Page 20 of Even Ground

Caterers bustle around us, and the wedding planner stands to one side, delegating through a headpiece while watching us with a big smile on her face.

We have a short walk around the pool fence, and I spy Josh standing with his back to us at the other end of the aisle, flanked by rows of chairs.

An instrumental version of Katy Perry’s Firework begins to play. I clamp my lips together in amusement. It’s a detail I didn’t think to ask Delaney, but I know it’s the song she first danced to with Josh a little over six years ago in some LA club.

It’s almost enough to keep me distracted from the walk down the aisle, a little like being at the Oscars, the way the chairs are all laid out in rows.

Especially with Hollywood’s elite sitting in them.

Melly skips, and I grab her hand and gently tug her back to me. “We’re supposed to do this together, Miss Melly.”

She giggles. “Can we throw the petals now?”

I nod. “Just a few like we practiced. Don’t go too crazy.”

She screws up her face, but plunges her hand into the basket and brings out two petals. “Like this?”

It takes everything in me not to laugh, but this little girl makes me so proud. “Just like that. Let’s go.”

Melly watches me as I scatter the petals as we walk. At one point, I look at Josh, and a lump forms in my throat at the pride on his face, his eyes fixed on his daughter.

And then his gaze shifts, and the lump grows bigger as tears well in his eyes. I don’t need to look around to know Delaney’s behind us. I can see it written all over his face.

I want that one day. I want someone to look at me in the way he’s looking at his wife-to-be right now. His face is so open and full of pride. The way his mouth curls into a faint smile at the edges, but his eyes are so expressive and tell a story of his love for her.

Melly and I reach the altar, and she grabs my hand tight as her father winks at her. She beams up at me, and I lean over to plant a kiss on her cheek. “You did good, sweet pea. I’m so proud of you.”

“Here’s Mummy,” she whispers.

I straighten up to see Delaney arrive, and my gaze meets Reece’s for just a split second. My heart stops. All those jokes over the last few days, but I’ve never seen him so serious. He gives Delaney a kiss on the cheek and passes her hand over to Josh’s. The two of them exchange a glance before Reece steps back, out of the way.

And then he looks at me.

The sound of blood rushing in my ears stops me from paying much attention to the ceremony until Melly tugs on my hand, forcing me to look down to see Josh squatting in front of her.

“I promised your mama that when we got married, I’d make a commitment to you too. And that is that I promise to always be a good father to you, Amelia. I’ll listen, and make you your favourite hot chocolate with more whipped cream than your mother usually lets you have. I love you,” he says.

“Love you too, Daddy.” She wraps her arms around his neck, and he picks her up onto his hip, smothering her face in kisses as she giggles.

He places her down on the ground, and I hold out my hand which she takes again before snuggling into me.

After the ceremony, the guests head inside for the reception while our little group poses for photos.

“I hate having my photo taken,” I mutter.

“You and me both.” I look over to find Reece standing next to me.

“It’s not that I think I look awful, I just hate the posing.”

He laughs. “That’s exactly it. I feel like a performing monkey.”

I fold my arms, watching as Josh and Delaney snuggle up and kiss.

“How do you do it? You must have photographers in your face all the time. I’ve seen interviews and photo shoots in magazines.”

He leans in. “Honestly? I just pretend I’m a kid again, and it’s just a game. There are a lot of photos of me you haven’t seen where I’m poking my tongue out.”

I grin and shake my head. “They’re the photos they should print. You might seem more human and less godlike.”

---