Page 15 of Sunny Skies Ahead
“Connor wouldn’t dare get into his blues with one hair out of regulation, even though he loves his long hair.”
“What’s the plan?”
“Speed this process up so these two chronic overthinkers get to the altar as quickly as possible.”
“Agreed,” I said. We stepped aside to allow the catering staff through.
“I’ll check on the music and the chaplain, you check on the catering and seating arrangements?” Kam offered.
“I need to find Kyrie and send her in there to keep Abbie company,” I said, grimacing. “I’m worried she’ll do something drastic like steal Memphis, grab Connor, and ride off into the sunset.” Abbie loved that Tennessee Walker horse so much.
Kameron’s laugh eased some of the built up tension in my shoulders. I felt slightly ridiculous, standing there in the hallway of this beautiful wedding venue, having all manner of inappropriate thoughts about the groom’s best friend while my best friend—thebride—had a mental breakdown several doors down.
“Good point. You find Kyrie and check on the table arrangements, and I’ll check on everything else. And remind her that it’s just friends and family here. Everything will be fine.”
The guest list was smaller than a venue like this typically called for. Abbie and Connor both had a short list of people they wanted to invite. Most of them were friends and fellow business owners in Watford, and then Kevin and Kyrie. There would be less than thirty people here today, but that’s exactly what they wanted: a small, intimate ceremony focused on just them, and celebrating the love they’d lost—and then found again.
“Right,” I said, though I took those words and tucked them away for me rather than Abbie. The minute she saw Connor standing down at the front of the barn in his dress blues with his gloved hand outstretched towards her, I knew she’d be fine.
I turned to walk away, but a hand circled my wrist. I turned around to face Kameron once more, my breath hitching inmy throat when I realized we’d somehow gotten a lot closer to each other. If I leaned just a few inches forward, my chest would brush his. I willed myself to relax, though that mantra wasn’t doing me much good at the moment.
“How are you?” Kameron asked, voice earnest and soft in a way that had my stomach doing a strange flip.
“I’m okay,” I said, putting on my best smile. I wouldnotlet Kameron Miller distract me on the day of my best friend’s wedding. I would sort my crap out later.
Right now, I needed to focus. And not on the gloriously muscled body in front of me.
“I’m glad I can be here for this. What they have is extraordinarily rare, and I’m excited to celebrate it with them. With all of you.”
Kameron’s eyes shone with something I couldn’t wrap my head around. He released my wrist a second later, and the absence of his skin against mine bothered me more than I wanted to admit.
“Tell me if something comes up and you need a break, alright? This is not a one woman show.”
This time, my smile was genuine as I stepped away.
“It’s always a one woman show when you’re with me, Miller.”
Abbie and Connor’s vows had everyone in tears, though I expectednothing less.
Everyone filed in to sit on the log benches overlooking the mountains, with the barn at their backs. Kyrie had taken up the helm of flower girl because we didn’t know any girls under the age of ten and there was no way I was entrusting such an important responsibility to a grumpy teenager. I followed her, taking my place on Abbie’s side of the arch. Kameron had followed behind with the rings, with Lucas and the groom himself shortly behind.
Abbie took everyone’s breath away, naturally. She was every bit the fairytale princess as she came down the aisle, her eyes shining with nothing but love for the man in front of her. I was only slightly shocked when I noticed Connor’s eyes were misty, too.
It had all come together perfectly. Not that anyone was surprised, once Abbie mentioned I was the one in charge of planning. My spreadsheets were immaculate.
As I strolled up to the dessert table at the reception, I found Kameron sitting at a table close by, nursing some kind of fruity mocktail. I grabbed a chocolate glazed donut—Lucas’s request—and sat down in the empty chair next to him. Most of the crowds had cleared out, citing the long drive back to Watford, and the only people that remained were the bride and groom, Lucas, Kameron, and I. I was pretty sure Kevin and Kyrie were also still here somewhere, but I wasn’t going searching for them. There was no telling what I’d find.
“We pulled it off,” I said, taking a bite of the donut and damn near moaning at the taste of buttery chocolate against my tongue. Kam’s eyes snapped up to mine. Even with the sun going down and the venue being lit primarily by candlelight, Iswear his eyes darkened as he took my figure in again. I would tease him for the way he stared at me to deflect the way my body warmed at the idea, but I couldn’t be sure that was why, so I kept my mouth shut.
“You pulled it off,” Kam said, taking another sip of his drink. “The rest of us were just along for the ride.”
“That’s generous of you,” I said, finishing my donut and grabbing Kam’s napkin to wipe my fingers off.
“Take credit where it’s due,” Kam said, a teasing lilt to his voice. “You pulled all of this together. All we did is offer support.”
I shrugged and turned my attention back to the dance floor. Connor and Abbie were dancing alongside Lucas, and the sheer joy on everyone’s face filled me with an immense sense of pride. Kevin and Kyrie re-appeared from the far hallway to join them on the dance floor and I rolled my eyes.
That pride must have emboldened me, because the next words out of my mouth were, “I’m surprised you and Lucas aren’t in uniform.”
