by Raquel Belle
***
I wake up the next morning and feel completely at peace. The boat is rocking and Jason’s chest is rising and falling slowly next to mine. He’s deep asleep. I slip out of bed and grab my bag and phone, scribble Jason a quick note, and then head back to my hotel. I have a slew of texts from the girls in our group chat…
“Have fun today!”
“Try to keep your hands off the best man during the ceremony!”
“Give Laura a hug from us!”
But there’s no time to answer them now. I have a wedding to get to.
Chapter Twenty
Jason
Cara’s sexy striptease haunts me the next day, leaving my cock twitching every time I dare to think of it. I wake up alone and the only sign of Cara was the lingering scent of her perfume and a note that reads “Maid of honor duty calls!” Of course, Cara isn’t the only one with wedding responsibilities today. After I clean up the boat, I head back to my hotel for a shower and a shave…and to pick up my tuxedo for the wedding. By 2:00 p.m. I’m at the church, ready to rock and roll—just like Jared requested.
The compact red-brick building has four large white columns framing the huge double doors at the front. A peaked white steeple crowns the historic building, which has been standing here since the 1800s. A lush, green garden frames either side of the church, and huge oak trees cast a welcome shade over the red brick walkway leading up to the front door. The railings leading up to the steps have been adorned with garlands of flowers—white, yellow, and pink roses…those teeny tiny ones—making it clear that something special is going to take place here today. Something once in a lifetime.
“Hey big brother,” Jared greets me while I’m taking in this scene as I walk up to the church.
“Hey. Looking good.” I give him a hug and take a step back to look at my little brother, who’s clad in a dark tuxedo, his hair slicked back, his eyes bright with excitement. “You almost look like an adult.” I can’t help teasing him.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.”
“Everything on track? You need help with any setup stuff?”
“Laura took care of every detail. It’s stunning. Take a look for yourself.” Jared ushers me inside.
Stepping into the cool shady interior of the church, I see that the same flowers adorning the railings outside are also decorating the white-painted wooden pews inside, draped carefully over the back of each long bench. As you walk down the central aisle, it’s like walking down a sea of flowers that parts for you on either side. Large white candles line the path towards the altar, casting a dreamy glow.
At the front, the hardwood of the slightly raised altar floor gleams in the candlelight. Two giant bouquets of white lilies are set on either side of the small platform where Laura and Jared will stand and exchange their vows. I turn to face Jared.
“This is amazing,” I tell him.
“You haven't even seen the best part yet,” he replies with a grin. He motions towards the pews, indicating that I should take a closer look. I notice that there's a small bottle of bubbles—like you'd give a kid to play with—at each seat. “Instead of people throwing rice when we walk out, we're going to have them blow bubbles,” Jared says, beaming. “The pictures are going to be awesome.”
“Was this the ‘best’ part you wanted me to see?” I ask with a grin.
“Yeah, it's pretty much the only part of the planning that I was allowed to contribute,” he chuckles. “Laura kept a firm grip on the rest.”
“Well, she's done a great job. Is she already here?” I'm conscious that if Laura's here, that means Cara must be too—somewhere, in this beautiful building.
“Yeah, her and the bridesmaids have been tucked away in a backroom—they’ve been getting ready for hours already. I haven’t seen her since she left the house this morning.”
“I guess we got off easy as far as prep time is concerned. Where are the other guys anyway?”
“They should be here any minute.”
Sure enough, Ryan, Reuben, and Thomas stroll in just minutes later.
“Hey, last chance to make a dash for it, Jared,” Thomas greets us with one of his characteristically jerky comments. “Should I go start the getaway car?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Jared replies with a grin, completely unfazed. “But you guys can do me a favor and help make sure everyone finds their seats as they come in. I’m going to go have a quick chat with Pops. He had some words of wisdom to impart to me before I tie the knot,” he says with a wink to me.
“Sure, will do man,” Reuben replies.
