Page 50 of The Hardest Part

He was overreacting, wasn’t he?

Billy kissed her cheek. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right.”

Today was going to be a wonderful and beautiful day.

She just knew it.

Emily slipped into her new pretty dress of soft, flowy cotton. Short and sassy, with criss-cross straps, tiered ruffles, a tie-back waist, and a bustier bodice, the delicate floral was ideal to wear to the Archer wedding. She studied her reflection in the mirror.Jake and Billy’ll like it, too.

High school was behind her. A week ago, she got a new baby cousin, and now, two of her very best friends were about to get married. Life was sure moving fast.

Except for her.

It would be another year before it was her turn to walk to the stones, and as far as Emily was concerned, that’s when the best part of her life would begin. Not that she didn’t have other things to look forward to, or occupy her time with until then. She did. Besides planning a wedding of her own, she had Ruby to ride, Arien to hang around with, and classes to take in the fall—to be a teacher someday, like Grams.

Exhaling with a sigh, she sat upon the tufted velvet stool, put on the cream-colored boots she wore to graduation, and pulled the sock curler from her hair. She’d seen a tutorial forthe heatless method online some months ago, and after seeing how fabulous the results were, had been using it ever since. Who cared if she looked ridiculous when she went to bed, right? Her boys were as obsessed with her hair as she was with theirs. One of them, if not both, always had their fingers in it, so it was well worth the effort.

“Emily, honey, are you ready yet?” Her mother’s sweet voice echoed down the hall. “We don’t wanna be late.”

“Yeah, Mama.” Hurriedly, she ran a brush through her hair and dabbed some gloss on her lips. “I’m comin’.”

Most Brookside weddings were held outdoors at a parents’ home unless they live in the center of town. In that case, the joyous occasion took place on the green or in a picturesque field along the mountain’s stream. No one ever missed a wedding here, or any other event, for that matter. The true definition of an extended family, in good times and in bad, this community always came together, so plenty of space was required.

Since their fathers were both attorneys with an office in Dubois, and also sat on the town council, Shiloh and Cassandra Lewis lived in a big, beautiful house a couple of streets over from the school. And while their mother kept a lovely garden, the backyard wasn’t nearly large enough to accommodate the twelve hundred people who’d be coming. Fortunately for them, on the outskirts of Brookside, Griffin’s parents’ home could.

Magical. It’s the only word she could come up with to describe it. The mountainscape provided a majestic backdrop. Rows of white chairs on either side of a lantern-lit aisle led to the triangle of stones, a woodpile at its center. Translucent draping. Flowers of ecru, cream, and white. Shiloh and her sister may have fought each other tooth and nail over every last detail, but the end result was positively stunning.

“Michante, you can make a man forget he needs to breathe.” Jake swept her hair to the side, his lips brushing the skin beneath her ear. “You look beautiful.”

“You sure do.” Billy took her hand and kissed her fingers.

Her chest was close to bursting. Warmth spread through her. These brothers adored her so. Emily glanced at Arien, taking her seat with Tanner and Kellan, praying she’d realize just how amazing their love could be.

Everything that comes in threes is perfect, sweet cousin. You’ll see.

With a kiss to Billy’s cheek, she held onto his hand, and taking Jake’s with the other, they slid into their row of white chairs, following Victor and Carrie Gantry, her mom, and Justin Sawyer.

In a dress of the palest mint, the ends of her honeyed brown hair floating in the breeze, Kimberly quietly sat in between Jake and Justin. A widow at the tender age of twenty-four, she’d never remarried, though Emily imagined that would prove difficult around here. Still, her mama was far too young, and much too beautiful, to spend the rest of her life in that house all alone.

She twirled the emerald-cut diamond around her finger, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Noticing, Billy placed his hand on hers to quell her fidgeting. His silvery-gray eyes shimmered in the light of the setting sun, and he winked at her, the corner of his perfect lips lifting, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Our day is coming, my love.

Jake felt it, too, the anticipation of everything yet to be. His arm came around her shoulders, and fingering the strap of her pretty new dress, he pressed a kiss to her temple.

Griffin stood at the stones.

Together with their parents, Shiloh and Cassie came down the aisle to meet him there. Sheer tulle and lace. The ethereal, breathtaking gowns they wore only enhanced their beauty.

Turning to Arien, Emily sighed. “Miss Lilly creates the most beautiful dresses.”

She couldn’t wait to see herself wearing her own.

The trinity ceremony is a sight to behold. Their hands cut, joined, and bound together, the three of them became one. And as they lit the fire in the center of the stones, Emily watched its flames soar into a darkening amethyst sky.

“That’s it, they’re hitched,” she heard Kellan say behind her. “C’mon, I need a beer.”

What you need, cousin, is a swift kick in the ass.

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