Page 122 of Old Acquaintances

Tucker and I returned to the wedding party. Steven had already gone out, as did Aunt Zoey’s three-year-old twins and their baskets of flower petals. Gracie didn’t say anything when I returned. I took Jake’s arm, as instructed. I clutched my flowers.

The sky was awash in pink and purple. People filled bamboo chairs. A photographer stood in front of the officiant, beside the archway of light pink peonies.

Gavin and Ashlyn walked out first. Before Jake and I could move, Tucker grabbed his step-brother’s jacket and pulled him backward. He snatched my arm and dragged me toward the aisle.

“What are you doing?” I hissed.

“Pissing Gracie off.” He gave me half a smile.

“It’s her wedding and she’s a psycho - she’s going to trample villages for this!”

“So what?” he scoffed. “It’s one day. And she made you cry.”

We reached the gravel around the fountain and followed Gavin toward our destination. The background featured layered blue mountains and lush green trees. I stepped forward and my heel sunk into the rocks.

“What is happening?” Tucker asked looking at my feet.

I put my flowers in front of my face and snorted a laugh. I hoped the violin music drowned it out. Gracie thought she left no stone unturned, no detail overlooked, yet there I was, sinking into the gravel in the shoes she picked out. No wonder Ashlyn was walking so slowly. I whispered to Tucker, “I’m struggling here.”

“I cannot help you.”

“Slow down.”

“You’re embarrassing me.” His mouth twitched. “We’re being photographed, try to look normal. Like you know how to walk, and this is normal for you.”

I smiled at the faces around us. Lori took out her phone and snapped a picture of us. I sighed, “At least she’ll forget about my boobs being out, since it’ll take her two days to get to Steve.”

“I won’t forget,” he murmured in my ear. His eyes dropped to my chest, and I heard the click of a camera.

I gasped. “She’s going to kill you!”

“I’ll die a happy man.” He grinned, releasing me and standing beside Gavin.

Gracie eventually made it to the altar. With both of my parents on her arms, I think they dragged her most of the way. The ceremony was nice, the temperature was perfect. Across from me, I felt Tucker’s eyes the whole time.

Maybe he was thinking about our night together. Maybe was staring at my chest. Maybe I was in his eyeline, and he had nowhere else to look, but I didn’t care. His gaze warmed me, and his presence felt steadying. I forgot about my worries - new job, new home, new adult life. I didn’t feel any panic, for once in a long time.

The guests went inside for drinks while the staff set the tables and chairs outside for dinner. The family went to the grass for pictures. Tucker and I snuck a drink while we walked outside,and we received two stern warnings.

From Gracie: “Do not stand together, it’s distracting.”

From Hattie, “Tucker, don’t let her drink too much, she’ll start taking her clothes off and trying to get everyone to go streaking.”

He cheered, “No I havetwoobjectives for the night.”

After we had our family pictures taken, Gracie said to the group, with the seriousness of a dictator, “Do not doanythingembarrassing tonight. They will be photographing everything. Don’t do anything you don’t want to look back on in ten years.”

Jake said, “So your marriage is only gonna last ten years?”

She screamed, “Strike one!”

I entered the reception with Jake, per her demands, and sat in my seat beside Ashlyn, as ordered, and had my cocktail ripped from my hands, via Hattie. When Tucker came to ask me to dance, I replied, “I’m pretty sure that’s not allowed.”

“I won’t gawk at you.” He grabbed my hand. “Besides, she can’t stop a moving train.”

On the dance floor, I saw Gracie mouthing and waving her hands, gesturing for us to separate. The photographers circled. When my parents waltzed by, my dad said to us, “Just keep your hands where Gracie can see them. I need to survive this night without also having to pay for her therapy.”

Tucker’s arm pressed into my back while we danced. He kept twirling my fingers and staring at our joined hands. Finally, he said, “I’ve missed you.”

---