“And tell them about the bubbles,” Jared directs this comment at me. “We need people to wait and save them until the end.”
“Will do, little bro. No worries.” I straighten the bowtie on my tuxedo and turn to the other guys, explaining what Jared already told me. In the hour that follows, we do our part, helping to greet people and making sure everyone is situated. Every time I see a glimpse of lavender, the color of the bridesmaids’ gowns—which I already saw that fateful day at Vera’s Bridal Shop—I feel my heart jump. But it’s not until shortly before the ceremony that I finally catch sight of her.
All the guests are already seated inside and Jared has gathered his groomsmen around for one last round of instructions. We’re joined by Melissa, Marissa, Kirsten—and then Cara. Her hair is perfectly straight today, looking soft and shiny. The pale lavender gown looks luminous against her creamy skin. The dress is strapless, calling attention to that one piece of jewelry she cherishes so much—her tiny birthday pendant necklace, the one she got when she was born. I remember how she told me about it on our first date, revealing that it was a gift from her father when she was born and that her sister had a similar one. She told me that she never takes it off. It’s a tiny symbol of how much she cares about family—one of her many endearing traits.
She meets my eye as she walks up with the other bridesmaids and her entire face is glowing with a serene smile. She looks happy and excited, her cheeks are flushed pink and her blue eyes are dancing. When she sees me, that slow, gorgeous smile I’ve come to know and love creeps over her luscious lips, the corners slowly turning up. I have to remind myself not to go up and kiss her in front of everybody—even though that’s all I want to do.
Instead all I can say is, “Hey,” and give her a look that I pray tells her exactly what I’m feeling, even though I can’t say it aloud.
“Hey,” she responds softly. She’s carrying a tiny bouquet of those same small roses used to decorate the church out front and inside. The scent wafting from them, mingled with her usual perfume, is damn amazing. I want to bottle it up and be able to sniff that scent forever.
“Hey there, handsome!” Melissa cuts in, giving me a wink.
“Hey, Melissa.” I greet her and then turn to the bridesmaids as a group. “You all look lovely, ladies.” I’m greeted by giggles.
“Oh, boy,” I hear Thomas mutter under his breath.
“So who’s walking with who?” Reuben, practical as usual, turns to face Jared.
“Jason, you’ll come out first with Cara.” My heart skips a beat at these words—although I swear I hear Thomas snort ever so lightly next to me. “Thomas, you’ll follow up with Melissa. Then Reuben with Marissa, and Ryan with Kirsten.”
“And then your girl will come out,” Melissa concludes. “Wait until you see her in her dress, Jared.” His face flushes with excitement at the words.
“Alright, then I’ll go ahead and take my place at the front. And guys?” He turns to me and the groomsmen. “Try not to screw this up.” We burst out laughing and I give him a playful punch on the arm.
“Go take your place and try not to cry when you catch sight of your bride, buddy.”
“Yeah, yeah, you just don’t trip down the aisle or something,” he calls back over his shoulder as he walks off.
We line up in position just outside the double doors. Cara places one hand delicately on my arm, clutching her tiny
bouquet of flowers in the other hand.
“Feeling good?” I look down at her with a smile.
“So good.” She’s radiant. “Laura looks beautiful. You’ll see. And she’s so happy.” Her eyes well up slightly with tears.
“Hey now, don’t want to ruin your makeup,” I tease her gently, wanting to make her smile. She just bites her lip and gives me a grateful look. Just on the other side of the double doors, we hear the music start playing—a string quartet. That’s our cue. I look down into Cara’s big blue eyes once more and—whispering, so the groomsmen and bridesmaids can’t hear—ask her, “Ready to walk down the aisle with me?”
“Yes,” she says simply, tightening her grip on my arm ever so slightly. And then we walk. As we head down the aisle, I wonder to myself what it might be like to be in Jared’s shoes—to be the guy standing at the front, watching his dream girl come gliding towards him through that mass of flowers. What if I was the one standing there and Cara was walking towards me, wearing not lavender but white?
