Page 90 of Hello Handsome
With that realization, I gave Liv a brief smile and walked through. I could feel all my family’s eyes on me as I started down the aisle toward the pastor waiting at the end—he was a few years older than even me.
Only a few steps into the church, my second youngest granddaughter, Mira, squealed, “GRAMPY!” and squirmed out of her big sister’s arms, sprinting toward me with promising athletic ability.
Fletcher hissed, “Mira!” hurrying to capture her. But I waved him off, bending to scoop Mira into my arms. Her wispy, dark hair was pulled into a bow that held a tuft of curls atop her head, and she grinned deviously as she snuggled against my shoulder.
“Hi, baby girl,” I whispered, nuzzling my nose against her cheek.
“Hi, Grampy.” She grinned. “Can I have some candy?”
“We have cupcakes after the wedding,” I told her happily. This is what today was all about. Family.Love. “Why don’t you go back to sissy and your daddy?” I suggested.
“Otay,” she said, squirming back down. I helped lower her, and she walked back to her exasperated older sister. At fourteen, Maya looked so much like Fletcher when he was that age. All long limbs and pointed chin and big brown eyes. I gave her a wink and continued walking down the aisle, waving at my other grandbabies. My sons. My daughters-in-law.
My heart felt full enough to burst by the time I reached the altar and stood adjacent to the pastor. We greeted each other, and then the music changed.
The speed of my pulse instantly tripled as I whipped my gaze toward the door. Creaking hinges countered the organ’s tune, and sunlight streamed in from behind my bride, casting her in a halo like the angel she was to me.
At first, all I saw was her smile. My favorite feature of hers. She wore subtle makeup, and her hair was pulled back from her face to give me the best possible view. Her eyes shone just as brightly as the light behind her.
And then the doors closed, reminding me to glance at the rest of her. She had on a pretty cream-colored satin dress with lace sleeves. The material bunched at her waist and flowed to the floor, moving easily around her legs with every step she took next to her son.
Enzo, who had gone through so much, stood tall and walked beside his mom, holding her arm.
And that’s when I noticed the bouquet in her hands. The flowers matched the ones in the aisle except for a single yellow sunflower at the middle. For Maya.
My eyes pricked with tears in gratitude for this woman. This incredible woman who saw something in me, even when I felt like there was nothing left worth seeing.
When I doubted myself, she stayed firm. When I walked in fear, she walked in faith, in love.
I wiped at my cheeks as she drew near. Aggie was the love of the rest of my life.
Hours or seconds or minutes later, she met me at the altar, and I shook Enzo’s hand, barely tearing my eyes away from his mother.
“Hi, beautiful,” I managed a hoarse whisper once he walked away.
She reached out, cupping my face in her hand, and brushed away the tears with her thumb. “Hello, Handsome.”
58
AGGIE
While Gray wentinto town to play poker with the guys, Etta came over to watch a movie. We sat on the couch in the living room, drinking Cupcake wine and snacking on charcuterie while discussing the high points ofHow to Lose a Guy in TenDays versusTwo Weeks Notice.
We finally settled on the latter and snuggled back into the couch with our own blankets, even though it was the middle of summer.
“You know what I miss?” Etta asked as the credits rolled.
I gave her a curious look.
“That fuzzy blanket you had. Remember the one with the hearts on it? It was so soft.”
Laughing, I said, “That’s what you miss? I can fix that.”
“I looked in that basket in the corner and didn’t see it,” she said. “I’ve been googling heart blankets to find one of my own because I liked it that much.”
I pressed up from the couch, setting my own blanket over the arm. “Don’t be silly. I’m sure I have it here.”
Her eyes lit up like I’d told her Santa was real. “You do?”
