Page 24 of Finally a Bride: Best Friend's Brother

I hop back in the car and I’m off.

Ella

I’m on the ladder taking down the lights. Mallory had such a vision for an ethereal and almost fairy like wedding. It would have been beautiful.

I spent the morning crying and then I showered and headed here. I said I would and so I’m here. But I think I know how Mallory feels and I stop the burn of tears.

“You’re fine. You’ll be fine,” I say to myself again. I start down the ladder, but the string of lights catches around my foot, and I start to slip.

The room spins as I fall backwards. I close my eyes waiting for the crash to the floor.

But it never happens.

Warm arms cradle me and my eyes flash open.

“You’re fine alright.” McCabe’s green eyes are soft.

“How’d you find me?”

“You said you’d clean up and if there’s one thing I know about you, you follow through.”

“I couldn’t let Mal come back here. It’d be too painful.” I wriggle in his arms. “You can put me down.”

“Oh, hell no. I need you here, so you don’t run away and you listen.”

“McCabe, did your dad give you?—”

“Yes. And I don’t accept it.”

“What?”

He shakes his head. “You heard me. I don’t accept it.”

“It’s really not?—”

His lips hit mine. “Just stop. I love you, too. I wanted to tell you last night that I fell for you when I walked through that door yesterday. You and me, we are meant to be.”

M2B…

“What are you saying?”

He sets my feet to the ground and drops to one knee.

The sparkle lights flash on and I see Mallory over in the corner flipping the switch. Her lips are pursed and her eyes are glossy.

I stare down at McCabe and his eyes are only on me. “You will never be a bridesmaid again. Please say you’ll marry me and you’ll be mine forever.”

“Finally a bride?” I ask.

“Finally mine.”

“Yes.”

Mallory screams and comes running over while McCabe lifts me into his arms. I kiss him like I already miss him.

“I don’t know how this is going to happen, but I’m going to make it happen, baby.”

“Well, we do have a venue…” Mallory says.

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