and the heels I’m wearing are currently the most painful thing in existence. I keep looking around the church, trying not to look at Knox, who looks absolutely stunning in his tuxedo.
Just go from memory. Just go from memory.
I keep chanting that over and over in my head, but it’s so hard. He’s literally right in front of me. It’s so hard not to look up at him. Instead, I look into the crowd and immediately spot Wes.
He smiles at me and sends me a wink, making me smile uncontrollably and blush a little. He looks really good too. Damn my brother’s friends and their looks. I mentally scold myself for even thinking about them right now.
Look somewhere else, Alex. I look closer to me and see Caleb, who is also staring at me. His eyes trail down my body in the dress, and then he lifts his eyes back up to mine, biting his lower lip.
Oh god, help me. I clear my throat, and everyone turns their heads towards me. Shit, what have I done? Sam and Tyson are looking at me.
“Do you have something against these two getting married, Miss?” The priest asks me. My eyes are pretty much the size of saucers right now.
“Yeah, actually, I just want to confess my undying love for Tyson. I think it’s the perfect time to do it,” I blurt out sarcastically, covering my mouth with the bouquets I have in my hand.
A wave of laughter echoes around the church. The priest raises an eyebrow at me, and I shake my head. “Not a good time, no?” I sass back at him for singling me out.
Although, I kind of did that to myself. “Kidding. No, I’ve no objections, your honor.” I just keep digging my grave right now. Everyone just keeps laughing at me while I nervously mumble out words.
I press my lips together in a tight line to stop any more words from escaping my mouth.
“The moment has arrived. I now pronounce you Husband and Wife. You may kiss the bride.” Tyson doesn’t even wait for the official sanction before he’s pressing his lips to my sister’s, kissing her with a fervor that’s almost too intense to watch.
I avert my eyes, unable to focus on their passionate display. Once they’ve finished, they stand front and center, hands clasped and raised high, inciting cheers from the crowd.
We all return to the hotel reception for the feast and festivities. There are designated seats, but I can’t remember where I’m supposed to be. Glancing at the seating chart, I realize she’s changed it. Again. Great, who am I stuck with now?
Steven Miller and Knox Carter. Is she serious? The head table wasn’t large enough to accommodate all the groomsmen and bridesmaids, so she created a separate table for us and rearranged the seating plan. Again.
Why? I don’t want to sit next to him. I do, but I don’t. It’s complicated.
“Baby doll! Can you come here for a second? I need your help with something,” Knox calls out to me, a pleading look etched across his handsome face. I’m wary, but I approach him anyway.
“I need you to convince Adam to come inside. He’s throwing a tantrum about not being allowed to have chocolate beforedinner. Can you talk to him?” I nod and follow him into the hallway.
Adam is in the corner, kicking his foot at his crouching father and repeating, “No, I want chocolate!” over and over.
“Just like the rest of you Carter boys. You don’t give up until you get what you want,” I mutter, earning laughs from Austin and Knox.
“Damn straight! We never give up! He’s a true Carter,” Knox smirks. I clap my hands to get Adam’s attention and squat down to his level, taking his hands in mine.
“What’s the matter, little buddy?” I ask him. He steps closer to me, and I feel two bodies crouch down beside me. A hand rests on the exposed skin of my lower back.
I know it’s him. I shake off the sensation and focus on Adam, who answers with a pout, “I want chocolate.”
“Hey, Adam sweetie, I want chocolate too, but what’s the one thing your mom and dad say about dinner?” I ask him.
“No c-candy before dinner,” he moans, his eyes closed and his pout deepening. Even upset, he’s the cutest little boy ever.
