Page 139 of Boston
“Amen,” chorused around the room, and Adam’s gaze flew to Harry. He wiped one eye, and then took the three steps across the circle to him and grabbed him in a hug.
“I’m your favorite person except Belle,” Adam said with a scoff. “I don’t think so.”
Harry stepped back and grinned. “You don’t think so? Who do I like more?”
“Bryce,” Adam said, indicating his cousin. “Your daddy. Ev. The little kids.” Adam could go on, but he stopped there.
He hugged his father, all the Young cousins, and Ian and Paxman, and then Harry spun his hand in a vertical circle and said, “Let’s head out, boys.”
He led the way to the door as Adam checked the clock above it. He was leaving a couple of minutes late, but Boston peeled off to the right to head toward the bridal suite to let them know, while everyone else went left. He needed to stage himself at the altar, and everyone else except his father would be in the wedding party. Adam tried not to be too concerned about anyone else.
He nodded to the blonde woman who stood at the door. Julie worked with Boston, and they would make sure that everything got done the way it needed to. Adam focused on his breathing and the gloriously cool temperature of the air, the beautiful reds and oranges and golds in the trees, and the scent of pine that permeated the amphitheater.
A huge wooden trellis had been set up, with sage threaded through it. Pink flowers dominated, but some ivory with silver on the tips had been woven throughout as well. It spanned the entire width of the audience—six chairs on each side, with an aisle down the middle—and a waterfall of flowers and vines hung behind the altar. Adam had never seen anything like it, and he almost didn’t want to step out and take his place, as people were still taking photos and selfies.
Every chair had a bright pink bow tied around it, with sage and wheat and that silver-tipped flower coming out of it. The aisles had been marked by lanterns that glowed softly in the shade of the amphitheater, and a sea of silver glitter had been sprinkled down the middle to create an aisle.
Adam could personally appreciate every detail he saw, because not a single thing sat out of place.
Julie came to his side a few minutes later. “It’s time,” she said. “I’m going to ask everyone to take their seats.” She twisted slightly and surveyed the crowd. “Do you see anyone missing?”
Adam suddenly went face blind. He managed to find Otis and Georgia in the front row, with OJ and Anya right next to them. Across the aisle sat his mother, with the rest of the row empty for his siblings and their spouses. His father sat on the end of the second row, and Adam figured anyone else who hadn’t made it here on time could miss it.
“I think we’re ready,” he said to Julie.
She turned and nodded, then gestured for him to take his place at the altar. It had been constructed from the same finewood as the trellis, and the top had been padded with the sparkliest pink fabric Adam had ever seen. An A and a J sat there in gleaming silver thread, and he ran his finger along the curve of the letter that started Joey’s name.
“She’s going to love this,” he said.
Julie smiled at him and moved to the side, just as the processional music filtered down from hidden speakers in the trellis. Adam pulled in a breath, realizing that hisweddingwas beginning. He looked down the aisle, his heart tumbling through his chest. He clasped his hands in front of him and tried to calm himself as Ian and his wife, Sarah stepped onto the sea of glitter first.
Ellie and Paxman came next, and Adam loved his siblings powerfully as they grinned at him and stepped delicately forward in time with the music.
Harry and Belle came next, and Adam’s chest squeezed. Harry could be a complete grump, but he’d turned on his country music star persona, and he beamed as brightly as a star. Bryce and Codi came after them, and then Kassie and Reggie, Cash and Rosie, Boston and Cora, Cole and Liesl, Eric and Corrine.
Adam hugged them all and whispered “thank you for coming” over and over. They all took their seats as the music continued to play, and Adam hadn’t noticed when Otis had slipped out. He appeared at the end of the aisle now, coming up the stairs there as if he were lifting out of the ground. He smiled at everyone, and he possessed plenty of country music star charisma too. He turned halfway back and extended his right hand, and Adam’s beautiful Joey seemed to float up the stairs to his side.
She wore a gown fitted to her frame in a beautiful, pale ivory. She had not wanted white fabric, or lace, or anything that looked like a ball gown.
This dress had tiny spaghetti straps that went over her shoulders, and the shininess of the fabric caught the light of the lanterns as she passed the back row. Her glorious white-blonde hair had been swept up into a crown on her head, which had been adorned with tiny, delicate pink flowers. Her very persona gave off the silver, ivory, and pink that she’d chosen for the wedding.
She didn’t wear shoes, and Adam caught a flash of pink on her toenails, before his eyes flew back to hers. He could not believe this woman loved him, and yet it struck through him as true as anything.
They arrived at the altar, and Otis swept a kiss across his daughter’s cheek, and she hugged him tightly. Her bright blue eyes seemed a little bit wide as she came to Adam’s side, and he quickly linked his arm through hers and kept her close.
“Hey, my roo,” he said, and pressed a kiss to her temple, and then they faced the pastor together.
Whatever happened next didn’t matter. Joey had shown up, and while Adam hadn’t thought she wouldn’t, her presence testified to him just how much she loved him.
The pastor smiled warmly at them both. “What an amazing day to get married.” He spoke with a jovial tone and a big smile on his face. “Am I right?” He spread both arms out toward the world. “Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, and a beautiful couple, so clearly in love.”
Joey pressed her arm against Adam’s ribs, and he found himself feeding off the pastor’s energy.
“I’ve promised Joey and Adam that I wouldn’t go on and on, but I love giving advice on wedding day, and since I get to talk right now, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Adam smiled at him and glanced at Joey. She didn’t seem irritated at all, and it took a lot to get her to that state. They hada tight timeline for the ceremony and pictures before dinner, but the pastor had just started.
“Love is not just a feeling—it’s a daily decision. Choose each other every day, especially when it’s hard, and keep God at the center of your relationship. The more you draw near to Him, the closer you’ll grow to each other.”
