Page 102 of She Likes It, Hey Micah
Houston and Micah both burst into laughter right as a deep voice says behind me, “The caterer has a question for you, Bradley.”
First giving Micah a playful glare—it’s her fault I’ve loosened up like this—I turn to face Derek with heat burning in my face. “Thank you. I’ll be right there.”
Derek watches Micah head for the patio, and then he gives me a surprising smile. “If it makes a difference, I don’t think she finds me more attractive than you. She looks at you like you hung the stars.”
This man has risen as one of the biggest heartthrobs in cinema, and last year he was in a massive action-adventure blockbuster that grossed several hundred million dollars on opening weekend, and he’s telling me I don’t have competition with the girl who spent the first several days of knowing me trying to get me to smile? I literally have no words, and I gape at him, trying to make sense of where my life has gone.
Everything changed when I met Micah Taylor.
Clearing his throat, Derek looks around the room and then nods at Houston. “Briggs.”
Houston folds his arms. “Riley. Treating her right?”
“You know I am.”
“Good. Help me with these lights?”
“Sure.”
I leave them to it as I head for the kitchen, still wondering if we’re going to pull this off but for the first time thinking maybe we will. That’s what happens when Micah Taylor is given a chance to inspire everyone around her to follow her lead.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Micah
I think…I think thenight is a success.
Honestly, I’m almost afraid to blink for fear of all of this going away and revealing the disaster that I’ve created over the last few weeks. But each time I turn around to check on some aspect of the party, everything is running smoothly. The food tastes incredible, the string quartet is phenomenal, Bonnie, Derek, and Houston are a huge hit, and people are talking.
Talking about how excited they are to book a weekend at the lodge and unplug from the world. Talking about planning weddings and girls’ trips and anniversaries. Talking about fond memories of staying here in the past and how they’re so glad the lodge has been restored to its former glory.
“You did it, Half-pint.” Debbie wraps her arm around me, joining me as I watch everyone mingle and genuinely enjoy themselves. “Your mama would be so proud of you.”
Tears prick my eyes, but I blink them away. “Sheisproud,” I counter. I swear I can feel her, enjoying this party as much as she enjoyed her wedding. I wish my dad could see this.
Right as I think that, someone clears his throat behind me, and my heart swells when I turn to see who. “Daddy!” I rush toward him and leap into his arms, even though I know he’s not really a hugger. He still holds me tight, just as he always does. “What are you doing here?”
“Debbie called me. And Houston. Chad too. Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
I pull myself tighter into his arms. “I thought about it so many times, but I didn’t want to bring up sad memories. You loved Mom so much.”
“Oh, Sweet Pea. I’ll always love your mom, but I could never be sad about remembering her. Did you see our names in the guest book?”
My heart does a sort of flip in my chest. “What?”
He looks behind him, where we laid out the old guest book for people to look through. I didn’t even think to check… Taking my hand, Dad leads me to the book and points to his name right next to my mom’s. She originally wrote Briggs, but then she crossed it out and changed it to Taylor.
I touch her elegant script that is so different from my bubbly handwriting. “I wanted to make tonight special for her.”
Dad wraps his arm around me. “You did, Sweet Pea.”
“I can’t believe you drove all the way here.” Now I’m definitely crying, which is a problem because Bonnie insisted on letting me borrow her makeup artist, and there is no way I’m letting tears destroy the masterpiece that is my face. I need to look into what a makeup artist costs because I have never looked or felt better than I do tonight.
Dad chuckles and helps me fan my face, and then he looks around, his expression growing soft. He’s not an emotional man, and most people find him intimidating. But there’s a big softy underneath his gruff exterior, and I know he’s feeling a lot right now as he takes in the lodge.
“It’s just as warm as I remember,” he says reverently. “I wanted to get married in Sun City, but your mother insisted on somewhere out of the way, where our families could join together.”
“Lloyd!” Houston appears from the crowd with a wide smile, and he and my dad share a manly pat on the back that they insist is a hug. “I’m glad you made it. Micah did an incredible job, didn’t she?”
