Page 104 of Breathless

“Thank you for waiting for me,” I whisper in her ear, and she squeezes me tighter. “I’m sorry you had to go through so much trouble to reschedule everything. I hate that you lost thehotel—”

“Hush now. Of course we were gonna wait for you! You’refamilia, girl.” She frantically waves her hand across her face. “Don’t make mecry!”

I grab a tissue to dot at the corners of her eyes and then mine. We agree not to chat about any more mushy stuff for the sake of ourmakeup.

In the next hour, I do Kat’s hair and one of the other girls’. There’s something so special about styling a bridal party. Being part of someone’s big day they’ll remember forever and having a small role in creating that magic is why I wanted to get into this business in the firstplace.

But doing their hair only distracts me from my thoughts of Logan for solong.

By the time I slip on my dress, I’m ramped up with anticipation. His notes have helped me see him in a new light and understand what he was goingthrough.

And never, not once, did he mention the fact that I was gone for six months out of those two years he dealt with Samantha. Now that I’ve had time to reflect on what happened, I don’t blame him for not leveling me with this as soon as we starteddating.

Ultimately, the letters were the perfect way to show he cared. That he missed me. That I’m someone he wants in hislife.

That he won’t hold back from meanymore.

Those notes, those words, they’ve helped me find my footingagain.

I touch my lips to tone down the smile that wants to breakout.

Heather, the wedding coordinator, ushers us into the hallway, and butterflies take flight in mystomach.

Tori sniffs the air. “Someone is eating a hotdog. Dear God, hotdogs sound so good rightnow.”

I chuckle. “I swear you’re part bloodhound. I don’t smell hotdogs.”

“That hot dog is nearby, and when this shindig is over, I’m totally gonna hunt onedown.”

“When this shindig is over, your husband is gonna toss you over his shoulder and run off with you to his lair,” Ijoke.

“Yeah. He is.” A dreamy look comes over her. “Fine. After the hot marital boning, Ethan and I are totally finding us some hotdogs.”

All of the girlslaugh.

Mr. Duran joins us and wraps his daughter in a hug. “Mija, you’re stunning.” Tori’s hair is swept into an updo with a few soft tendrils framing her lovely face. She’s glowing in a strapless princess ballgown.

He lets her go, and Tori hooks an arm through his. “Thanks, old man. You don’t look too shabbyeither.”

Her dad quirks an eyebrow. “You know, Ethan can’t give you back after this. There are noreturns.”

“Dad!” She playfully punches his shoulder, and helaughs.

The giant doors swing open, and my gaze dartsaround.

“This is way cooler than that dumb hotel,” Tori notes, taking in the beautiful receptionhall.

When our friend Liberty heard that Ethan needed a wedding venue, she offered her grandparents’ bed-and-breakfast, which has an enormous barn that just got renovated to hostevents.

White billowing fabric and twinkle lights crisscross the vaulted ceiling and meet at the front, where a huge chandelier hangs over the dance floor area. Along the tables that circle the perimeter, candles shimmer in open mason jars next to giant arrangements of pale pink roses, freesia, and peonies, casting a warm backdrop for the magicalevening.

The coordinator leads us across the shiny hardwood floors to the other end while we ooh and ahhh at the decorations, like the photos of Ethan and Tori set up on a short wooden ladder by the bridal table. At the top is a pic of him down on his knee last Christmas. The look on Tori’s face ispriceless.

In the low light, I feel like I’m standing in someone’sfairytale.

Heather lines us up out of sight of the guests as the back doors creak open, slowly brightening thebarn.

Beverly and Tori’s mom join us, and outside the musicstarts.

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