I woke up on Saturday with butterflies in my stomach but completely prepared to make Rainey my wife. I would never back down from my decision to marry her, but I was still a little nervous. I slept in the guest room of Mallory and Luke’s house and jumped in the shower first thing. When I stepped out of the spray and turned off the water, I heard voices from the kitchen. I put on a pair of khakis and one of my favorite tees and went out to see who was here.
Rainey’s older brother, Dallas, was sitting at the table, his hearty laughter nearly infectious. With him at the table were Mallory, Luke, Gabby, Ember and Wolfe, all laughing along with him. I’d seen enough pictures of Dallas to know what he looked like, but he was taller than I imagined, even taller than me.
He stood when he saw me walk in and his smile faded into a serious gaze. He met me in the kitchen, hand extended.
“Dallas Daniels,” he introduced himself.
“Chris Baker,” I announced. “It’s great to finally meet you.”
Dallas had grown up with his mother, so I’d hadn’t known him when we were kids. When I called him a few days ago, he seemed surprised to hear about Rainey but he took it all in stride, agreeing to come out to the wedding at the last minute.
“Likewise. Word is, Rainey adores you . ” H e nodded his head toward my friends at the table. “And all these people say nothing but good things about you. You’re okay in my book, Baker.”
I didn’t ask for his approval. Hell, ten minutes ago, I didn’t even care if I ever got it. But when he said the words, I released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. I might not have asked, but I was grateful for his blessing. I loved his sister, and for the time being, it seemed that was enough.
“Thanks. I’m sure she will be ecstatic that you’re here. Speaking of which, where is Rainey?” I asked.
“She asked us to leave the house so she could have some time to relax. The ceremony isn’t until seven, so we think she’s just enjoying the quiet. Things have been a little crazy around here lately,” Mallory replied .
She wasn’t wrong. I wished I was able to kick all these people out and have a few minutes to myself. But she was more important, so I put everyone to work.
“We still have to get the lights hung up, so let’s get moving,” I demanded.
“We have to pick up the flowers in two hours, but we can help until then,” Gabby announced.
Once everyone was outside, I started handing out orders. Luke and Wolfe were on lights detail, with Dallas helping as needed. Mallory and Gabby set up the tables for dinner underneath the tent off to the side. It was supposed to rain and I didn’t want to take any chances, in case it started to sprinkle during the reception.
White lights were strung up all over the tent to create the perfect ambiance, and then I had them put lights through the arch I built. The arch was threaded with pink and white floral arrangements and each row of white chairs was graced with a pink and white potted plant. It looked amazing so far, even though the lights wouldn’t be visible until just before the ceremony.
Instead of a runner down the aisle, we had a basket of flower petals prepared by the florist to be laid down just before the ceremony. Pink and white roses supplied the petals and there were enough to almost fully cover the length of the aisle. Wolfe and Luke would take care of that just before seven.
“I think I’ll keep my presence a secret until after the ceremony,” Dallas said just before lunch. The girls were about to go pick up flowers, but the three of them stopped.
“No way!” Mallory objected.
“You have to walk her down the aisle,” Ember directed.
“I thought she asked Wolfe to do that…?” Dallas looked unsure.
“She did. But only because she didn’t want to be a burden to you. I know she would love it if you walked with her,” Wolfe said.
“Should I go with you girls, then?”
“No, I like the idea of keeping it a secret, actually. Let’s surprise her just before she’s supposed to walk down the aisle,” I chimed in, knowing how much it would mean to her to have Dallas walk her down the aisle.
With that, the girls took off in Mallory’s car and we finished up all the last-minute things for the night. In just a few hours, I would be married to Rainey Daniels.
Correction: Rainey Baker.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rainey
I took calming breaths to slow my rapid heart rate, but it didn’t really help.
“Where’s Wolfe?” I asked, nerves on fire.
“He’s going to meet us there,” Mallory promised. “Calm down, girl! Everything is going to be perfect.”
It was just after six and Baker had said he was going to send someone to pick us up from Wolfe’s house at six o’clock. With the confrontation with my mother yesterday, my nerves were shot. I wanted nothing more than to get drunk, but I knew it was impossible.
“Maybe he forgot. We should just go,” I suggested, ready to jump in Mallory’s car.
“We’ll do no such thing,” Gabby admonished. “Baker said he would send someone. He wouldn’t lie to you.”
Just then, a horn sounded from out front and we all rushed to the windows to see who it was. A white stretch limo awaited us. I blinked away tears, careful not to ruin my makeup . It was perfect.
The driver helped us inside and then drove us to Mallory’s house. When I would have gone around the side of the house to start the ceremony, Mallory directed me inside .