When we make it to the front, she gives my arm one last gentle squeeze before going to the side of the altar where the bridesmaids will stand. I take my place behind Jared, giving him a small clap on the back. Shortly after, Thomas, Reuben, and Ryan are in place behind me. And then there’s just one person left to wait for.
The string quartet starts up the wedding march and Laura rounds the corner. I hear a murmur of voices across the room and notice Jared inhale sharply—and immediately dab at his eyes ever so slightly. I can’t blame the guy. Laura really looks like an angel. She has that same halo of blonde hair as Cara and today it’s crowned by a flowing veil that comes all the way down to the ground behind her. The ivory colored dress is strapless, tight at the top and then ending in a full skirt, which is embroidered with some kind of fancy-looking beadwork. I don’t know much about wedding dresses but I know this one looks damn good. She’s carrying a bouquet of white lilies—matching those that are set up on either side of the altar—in her hands. But the prettiest part of all is her face…specifically the way her eyes are fixed on Jared’s. The two of them can’t stop smiling.
I hear a sniffle and look across the altar to see Cara wiping her eyes, a happy look on her face. I can see the love and pride in her eyes as she watches her little sister come towards her. As Laura steps onto the altar, she hands Cara her bouquet to hold before turning to Jared, and the two sisters exchange a quick hug. Seeing Cara like that, standing at the altar, love and joy written across her face, the thoughts I had been having when we walked down the aisle no longer seem crazy. It all just seems…right. The ceremony goes on and all eyes are fixed on Laura and Jared. Except for mine. The only person I’m looking at is the woman whom I’ve decided I will one day marry. The only woman I’m looking at is Cara Conley. In just these few short weeks, this woman has won my heart. And I need her to know that. And I need to tell her. Today.
***
The problem with being a groomsman is that you have to take about one million pictures with the rest of the wedding party as soon as the ceremony ends. And with all the other groomsmen and bridesmaids hovering around—not to mention Laura and Jared, and our parents—I have no chance to get Cara alone. Tomorrow I head back to New York City and I have to talk to her before then. I need her to know what she means to me, now.
I try to get her alone on the short walk from the church to the reception hall where the post-ceremony dinner and party is taking place—but it’s impossible with the rest of the wedding party around. Then the second I enter the reception hall, I’m waylaid by Pops.
“Hey Jason, what did ya think? Pretty romantic stuff, huh?”
“Yeah, Pops. It was really nice. They both seem happy.”
“Sure do. You know, still waiting on you to bring home a little lady of your own.”
“I know, Pops. I’m working on it.” I give him a wink and smile when he raises his eyebrows in surprise.
“Well then, I look forward to meeting this mystery gal sometime. Come on, we’re all at the big table up front.” He hustles me along to the long table at the front of the room. Name cards have been set up and I grit my teeth when I see I’ll have Thomas on one side of me and Melissa on the other. Great. Laura and Jared are sitting in the middle of the long white rectangular table, which is covered by a large white tablecloth, facing the open floor—which I assume will later be used for dancing.
The expansive room has smaller round tables dotted throughout where the guests are sitting. At the other end of the room is a huge buffet table. The same small bouquets of roses that were adorning the church are here, one set on each of the round tables, along with large candles. Their aroma wafts throughout the entire space. I’ve barely taken my seat at the table when the roomful of guests erupts into cheers. Laura and Jared walk in, holding hands, huge smiles plastered on their faces.
A whirlwind of speeches and toasts follows and then the buffet is opened. Cara is seated at the far end of the rectangular table and I only manage to catch her eye once during dinner. It’s not until the food is cleared away and people start drifting onto the dance floor, mingling and leaving their chairs, that I manage to make a move towards her.
She sees me coming and her face, illuminated by the candles on the table in front of her, has never looked more beautiful as she greets me.
