“Is this real?” Shelly whispered softly, but knew her lifelong friend heard her when she squeezed her hand.
“Yes.”
“I love you… you know that?” Shelly told her friend, and Jess smiled as she nodded. “He’s my best friend too.”
“I know.”
“Do you think…” she started to ask, her eyes moving to the bright blue, cloudless sky above.
“Yes,” Jess stepped in, knowing Shelly like the back of her hand. “If I didn’t know better, I would almost think that this is something Olivia would have wanted, if she couldn’t be here with him. He smiles now. Real smiles, not those plastic ones he’d been forcing for the past ten years. He laughs when he’s with you, and he laughs out loud,” she shared. Shelly’s eyes felt glassy and her nose tingled. “He loves you so much, I swear you glow. Love looks good on you, Shell-Bear.” Jess winked at her, her hands moving to Shelly’s face, dabbing the corners of her eyes with a napkin she had in her hand. Jess was always prepared.
“Ready?” Jess asked her again, and Shelly looked out to the beach. She couldn’t see him clearly, but she knew he was there, waiting for her, and she was ready to go to him.
“Hell, yeah,” she whispered with a smile playing on her lips, and she was. Completely. She might not have had everything she’d wished for in her life, but the most important part of her dreams was only a small walk away.
A partner for the rest of her days. Someone to laugh with and argue with about silly things that didn’t matter. She couldn’t wait.
“Let’s do this!” she said, hugging her friend before Jess walked down the beach alone. And Shelly was definitely ready to follow.
***
Grant
Wooden chairs were set out on the sand. Rhett was standing to his left as he looked toward the sand, waves crashing behind him, nerves making him edgy.
“Nervous?” Rhett asked, and Grant shook his head, because there was no way in hell he’d admit to being nervous to his grown son. “Do you need the talk about your wedding night? The birds and the bees?” He laughed out loud to his son’s smartass remark, turning to look at his kid, who was laughing as well.
Turning back his eyes, he saw her from afar. His heart rate picked up at the vision of her, and boy, was she a beautiful one. She was in a coral pink dress with a V-neck in the front that elegantly highlighted the curves of her supple breasts, a full skirt that flowed in the breeze and almost glowed against the creaminess of the beige sand, and held a bouquet of white roses and peonies in her hand. Just looking at her made him feel at ease.
Their guests stood, but he didn’t have eyes for them. His girl was true to herself, original in everything she did. Including the untraditional color of her wedding dress. He wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. He loved that about her.
As she got closer, he could see her cat-lined eyes, her dark hair pinned in the front, soft curls tumbling down her shoulders, and ruby red lipstick on her full lips, the same one that had driven him crazy. His body warmed at the thought of memories made in the past and those to come in the future.
Her whiskey gaze never wavered from his. Eyes connected, everyone around them ceased to exist, and he knew this was how it was supposed to be; not the lonely way he’d been living life after Olivia had passed.
Like any time they were close but not close enough, he couldn’t help himself. He walked to her, ignoring where he was supposed to be and not really hearing the soft chuckles or catcalls of their guests.
Together, hand in hand, sand beneath their bare feet, they walked to the front, toward their officiant.
He knew that off to the side there were two photographers taking pictures, but he didn’t see them.
He knew that in the chairs behind them sat Rhett’s pretty, blond date, Shell’s sister Claire with her twin daughters, Jess’ family, people from the art world, and close friends. But in that moment, none of that mattered. He knew it in a way that when he looked back, he was not going to be able to remember who was there or who wore what. He didn’t care, because in his gut he knew he’d only remember the important stuff.
He’d be able to tell you the way she looked, the way the shade of coral made her skin glow. He’d remember the way she smelled, her signature perfume with an underlying hint of softness from the baby lotion she put on every morning after her shower. He’d be able to write poem after poem of the way her hand felt more than right in his. He’d remember the way the waves crashed against the shore the moment they promised to love one another for the rest of their days.
He knew he’d one day tell his grandkids about the saucy wink she gave him the moment he slipped his gold over her ring finger, and the way the world melted away like a sugar cube in the rain the moment they were announced husband and wife, because he’d grabbed her close and kissed her hard.
Till their last breath, he would be able to remember those things and so many others of the memories they’d make. He knew this to the core of his soul, like he knew his first name.
And that was perfection.
The End
About the Author
Mayra Statham resides in Southern California with her family. She is a self professed romance junkie and bookworm who loves to write and create. You can e-mail her anytime at [email protected] or on Facebook.
Mayra Statham’s Library:
Did you enjoy Shelly & Grant’s story?
Check out the rest of Mayra's Books:
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Wishing For You (Never Too Late Book 2) Page 11
