Page 99 of Pucking Secret

“You could say that,” she huffs. “Some asshole at the airport almost stole my luggage! Can you believe it? Thank God I’ve been hitting the gym — my brand-new bag doubles as a weapon. One good swing and he backed off.”

I chuckle. “I can only imagine. Did you leave him conscious?”

“Barely,” Rylee says with a sniff. “But enough about him. Where’s the bride? And more importantly, where’s the champagne?”

Millie tugs at Rylee’s sleeve. “Auntie Rylee, you missed me practicing my flower walk!”

Rylee’s demeanor softens instantly. “Oh no! You’ll have to show me before the ceremony, peanut.”

Millie nods. “Okay!”

“We’re just heading to the bridal suite to help Grace finish getting ready,” I tell Rylee. “We’ll see you there.”

“You betcha,” Rylee nods. “I’m going to get checked in and I’ll be right down.”

She turns to head to the front desk and Margaret, Millie, and I make our way down the hall toward the suite.

When we reach the door, I knock before opening it and stick my head inside the room.

“Are we decent?” I call out.

“Come on in!” Skyler replies.

Walking in the room, Millie instantly slips her hand from mine and rushes through the suite’s lushly decorated sitting room into the dressing room beyond. Her feet are silent on the plush, white carpet. Margaret and I follow after her, and when we step into the next room, I stop and laugh. Millie is standing in front of Grace, Skyler, and Sutton, spinning in a circle to show off her dress. Grace has a silk white robe on, while Sutton and Skyler are already wearing their bridesmaid dresses, which are identical to mine. Floor-length, gauzy, and light green. They’re the type of dresses that look good on more than one body type, so Skyler’s curves as well as Sutton’s smaller, leaner figure both look stunning in them.

Grace claps her hands in delight and exclaims, “Oh, Millie! You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Millie beams. “Are you going to put on your dress now?”

Nodding, Grace says, “Yes I am. I was waiting for you to come back before I did.”

Millie claps her hands in delight. Grace gets up and Sutton goes to grab her wedding dress, hanging in front of a large window which looks out over the beach and ocean. The dress is a delicate chiffon in soft-white. It has spaghetti straps and a low-cut back. It’s flowy and ethereal, and really perfect for a beach wedding.

As Sutton brings the dress over to Grace, I notice the bright shade of teal in her dark brown hair, which is pulled back into an elegant chignon at the back of her head. I haven’t known Sutton for long, but I’m blown away by just how cool and elegant she is, as well as crazy intelligent.

We help Grace into her dress, and by the time she’s ready, there’s a knock on the suite’s door.

“Hello!” Rylee’s voice floats through the room. “Where are my ladies at?”

“We’re in here!” Sutton calls.

The next moment, Rylee comes strolling into the room, wearing her bridesmaid dress and looking much more put together than when I saw her in the lobby. She stops in the doorway and beams as her eyes land on Grace.

“Oh, my God!” she exclaims. “You are gorgeous!”

Grace curtsies, showing off the flowy qualities of the skirt once again, and grins. “Thank God you’re here! I was getting ready to make Jensen rent a private jet to go get you!”

“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” Rylee declares. “Even if I had to stow away on a cargo plane, I was making it to this damn wedding.”

Laughing, Grace looks around at all of us, her eyes shimmering with happiness.

“All right, ladies,” she says. “Let’s go get me married.”

The wedding is set up on a private stretch of the beach behind the resort. There’s an arch draped with lush greenery and soft white flowers over the altar. The backdrop of crashing waves makes the whole scene feel like something out of a dream. As we approach, Owen catches sight of us and breaks away from the cluster of groomsmen chatting together to come meet us.

“There are my girls,” he says with a wide smile. He gives me a quick kiss, then squats down in front of Millie. “You ready, kiddo?”

Millie grins. “I’m ready, Daddy!”

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