Page 42 of Amelia and Her Prince Charming
But not tonight. Tonight was for Rosie and the girls. Tomorrow though, after the wedding, before he high tailed it out of town to go to work again and I didn’t see him for another six months. I’d pull him aside and tell him I was one hundred percent, absolutely in love with him.
Chapter 24
Hudson
Themorningofthewedding was a whirlwind of getting into my tux, getting down to Main Street park early, standing under the archway with Gage so the photographer could make sure it was placed appropriately (when I joked that I hoped they didn’t accidentally marry us, Gage threw his hands up in exasperation and asked,Is that really a thing here?), and then welcoming guests as they arrived. Dylan showed up with nervous energy that was contagious. His hair was smoothed to the side, his beard freshly trimmed, and his shoes as shiny as the day he bought them.
“Is my bowtie straight?” he asked for the third time.
I took him by the shoulders. “You look good. Rosie is going to be completely speechless.”
“She’s never speechless,” Dylan said, but he let out a long breath. “I’m being ridiculous. I don’t want anything to go wrong today.”
“It won’t,” I assured him. The weather was a rare gorgeous day for an outdoor wedding. We had open-air tents on deck, just in case, but it didn’t look like they were going to be needed.Everyone we expected to be in town had safely arrived. The caterer said the food looked good, and the tables were already set up on the other side of the park.
I looked down and noticed the blue Peaks-branded bandanna in his front suit pocket. It was worn from a million washes, the edge falling apart, the corners curling in. “Is that …?”
“Shiloh’s,” he said. Shiloh had worn it tied around his arm for luck at every hockey game he’d played in since he was ten. “That way he’s here in some small way.”
I knew I wasn’t going to make it through today without getting emotional, but I didn’t think I’d be getting teary before the wedding even started.
Soon enough, the wedding planner was directing us all to our places. I was walking down the aisle with Lily, and I took her arm when she approached my side. I’d been keeping my eye out for Amelia and Quinn, but the park was so crowded as people took their seats that I hadn’t spotted them yet. I did see my parents, who smiled and waved like I was a kid in their first concert. It helped relax my shoulders. I was still planning on talking to Amelia after the wedding. Maybe it was for the best I hadn’t seen her yet. I didn’t want to lose my nerve.
“Are you ready for this?” Lily asked. She wore a long, light green, silk dress and was holding a small bouquet of white roses, which matched my white rose boutonniere.
“Yes.” I nodded to where Dylan paced near the altar, talking to his dad and Rosie’s brother, Jules, who was officiating the wedding. “But I think he’s the most ready.”
Dylan’s eyes went wide at something his dad said and then he barked out a laugh. Sheriff Savage, who had a serious expression on his face, cracked a smile as he shook his head. He pointed out toward the street and then took his seat. Dylan was completely relaxed now, an excited smile stretched across his face.
“Get ready,” the wedding planner whispered to me and Lily as she motioned for the pianist to begin playing the electric piano. Speakers were connected to it and broadcast the music around the entire park. It was a beautiful piano composition I’d never heard before but made me think of leaves floating in a summer breeze. “And go,” she said.
Lily and I walked together down the aisle, followed by the rest of the wedding party. I lined up beside Dylan and looked out at the crowd, pausing when I finally spotted Amelia.
She was stunning. She’d left her hair in loose curls around her shoulders, covering the small straps of her soft pink dress. Our eyes met, and she smiled at me in a way she never had before. Almost shyly. As much as I wanted to be here, standing next to Dylan, I wanted to be sitting by Amelia even more. I’d wrap my arm around her shoulder and breathe in the intoxicating scent of her. I’d whisper in her ear and see if I could make her arms erupt into goosebumps. I wouldn’t watch one second of this wedding because my entire attention would be too drawn in by her to notice anything else.
The music changed, and then Rosie was there in her white wedding dress. She had a brother on each side of her to walk her down the aisle. I could hear the sniffles, and knew there wouldn’t be a dry eye in Winterhaven by the time this wedding was over.
Rosie approached Dylan and took his hand in hers, smiling bigger than I’d ever seen him. I was close enough to hear him whisper, “So my dad says you’ve been vandalizing cars. You may need to go to the station after the ceremony.”
She held back a smile, but her cheeks dimpled. “Can’t say you didn’t know who you were marrying.”
Iwasstarving,andthe food from the wedding dinner smelled delicious. Amelia and I were assigned to sit at a table near the front with some of the Peaks hockey players. My parents took Quinn home right after the wedding to see if they could get her to rest for a bit before the wedding dinner.
I was still trying to interpret the obvious wink Dad gave me as they ushered Quinn toward their car. All I wanted was to fill my plate at the buffet and sit next to Amelia the rest of the night.
Maybe we could even dance. It would be awkward, with my broken collarbone and her on crutches, but worth the try. Unless she wanted nothing to do with me after tonight. I didn’t think that would actually happen, but the voice in the back of my head that wanted me to play it safe was pretty loud.
Amelia was chatting with Lily and Charlie, but she kept tossing glances at me from over her shoulder. Now that I could see her from head to toe, I noticed that her dress was mid-thigh, showing off her shapely legs. Her unbandaged foot wore a heel that wrapped around her calf, like the ones I’d had to cut when we were running from the moose. I needed to buy her a new pair. As many pairs as she wanted.
“See something interesting?” Bret asked, waggling his eyebrows. I tore my gaze away from Amelia’s legs to find Bret and Gage flanking either side of me.
“Hey, guys,” I said. Rosie and Dylan were still greeting wedding guests by the altar, though all the chairs from the ceremony had been moved to the tables.
“We need your help with something,” Bret said. “Do you have a minute?”
I looked back toward Amelia, who caught my gaze again, her smile soft. More than anything, I wanted to approach her, sweep her into my arms, and tell her I loved her.
If I did it now, we could be kissing in less than five minutes.
