Page 34 of Kiss the Bride

“You’ll wear dress blues?” Greg peered closely at Daniel, sizing him up. “Do you have dress blues?”

“Yes, sir.”

Ryan could almost picture it. A radiant Brianna in a white gown. Daniel, tall and proud. The two of them dashing hand-in-hand through the doors of Harbor View Weddings, while a line of uniformed young men and women stood at attention. It’d make for a beautiful ceremony.

“It sounds like you’ve thought of everything, young man. That’s excellent.” The mayor stroked his chin.

“You’re sure it’s not a problem?” A muscle in Daniel’s cheek twitched.

“A problem?” The mayor’s eyes rounded. “That you’re honoring your country and you’ve answered the call to serve? How could that possibly be a problem?” At the snap of his fingers, the trio of young men disappeared into the back of the shop. “So you’ll wear your uniform. And your buddies, they all have the appropriate attire as well?”

“Yes, sir. Gloves, covers, the works.”

“What about swords for the arch?”

“No, sir. Not enough rank, sir. That honor is reserved for NCOs and above.”

“All right, then.” Greg tapped his chin. “Here’s what we can do. What say we outfit you in a very nice suit? Something you can wear when you’re off duty and want to take that lovely bride of yours out to dinner. Will that work?”

Daniel studied his surroundings. “I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t think I can afford to shop here.”

Ryan followed Daniel’s gaze around the store. Two chairs flanked a hobnail leather sofa by the window.

The wood on the mahogany coffee table between them glowed. A wall of cubbies held the latest in men’s shirts, while suits in rich fabrics hung from wooden hangers on recessed racks. It didn’t surprise him that the young man had taken one look at the place and decided he was out of his element. But he’d change his mind once he knew Greg a little better.

“This would be a gift, son. Instead of the tux,” Greg said, just as Ryan thought he might.

“I don’t know.” Some of the stiffness went out of Daniel’s posture. “A whole suit? Isn’t that too much to ask for?”

Was that a touch of wishful thinking in Daniel’s voice? Pretty sure he’d heard correctly, Ryan pulled the young man aside. His voice low, he whispered, “Greg signed up to provide tuxes for you and all your attendants. In exchange, Weddings Today planned to mention Tux or Tails in their Wedding-in-a-Week spread. That publicity is gold for a store like this.”

“Yeah, but a suit. In a place like this, that’s gotta cost a pretty penny.”

He held up a hand. “Let me finish. Your service is something to be proud of, something everyone in Heart’s Landing is grateful for. We’ll all be happy to see you in uniform on your wedding day. But if you walk out of Tux or Tails empty-handed, Weddings Today won’t have anything about the shop to include in their article. You’d actually be doing Greg a favor by taking him up on his offer.”

“You’re not just saying that? You’re sure?”

There was that hopeful note again. The one Daniel had tried to hide. The one that let him know the young groom recognized a chance of a lifetime when he saw it and didn’t really want to turn down this one. He nodded firmly. “I’m sure.”

“Okay, then.” Daniel turned to Greg. “I’d be honored to accept, sir.”

“Excellent.” Greg clapped his hands together. “Now, I need a moment to pull together a few things. If you wouldn’t mind, take a seat over there. I’ll be right with you. Help yourself to a glass of wine. Cheese and crackers, too.”

Leather creaked as Ryan lowered himself onto the couch. He’d shopped at Tux or Tails in the past and knew from experience that Greg didn’t rush things. He settled in to wait while Daniel piled crackers on a napkin and poured himself a glass of wine.

“Have you heard from Brianna?” he asked when they were seated.

“Not since lunch.” Daniel popped one of the crackers into his mouth and chewed. “I hope she’s doing okay.”

He smiled. He’d done some work at Dress For A Day several years ago. The place was every bit as sumptuous as Tux or Tails but decidedly feminine. He was pretty sure Evelyn and Brianna would feel right at home there. Without warning, the image of Evelyn dressed as a bride popped into his thoughts. He savored the picture for a moment before he blinked it away to focus on his young charge. “If Brianna is anything like every other woman I’ve ever known, dress shopping is more than just a pastime; it’s a serious undertaking. From what I hear, looking for a wedding dress, well, that’s like an Olympic sport. Brianna and Evelyn are in good hands with Cheri Clark. My mother swears by her.”

Daniel demolished a few more crackers. “You seem to know everyone in town. Have you always lived in Heart’s Landing?”

“Most of my life,” Ryan answered. “My family’s from around here. I was born and raised right up there.” He aimed his chin past the center of town to Cathedral Heights. His childhood home sat above the residential neighborhood overlooking Heart’s Landing. “I moved away for a few years, but I always knew I’d move back here. As soon as I had the chance, that’s exactly what I did. How about you? You plan to head back to Florida after your hitch is up?”

“Not anytime soon.” Daniel shook his head. “Lots of little kids want to wear a uniform. They dress up as firemen or police officers or astronauts for Halloween. For me, that dream never faded. It’s always been the Marines.” He took a long pull from his wineglass.

“I respect that decision.” Without thinking about what he was doing, he massaged his knee. He’d torn his ACL in a summer league football game the year he’d graduated. Surgery and months of PT had followed. He’d healed well, but the injury had virtually eliminated any chance of a military career. Not that he’d seriously considered it. He was a woodworker. Always had been. The posters in the recruitment offices didn’t exactly shout, “We’re looking for a few good carpenters!” He leaned back, his ankles crossed. “Your dad owns an orange grove, doesn’t he? You didn’t want to follow in his footsteps?”

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