Page 72 of The Best Man Wins

“I have to.” He scans me over with the same inspecting eye. “I like the dress.”

“What about the girl in it?”

“I like her too.”

Braxton gives compliments so sparingly that, when he does, it suddenly becomes very hard to hide the blush that crawls up my neck. “Should we do this thing?”

“After you.”

Braxton follows me to the house where Cora waits patiently on the porch. When we get closer, Braxton falls behind slightly, slowing his steps. When I turn to look at him, he looks stunned.

“Well?” Cora says, an anxious smile fidgeting on her lips. She pinches the fabric around her hips and lifts it lightly to show the dress off. “What do you think?”

“You look beautiful.” To anyone else, he might sound unmoved. To me, I can hear the thickness in his voice. He’s touched.

Cora’s eyes start to water again. She takes in a deep breath and fans her face lightly to ward off tears. Braxton reaches out and takes her hand to help her down the porch.

“Are you ready?” I ask her.

Cora stretches a smile across her face. “Yes. I’m ready.”

Without their father there, Braxton is giving Cora away. He walks her to the starting line behind the chairs.

Lena, it turns out, is a violinist. I nod to her, giving her the cue. She tucks her violin under her chin and starts to play the wedding march.

The guests turn around at that and fix their eyes on Cora. No one’s eyes light up quite the same way Ray’s do, though.

Thom and Marlee stand at attention at the back. I hang back with them. My chest swells with pride for everything we’ve done, but at the end of the day, this moment is for the family. It’s miraculous to watch it unfold in front of us. One week. One week, too many bumps in the road to count, but we did it. We made it to this one, precious moment.

True love. It can make miracles happen.

With the clutter of planning the wedding behind me, I feel like I’m seeing the place for the first time. The mountains are sapphire blue in the distance. The altar at the end is completely covered in fall leaves, making it look as though the woods itself is reaching up to bless their wedding. The air tastes so fresh here, and in between Lena’s pauses, I can hear the stream gurgle beside us.

When they reach the end of the aisle, Braxton leans over and whispers something in Cora’s ear. She turns, wraps her arms around his neck, and hugs him tight. Finally, Braxton lets her go. He turns to Ray instead and hands off the ring. Ray’s voice booms all the way to the back row, and I can hear him thank Braxton (Braxo) and pat the other man once on the shoulder. With that, Braxton sits down in the front row, and Cora takes her place at the other side of the tracks beside Ray.

“Friends and family…” the pastor starts.

Thom shifts beside me and nudges me with his elbow. “We can handle it from here,” he whispers. “Go enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

“Are you sure?” I ask.

He lifts his eyebrows with an amused smirk. “We know how to find you if we need you. Go.”

I know better than to ask twice. I unplug my earpiece, open up my small purse, and tuck it inside. With that, I make a circle around the audience until I get to the front. Quietly, so not to interrupt the pastor, I take the empty seat beside Braxton. Gently, I slip my hand into his. He’s shaking. I give him a comforting squeeze and rub my thumb back and forth.

You did the right thing, I try to tell him though our pressed palms. I don’t know if he gets the message or if he just likes the way my fingers feel laced between his. Either way, he calms down shortly after and stares ahead at the ceremony.

“Do you, Ray Dalton, take Cora West to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Ray is going to have to get surgery to remove that smile. He can’t seem to stop grinning. He takes Cora’s hands in his and says, “Heck yes.”

A ripple of laughter runs through the crowd.

“And do you, Cora West,” the pastor continues, “take Ray Dalton to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Cora is on the verge of happy tears, but she smiles and says, “I do.”

“Does anyone object to this union?”

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