“Care to dance?” I ask and extend my hand.
“I don’t know.” She looks around uncertainly, peering over her shoulder as if she’s about to commit a crime, and fingering the delicate silver necklace nervously.
I lean down so I can murmur in her ear without anyone else hearing. “Come on, Cara. It’s totally normal for us to dance. Nobody will notice anything.”
“Okay but only if you also dance with the other bridesmaids later.”
“You’re throwing me to the wolves, you know that?”
“Yeah, just be careful around Melissa.” She grins but she takes my hand and lets me lead her onto the dance floor. The second we step onto the floor, the beat changes from an up-tempo dance song to something slow and romantic. The people around us start pairing off, dancing in twos. Cara hesitates for a moment but then reaches up and puts one hand on my shoulder.
Placing one hand on her waist and taking her other hand in my own, I swing her gently to the music, feeling the light weight of her body in my arms as I spin her slightly.
“You look gorgeous today.”
“Thank you.”
“How are you feeling? I thought I saw you getting misty eyed.”
“Oh, I’m so happy.” She surveys the room and her eyes rest on Laura and Jared, sitting at the head table. “It’s just strange to think that I’ll no longer have her as a Conley sister.”
“It’s just a name, Cara. She’s still your sister,” I point out, giving the small hand resting in mine a reassuring squeeze.
“I know.” She blinks back tears. “I guess it sounds silly but it makes me feel lonely for some reason—watching her go off and live this adult life. And a good friend of mine in New York just recently got engaged so I feel like I’ve ‘lost’ her in a way, too.”
“You never lose these people, Cara. And besides, you’ll likely be living that ‘adult life’ one day, too.”
“You think so?” Her blue eyes look up at me, questioning and she bites her lip.
“I know it. When I was walking down the aisle alongside you today—”
“LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, gather ‘round, it’s time for Mr. and Mrs. Nichols to CUT THE CAKE!” The booming voice of the DJ interrupts the song and brings my confession to a screeching stop.
Cara immediately untangles herself from me and starts moving towards the front of the room, where a giant cake is being rolled out. Laura and Jared are there and Laura has a knife in hand, preparing to cut the cake.
“Cara, wait!” I grab her bare shoulder—the touch is electric—trying to stop her.
“Not now!” She hisses at me, her blue eyes ablaze.
“After the
cake. I need to talk to you in private. Alone.”
“Okay. Past the toilets, at the back of the room is an extra room where the bridesmaids are keeping their extra clothes and shoes and stuff. We can meet there, okay? Wait until they’ve cut the cake and everything is done. Then we can talk,” she says firmly. Her eyes tell me she means business and I know better than to argue with her. I just nod.
It’s fine. I can wait a few minutes longer. My heart is pounding. After all these years, I’ve found my weakness—and my weakness is those fiery blue eyes boring into me. My weakness is the woman who puts her family first, who is bold enough to talk back to guys like Paulie, who is smart and tough enough to start her own successful law firm in a cutthroat place like New York City. My weakness is Cara Conley.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cara
I watch, laughing, as Laura and Jared cut the cake and pose for pictures—but a tiny part of me is holding back tears. Laura isn’t a Conley anymore. I never expected to feel so weird about no longer sharing a last name with my little sister. But now she’s a grown, married woman. A woman who will one day start a family of her own. She catches my eye and gives me a wink across the crowd before wiping off her hands and picking up the microphone laying on the table next to the cake. A hush falls over the room as the cheers and laughter die out.
“Jared and I just want to thank you all again for joining us on this special day,” she says, looking around at the people assembled. “Especially our families.” She pauses as she scans the crowd, her eyes resting first on Mom and Dad, and then on me. “It means so much to have you all here, celebrating our joy.” Her voice chokes up slightly and she rests her head on Jared’s shoulder for a moment. He gives her a sweet kiss on the forehead—while some of the rowdier groomsmen hoot and holler—and takes the mic out of her hand.
