Page 77 of The Dating Pact

“That sounds really fun.”

I nodded. “It was perfect. A big party and an even bigger cake.”

Brooke laughed. “What did Mira wear?”

“A big white dress. Decked out in sparkles,” I said, recalling when I’d first seen her. Like a lump of sugar walking down the aisle to me. “It swallowed her up.”

We were both quiet for a while as I followed my GPS to the golf course. It wasn’t until I parked that we faced each other, the air charged between us, thick with unspoken longing and words that hovered behind our lips. Slowly, cautiously, I lifted my hand to cup her cheek, marveling at her soft skin.

Her eyelids fluttered closed as she nuzzled into my palm, and I slid my other hand to her neck, sliding under the curtain of her curled hair, and rested my forehead to hers. Her hands found my wrists, holding me in place, and that was when it hit me.

I didn’t know if fate was real or if life was simply one big journey of coincidences, but it was wild to think about how the woman who made me believe I could open myself up again to love and marriage was the one woman I’d been introduced to by my wife.

I’d been so fortunate in my life.

To have fallen in love with a girl who gave me everything I’d ever wanted and taught me to appreciate it in her absence.

To have my best friend guide me out to the other side, demonstrating true patience and offering me unending support.

How fortunate I was to have the love of two incredible women in my life.

I thought I’d been cursed with bad luck, but really, it had been the opposite. I’d been blessed.

I kissed Brooke, pressing all of my unspoken thoughts into her lips, hoping she understood the translation. And I thought she did, because when I took her hand once we’d met each other by the hood of the car, she tossed me her impishly crooked smile. “When I get married, I’m not going to wear a wedding dress. It’ll be something whimsical and flowery and gold. Like the sunset.”

I took her bag from her then positioned her hand in the crook of my elbow. “It should be at sunset. At your farm. Maybe under our tree.”

“You’ll be there? You think you’ll be able to make it?”

My smile slipped, unable to make this promise as if it were a joke. Because it wasn’t. What we had wasn’t a joke. “I didn’t think I’d want to be, but that was before. Now, I know I can be there. Not tomorrow, but eventually.”

She stared up at me, her lashes long and dark, fanning around her honey-brown eyes. Eyes that had always seen me clearly. “I can wait.”

I kissed her forehead and escorted her toward the hall. Because what couldn’t wait was this wedding.

TWENTY-ONE

BROOKE

As soon as I entered the venue with Jude, Kim whisked me away with barely a few words. I turned over my shoulder, seeing Jude and Henry, my brother-in-law, shake hands, and I removed my arm from my sister’s grip. “You couldn’t even give me a minute to say goodbye?”

“Goodbye?” She opened the door to Sabrina’s dressing room. “What do you need to say goodbye to Jude for?”

I had no answer, except that those few minutes when we’d spoken outside had moved mountains, and I needed time to learn the new geography of my life. We still hadn’t come right out and told each other how we felt, but I didn’t need it. Not right now, at least. Now until we could be alone and talk this all through. Until I had the quiet to tell him that I loved him. That I thought I’d been in love with him for a while.

Sabrina spun in her chair, practically glowing. “Brookie!”

I bent to hug her, careful of her dress and makeup. My younger sister was easily excitable, and we’d agreed it would be better for us to get ready on our own, so she could have time for herself before she became a self-proclaimed “emotional mess.”

She sniffed in my ear. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

I petted her shoulder. “Of course I’m here. You aren’t getting married without your oldest and best sister.”

Kim hip-checked me out of the way to hold out her hand for Sabrina. She stood, and the three of us found our reflection in the long mirror across from us. Sabrina in her bright-white gown, Kim and I next to her in our dresses. Me, in my pink floral dress that wasn’t far off from the dress I’d told Jude about getting married in. Kim, in her watermelon-colored dress with pockets. Sabrina had told us to wear whatever we wanted, as long as we could have fun in it.

The three of us smiled, and I didn’t feel one ounce of jealousy. Not even a shadow.

“You ready to go see your groom?” I asked, and Sabrina nodded.

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