Page 56 of Game Day

“Been ready since the moment you stole my seat on the plane.”

16

NOVA

The Wedding Day

"You look incredible," Brooke insists when she enters the doorway of the suite at Little Nell where I’m getting ready.

"So do you."

Her cocktail dress is sleeveless and fitted, the pale pink making her bronze skin even richer.

"I wanted to match the bride without matching the bride." She nods to my pink hair.

I turn in front of the floor-length mirror. The dress fits to perfection, every line skimming my body.

My hair forms soft waves, the front half pinned up away from my face. The pink is freshly done and subtle. The veil, tucked into the hair comb holding the style together, falls down my back like a waterfall. Soft makeup makes my eyes look bluer, and my cheeks are flushed from the reality of what's happening today rather than makeup.

I feel beautiful. Radiant. A little glamorous.

"How does it feel to be getting married in an hour?" Brooke asks.

"Like I'm living someone else's life," I admit. "I grew up in a trailer moving from place to place. I couldn't keep my life together. I didn't know who I was. And now I'm here." I wave at the lush room surrounding us. The furnishings are plush and rich, the ceiling high enough even Atlas couldn't reach it.

My friend comes over to me. "This is your life, Nova. No one else could pull this off."

I can't help grinning. Brooke's smile falls away as she watches me rise and head toward the doorway of the ensuite.

"Whoa, slow up. Be a good Kodiak and wait for the assist." Brooke comes to get me as I'm trying to pass through the door.She scoops up the bottom of my gown and wraps it in her hands so I can get in. "There. Need to pee?"

"Nope. Just forgot my necklace." I find it in the jewelry box, the silver locket with our pictures in it."It was my mom's. She gave it to Mari."

Brooke holds up a hand. "One second."

She disappears, and a moment later,Mari's head sticks through the bathroom door. "Brooke said you needed me?" she says, sounding out of breath.

Love and belonging swell in my chest as Mari helps me put on the necklace.

Kat comes and finds us. "Mom wanted you to have this." She holds up a tiny silver and pink comb. “She said you were wearing your hair up and she didn’t know if it would match but she wanted to try.”

* * *

The mountains stand out in relief against the bright fall sky.Rows of chairs contain our guests, everyone dressed beautifully.The basketball players insisted on sitting in the back because of their heights, so now I can see their eyes as they spot me.

Mari's walking me down to my future husband.

Clay's waiting at the end of the aisle.

It shouldn't be possible for any man to look so godlike. His custom tux barely contains his massive shoulders and torso. The sight of him steals my breath,but it's the expression on his face when he sees me that makes my knees weak.

He loves me.

Has loved me for longer than I would have believed possible if he didn’t insist it was true.

I make my way down the aisle to him.

As I do, I think of his words to me before we left one another this morning.

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