Page 66 of Splintered Memories
Ihadtoadmit,itwas a bit much for what was supposed to be a small celebration.
Emersyn gawked at the bulbous lights strung above us up the drive as we eased through the gate of the venue. My mother had booked a local event hall on an expansive property outside of Ember Hollow. The land had everything someone could ask for in a venue: privacy for acres, vineyards, a private lake with an old wooden bridge arching over the narrowest portion of it.
There were even stables with a few horses.
“I’ve never been out here,” Emersyn mused, clinging to the window as we made our way up a winding path.
There were multiple buildings used to host parties. My mother had booked the smallest, though it was anything but simple. The biggestwas a huge open barn that was often used for wedding ceremonies and receptions.
The hall we were using looked like a large wooden cabin. The side of the building that faced the lake was nothing but windows from the base to the peaked roof. The sun was beginning to set, and the lights from inside made the cabin glow like a lit candle.
I parked in the lot off to the side.
“Wait.” I put a hand on Emersyn’s arm as she reached for the door handle. She gave me a quizzical look, but she froze. “A lady never opens her own door.”
I gave her a wink and hopped out of the car, quickly rounding the vehicle and opening her door. I offered her my hand.
She stared at my palm for a moment before she took it. “Being a gentleman tonight, huh?” She raised her brows.
I helped her out of the vehicle, bowing slightly as I did so. “I’ll be anything you want me to be when you look like that,” I said, leisurely scanning her dress.
Her skin flushed but she laughed and leaned into my side. “Better be careful,” she whispered in my ear. “I might take advantage of you if you’re going to say things like that.”
My core went molten as we walked toward the cabin, arm in arm. I was quiet until we came up to the entrance. My eyes caught hers as I reached for the door handle. I wondered whether she could feel the heat that she had ignited in my veins. Heat that I shouldn’t be indulging in. But that stupid dress of hers wasdoingthings to me.
I swung open the door but held onto Emersyn’s arm for a beat longer. Pulling her against me, I spoke softly against the shell of her ear. “You have every advantage when it comes to me, Emersyn.”
Then I let her go, gesturing for her to enter as I held the door open for her. She blinked at me, her eyes wide. The flush was vibrant against her pale skin as she walked into the hall.
I grinned, watching the sway of her hips as she went, completely mesmerized.
Hailey had done a great job picking out the decorations.
The cabin was basically one big room when you walked inside. Long tables lined the back wall that were filled with snacks, small appetizers, and desserts. A bar was built into the right side, where bartenders were serving both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Next to the bar was a hallway that led to a small sitting area and the bathrooms.
In the center of the space was a large dance floor, punctuated by a large, glimmering crystal chandelier above it. A DJ had set up on a small stage in the front corner, and round tables with seating surrounded the dance floor.
But what really made the hall look beautiful were the brightly colored flowers everywhere. Bundles of vivid pinks and teals and yellows sat in elegant vases on every table. Garlands of multicolored flowers intertwined with green vines were pinned along the edges of the tablecloths of the food tables. On the left side of the room, there was an entire section of wall that was covered in flowers.
“Oh, my gosh,” Emersyn breathed, taking it all in. “This is so perfect.”
“Perfect,” I agreed, not taking my eyes off her.
The night began to unfold exactly how my mother had planned it.
All the guests arrived, which ended up being a lot more people than I had expected. Apparently, my mother had not only gone overboard with the planning and decorating, but also the invitations.
“Oh, stop,” she’d said, when I’d commented on the crowd. “My baby boy is getting married. I can have a bit of fun if I want to.”
And that had been that.
So much of the town was here. Not everyone, but a lot of the regular customers who shopped at the consignment shop Lark helped her mom run were in attendance.
I should’ve made it a point to get the guest list before the party, but I had been under the impression that it wasn’t going to be many more than just my family members.
As the number of people grew, so did my anxiety. Thankfully, the place only had one main entrance, with an emergency exit at the back, and both were visible from most angles of the room.
I was still in charge of keeping Emersyn safe, but as long as we locked the doors after the main couple arrived, and I had all my brothers here as well, I was comfortable with her safety.