“Baker has something prepared for you,” she said as an explanation. I raised a brow. “We’ll meet you on the other side of the back door in a few minutes. Take your time. We still have half an hour before we have to start.” She smiled softly at me and winked.
She took my bouquet and walked around the house to the backyard while I walked forward to go inside. When I opened the door, I was surrounded by darkness , e xcept for a walkway lined with strings of white lights. It was adorable. Five feet from the front door was a photograph han g ing from a string. I glanced at it and my heart clenched tight. It was a group photo of my senior prom, the one Baker had taken me to. We looked happy and content. I flipped it over and there was writing on the back.
I think I knew, even then, that I loved you.
~Baker
I sighed with contentment and made my way down the hallway to what used to be Mallory’s bedroom. I’d spent so much time there as a kid. I found another photo in her room, hanging from a string, just like the first.
It was a photo from before I ever looked at Baker as more than just the best friend of Mallory’s boyfriend. The four of us were sitting on her bed, arms around each other, with Mallory and Luke on the far left, then me , and Baker to the right of me. We all looked so young, so crazed. We each stuck our tongues out at the camera. I’d seen the picture a hundred times in Mallory’s room when we were kids, but the longer I stared at it, I noticed something I never had before. Baker’s eyes weren’t closed like the rest of us. His eyes were wide open and he had them glued to me. They were the same silver pools I knew and loved, but they were dilated, too. I gulped and turned the photo over.
I only ever had eyes for you.
-Baker
I smiled and tried to blink away the tears. Good thing I’d been smart enough to wear waterproof mascara. I heard a door close from somewhere inside the house and ventured out into the hallway again, happy to play this game. It was relaxing me. The hallway had another photo hanging from a string. It hadn’t been there a few minutes ago.
I was floored by the image. It was from the night Baker proposed and the couple on the street had taken a few shots of us. Instead of a single image, though, this photo was a collage of all the photos taken that night. I stared at myself and Baker; we looked so happy, so in love. It was the best night of my life to date, and I swallowed the lump in my throat as I flipped it over.
Forever will never be long enough.
~Baker
All the other doors in the hallway were closed, so I mo
ved back toward the living room and into the kitchen. There was a note beside a white rose with dipped pink edges.
Never doubt for a second that I love you. No man has ever been as lucky as I am to find a soul mate so abso-fucking-lutely perfect. And you are. So now, if you’re done with your trip down memory lane, could you please come outside so I can marry you?
He didn’t sign the last one, but then, he didn’t need to. I picked up the rose and inhaled its sweet scent. I heard footsteps behind me and whirled around, certain it would be Baker, anxious to marry me.
I was shocked to find my brother standing there. “Dallas?” I shrieked and ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck. Given that I hadn’t wanted to bother him with my illness or wedding, it seemed miraculous that he was there.
His presence made my wedding day complete, my heart full. This was a perfect day now.
His arms went around my waist and he lifted me up and swung me around several times before he set me down.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded, even though it didn’t matter.
“Baker called me. I should reprimand you for leaving me out and assuming that I wouldn’t drop everything and come to be here on your wedding day…”
“I know. I didn’t want to bother you. You’re always so busy,” I whispered.
“We can talk about it later, baby sis. But for now, let’s get you married to Baker. He’s one hell of a guy,” he commented. He held out his arm for me and I slipped mine through his.
This wedding would be the beginning of the end, but it would be perfect. And I wanted to get it done so I could spend every moment with Baker for however long I had left.
I smiled at my brother, thankful and truly blessed to have him there, and he led me outside.
A million tiny lights lit up the space. It no longer looked like Ma l lory’s backyard. Instead, it was an oasis of perfection. As promised, Mallory was waiting there for us. She handed me my bouquet and winked at me again. She followed Gabby and Ember down the aisle of rose petals, a touch that I knew Baker had been in charge of, and I watched them go, pondering how I got to have such amazing friends. When they took their place on the left side of the alter, my gaze flew to Baker, the man I was about to pledge myself to forever.
He stared at me and a lump formed in my throat. The rest of the world disappeared for one splendid minute and I knew, in that instant, that I was the lucky one in our relationship. And we would probably spend our entire marriage arguing over who was more lucky. It was an argument I was looking forward to.
Dallas and I took a step at the same time. His was to give me away to a man who adored me, and mine was a step toward my future.
I lifted my head high, proud to be the future Mrs. Baker.
About the Author
D awn Pendleton lives in Maine with her husband and their dog. She spends most of her time writing about strong heroines and sexy heroes. When she isn ’t writing, it’s not uncommon to find her with her nose in a book or her eye behind the lens of a camera.
Broken Dreams (Broken Series) Page 14
