Page 65 of Love Me Sweet

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Sylvie put the thought of Andrew’s upcoming departure from her mind. Or tried.

It was Josie’s wedding day. The twenty-fourth of September had dawned sunny and without a cloud in the sky.

Happy the bride the sun shines on.

She smiled as she watched Poppy, Josie’s sister-in-law and matron of honor, adjust the bride’s veil.

There had been a time when Sylvie had imagined herself walking down the aisle to Andrew. She’d planned on making a life with him in Boston.

Though she’d been wrong to run off in the way she had, she believed if she hadn’t, she’d have withered and died away. In her heart she’d known what she wanted, but hadn’t been willing to demand it.

She hadn’t let Andrew see her, not really. She hadn’t had the courage to share her true self with him. For some reason, that had been easier to do here in Wyoming.

Maybe because she’d begun to change in the three months she’d been here. Or maybe because she felt a part of the world here, in a way that would have never been possible in Boston. The acceptance she’d found here had allowed her to grow.

In Boston she could have been married to Andrew for twenty years and still be an outsider. Pursuing a business would have been difficult given the social expectations for a member of the O’Shea family.

The heavy sigh was as out-of-place in the happy dressing area as a stick of margarine would be in her kitchen. Relieved that no one appeared to have noticed, Sylvie glanced into the mirror in front of her and fussed with her hair.

Cassidy had come in earlier to work her magic on the bride and her attendants. Sylvie’s normally sleek ‘do was now a riot of curls topped by a thin band of flowers. Her cocktail length dress, a rich periwinkle blue, made her eyes look like violets.

When Cassidy had pulled out the huge cosmetics bag, Sylvie had worried. Normally, her use of make-up was a few swipes of mascara and some lip gloss. But she had to admit, the grey shadow on her lids brought out not only the color in her eyes but made them look larger, more mysterious.

Sylvie smiled into the mirror at the ridiculous thought. The base made her skin looked creamy with a hint of dew and the lipstick-Passionate-added depth to her mouth.

She looked…pretty.

“I’m so happy we could share this day together.”

Sylvie turned, only then realizing that Josie had crossed the room to her. “You look amazing,” she told her friend. “Like a princess.”

The sleeveless ball gown style dress with the intricate beading suited Josie’s figure. Her friend was a beautiful woman but the unmitigated joy in her eyes made her glow.

“I can’t wait to walk down that aisle and marry Noah.” Josie’s voice softened the way it always did when she spoke of her future husband. She reached out and grasped Sylvie’s hand. “Thanks for agreeing to be part of my special day.”

“I was surprised you asked me.” Sylvie had never quite had the nerve to ask Josie exactly why she’d asked her. “Especially only months from your wedding, when you already had enough bridesmaids.”

“I felt a connection with you from the beginning.” Josie squeezed the hand she still held. “It was as if we were sisters separated from birth. Are you sure your father’s name isn’t John Campbell?”

Sylvie laughed. “I’m honored.”

“When you plan your wedding, I—”

“That’s a long time in the future.” Sylvie kept her tone light. “If ever.”

“I thought you and Andrew…”

“I suppose anything is possible,” Sylvie said, and was relieved to see the worry leave her friend’s eyes. “But this is your special day. We can discuss my special day another time. Deal?”

“Deal.” Josie gave her hand a shake. “I think it’s time we do this.”

“It’s definitely time for you to walk down that aisle.” Sylvie nodded for emphasis; her tone equally light-hearted.

In less than an hour, Josie Campbell and Noah Anson joined their lives together.

There was only one bad moment. That was when Josie looked into Noah’s eyes when they said their vows. A promise made to stick tight through the good times and the bad, to build a life together.

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