by Ryan, Lexi
“Girls?” I pick up my short lace train and make my way to them, trying not to get distracted by my new, super-hot wedding night shoes. “What’s going on?”
They jump apart faster than teenagers caught at the drive-in.
Savvy steps forward. “There’s someone here to see you.”
I laugh. “Okay, then, send them in.”
Savvy looks to the other two then back to me before shrugging and opening the door.
“Grammy!” Cami says, bouncing on her toes beside me.
My hand goes to my mouth immediately at the sight of my mother, dressed for the occasion in the signature beige lace of mothers-of-the-bride everywhere.
She grips her purse in both hands and her eyes fill with tears as she looks at me. “Oh, Brinley, you look just lovely.”
I’ve been planning this day for months and made every decision for every detail with love and anticipation. I thought I’d planned the perfect day. I’d dismissed the heartache over walking down the aisle alone, but now that she’s here, I can’t deny how much I’d like her by my side.
“I’m so sorry,” Mom blurts. “I’ve never been strong like you, but I left him. Finally, I did it, but I understand if it’s too late. If you can’t forgive me.”
She’s imperfect, and she enabled my father’s verbal and emotional abuse for years, but she’s my mother, and by being here, she’s asking to be part of this family I made for myself. We make our own family. Maybe Mom needs to learn that as much as I did.
She draws in a breath and her shoulders tremble. “It’s up to you whether I stay or go, but I’d really like to see my daughter get married.”
“They’re already married,” Cami says. “They just wanted to make their promises again, since they did it without me last time!”
The tension in the room breaks, and we all laugh.
I nod. “Would you want to walk me down the aisle?”
She covers a sob. “Yes. I’d like that very much.”
The processional music starts on the patio, and Savvy says, “That’s our cue!”
All the bridesmaids grab their flowers and file out, one by one. Then Cami takes her turn, tossing me a final grin before she pushes out the doors.
When the music changes, I take Mom’s arm, and my staff opens the double doors wide for us. I see the shock on Marston’s face when he sees Mom at my side, but he smiles and nods. Because he’s my family and he loves me, even when it’s hard. It’s the sight of him—that nod, that easy smile, that warmth in his eyes—that roots me in the moment and unfurls love in my chest.
We stop under the arbor, and Mom kisses my cheek before taking a seat at the front.
Marston steps forward and bends to whisper in my ear, “You are stunning.”
I whisper back, “Wait until you see me in nothing but my new shoes.”
His gaze drops to my feet, hidden beneath my lace gown, then slides to the doors. “Is now an okay time for you?”
Laughing, I grab him by the tie and tug him down to kiss me, and my daughter shouts, “It’s not time for that part yet!”
I laugh and kiss my husband anyway. And there, in front of our lake and our family, I promise to love Marston Rowe forever. With every little piece of me.
* * *
Thank you so much for joining me in Orchid Valley for Marston and Brinley’s story. I hope you’ll return for Stella’s story in my next release, Every Sweet Regret. If you’d like to receive an email when I release their book, please sign up for my newsletter.
I hope you enjoyed this book and will consider leaving a review. Thank you for reading. It’s an honor!
Other Books by Lexi Ryan
Orchid Valley
Every Little Promise (Brinley and Marston’s prequel)
Every Little Piece of Me (Brinley and Marston’s story)
Every Sweet Regret (Stella and Kace’s story, coming late 2020)
And more to be announced later!
The Boys of Jackson Harbor
The Wrong Kind of Love (Ethan’s story)
Straight Up Love (Jake’s story)
Dirty, Reckless Love (Levi’s story)
Wrapped in Love (Brayden’s story)
Crazy for Your Love (Carter’s story)
If It’s Only Love (Shay’s story)
The Blackhawk Boys
Spinning Out (Arrow’s story)
Rushing In (Chris’s story)
Going Under (Sebastian’s story)
Falling Hard (Keegan’s story)
In Too Deep (Mason’s story)
LOVE UNBOUND: Four series, one small town, lots of happy endings
Splintered Hearts (A Love Unbound Series)
Unbreak Me (Maggie’s story)
Stolen Wishes: A Wish I May Prequel Novella (Will and Cally’s prequel)
Wish I May (Will and Cally’s novel)
Or read them together in the omnibus edition, Splintered Hearts: The New Hope Trilogy
Here and Now (A Love Unbound Series)
Lost in Me (Hanna’s story begins)
Fall to You (Hanna’s story continues)
All for This (Hanna’s story concludes)
Or read them together in the omnibus edition, Here and Now: The Complete Series
Reckless and Real (A Love Unbound Series)
Something Reckless (Liz and Sam’s story begins)
Something Real (Liz and Sam’s story concludes)
Or read them together in the omnibus edition, Reckless and Real: The Complete Series
Mended Hearts (A Love Unbound Series)
Playing with Fire (Nix’s story)
Holding Her Close (Janelle and Cade’s story)
OTHER TITLES
Hot Contemporary Romance
Text Appeal
Accidental Sex Goddess
Decadence Creek (Short and Sexy Romance)
Just One Night
Just the Way You Are
Acknowledgments
I’m so thankful for everyone who helped me as this book grew from an idea to a reality. As always, to my family first. Brian, Jack, and Mary—thank you for believing in me and inspiring me to be my very best. To my mom and siblings—thank you for all of your support and for making me want to write big casts of characters forever.
I’m lucky enough to have a life full of amazing friends. Thanks to my writing friends who sprint with me and talk me off the ledge when the book looks like a disaster. To my hand-holding, hair-stroking, and pep-talking best bitches, Mira Lyn Kelly and Lisa Kuhne, my eternal gratitude to you and to unlimited texting plans. To the Goldbrickers and the ladies in my Slack group, thank you for helping me remember the power of consistency.
To everyone who provided me feedback on this story along the way—especially Heather Carver, Samantha Leighton, Tina Allen, Lisa Kuhne, Dina Littner, Nancy Miller, and Janice Owen—you’re all awesome. I appreciate you all so much!
I have the best editorial team. It truly takes a village. Lauren Clarke and Rhonda Merwarth, thank you for the insightful line and content edits. You push me to be a better writer and make my stories the best they can be. Thanks to Arran McNicol at Editing720 for proofreading. I’ve worked hard to put together this team, and I’m proud of it!
Thank you to the people who helped me package this book and promote it. Sara Eirew took the gorgeous cover photo and Hang Le did the design and branding for the whole series. Nina and Social Butterfly PR, thank you so much for all your work! I love working with you and your awesome assistants! To all of the bloggers, bookstagrammers, readers, and reviewers who help spread the word about my books, I am humbled by the time you take out of your busy lives for my stories. My gratitude will never be enough, but it is sincere. You’re the best.
To my agent, Dan Mandel, for believing in me and always believing the best is yet to come. Thanks to you and your team for getting my books into the hands of readers all over the world.
Finally, the biggest, loudest, most necessary thank you to my fans. Because of you, I�
�m living my dream. I couldn’t do it without you. You’re the coolest, smartest, best readers in the world. I appreciate each and every one of you!
XOXO,
Lexi
About the Author
Lexi Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of emotional romance that sizzles. A former academic and English professor, Lexi considers herself the luckiest girl around to make a living through storytelling. She loves spending time with her crazy kids, weightlifting, ice cream, swoony heroes, and vodka martinis.
Lexi lives in Indiana with her husband, two children, and a spoiled dog. You can find her on her website.
