Page 92 of The Winning Ticket

“I haven’t needed it much, but the last week…” I shrug, and she sighs.

“I knew all this stuff with Jake was stressing you out.”

I don’t have the heart to tell her that it’s actually mostly because of her. “It doesn’t matter now. Today is about you guys. You’re about to marry the love of your life. There is no need to feel nervous. This is everything you’ve been dreaming of since you were twelve, and Chris finally realised you didn’t have girl germs.” I nod towards the curtain as the next song starts playing on Morgan’s carefully curated playlist. “One more song, and then Lis and I are going to walk out there super slow, and you are going to be moments away from everything you’ve always wanted.”

She gives me a watery smile, nodding, and Annelisa steps into the curtained area behind us. She had been out to check to see if everyone was ready, and now she smiles at Morgan, taking her hand and squeezing it.

“You ready, babe?”

A tiny tear escapes Morgan’s eye, and she laughs. “More than ready.”

“Good. Because everyone is here, Chris is waiting for you, and he looks amazing. So let’s go get you hitched.”

“You girls ready?” Dad sticks his head through the curtain, and we all nod tearfully. “Good. Annelisa, get ready to go.”

She reaches over to pick up her bouquet from the table where they are all resting and moves to stand in front of the curtain when the song for the bridesmaids begins to play. As the lyrics start, she steps out, and I move to take her place, bouquet in hand. When the chorus begins to play, I smile back at Morgan over my shoulder before pushing the curtain aside and stepping into the sunlight.

The aisle stretches out before me, and I take a deep breath before making my way slowly down it. I see Chris first, and he smiles at me nervously, shuffling from one foot to the other. But the man standing beside him draws my full attention, and I feel my knees weaken when Jake’s eyes meet mine. Everything else disappears, and I have to remind myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other while I move slowly towards him. He looks amazing in his suit. I had forgotten how good he looks when dressed up, not having seen him like this since his formal. It takes every ounce of my willpower not to imagine peeling the suit off him right now. His lips curve slightly, and I know my blush has given me away.

Once I finally reach the end of the aisle, I tear my gaze from Jake’s to watch my sister and father step out from behind the curtain, determined not to let my hormones distract me from what today is all about.

Morgan’s smile is wide when her eyes meet Chris’s, and everyone else ceases to exist for them both. I look over at my soon-to-be brother-in-law, and my heart skips a beat when I see the tear tracking down his face while he holds a hand to his heart and stares at my sister, walking ever closer to him and their future together.

By the time Morgan reaches the altar, there isn’t a dry eye amongst the bridal party, and the celebrant smiles at us while she passes around a box of tissues.

Once we’ve all gotten ourselves under control, the ceremony starts, and I find my gaze wandering back over to Jake’s. He smiles at me and we spend the entire ceremony looking from one another to the happy couple. It’s hard not to be swept up in the emotion of it all, and I wonder if I could also have the happily ever after.

42

CAN WE SKIP THIS PART?

JAKE

It’s taking all my self-control not to spend the entire ceremony staring at Bri, an absolute vision in blue. And the way she’s smiling at me right now is doing all sorts of things to my heart.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride,” the celebrant declares, and Morgan leaps into Chris’ arms, kissing him hard.

We all laugh when she wraps her legs around him, and they make that first kiss as a married couple count.

“Okay, okay, get a room, you two,” Will says loudly, and they break apart, laughing.

“Guess we’ll pick this up later,” Chris says to Morgan.

She unwraps herself from him, her feet dropping to the ground, and he keeps her steady on her high heels. They bow to the crowd, and everyone rises from their chairs to applaud and shower them with rose petals. Someone starts the music playing softly again, and the celebrant ushers Chris and Morgan off to the side so that they can sign all the important paperwork.

They had asked Kylie and Tara to be their witnesses, as they weren’t part of the bridal party, so I’m free for a few moments to move to Bri’s side while everyone else is distracted.

“You look stunning, Little B,” I whisper in her ear, careful not to touch her.

She leans back, her head resting against my chest, and I wonder if she can hear my heart thundering away. Unable to help myself, I wrap my arms around her waist.

“You clean up pretty well yourself, JJ.”

Unfortunately, the moment ends when all the formal parts of the wedding are done, and the photographer starts rounding up all the various people for more photos.

We’d been aware this would be a few hours with the photographer, but I don’t think we were prepared for just how long it would be. After the family and friends photos, the rest of the crowd heads off towards the reception venue and happy hour while the bridal party climbs into the cars. They take us to the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, and we spend a few hours posing for photos.

“There isn’t enough alcohol in the esky for this,” Bri grumbled, drinking the rest of her champagne in a single swallow and staring sadly at the empty glass.

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