Page 67 of The One She Can't Forget

Bryce rolled his eyes. “There you go again, dude.”

“I know,” I said reluctantly. “I’ll think about what you said. But I can’t… I can’t process it all right now, okay? Let’s just go grab the tuxes and head back home.”

ChapterTwenty-Five

MONICA

Bryce and Krystal’s wedding ceremony was being held at the Minden Baptist Church. At the start of the rehearsal, Paula Terbott gave us instructions on where to stand, easily lining up the bridesmaids and the groomsmen on the steps that stretched across the entire front of the sanctuary. I forced myself to avoid looking at Jake, strategically placing myself so Krystal and Bryce were in my line of sight if I tried.

“I just need you to step back,” Paula grabbed my shoulders and gently pressed me until I took two steps backward. “Yes, just like that.” Paula was a fierce, stout woman who had been working for the church for decades.

I glanced over, and there he was in that green button-down shirt I loved so much. Was I imagining things, or did he look tired?

Paula clapped her hands and got our attention. “These will be your spots. I’m going to come hand you a piece of tape. Stick it on the carpet at your feet. Then we’ll head to the back of the church and practice our entrance.”

I averted my eyes, unwilling to be caught staring. As much as I missed him, I was determined to keep my distance during this wedding. After this, we would go back to our normal routine of mostly ignoring each other, like we had been for years before this crazy idea that we could be together.

Other than our small group. Even though I hadn’t told anyone yet, I had been thinking about asking the Connections Pastor at our church in Greencastle about finding a new group. I told myself I was looking for a change because I wanted a small group with other women specifically.

But I knew the truth. It would be too hard to sit across from Jake each week, hearing him talk about his love for the Lord and his heart for his job without wanting to grow closer to him again.

Paula handed me a piece of masking tape, and I obediently placed it on the deep-red carpet at my feet. Then I followed her and Krystal’s mom–her other bridesmaid–down the aisle to the back where Pastor Justin, Bryce, Jake, and Nathan were waiting.

“Mrs. Daughtry, it’s so fun that you are standing up with Krystal,” I said to Krystal’s mom.

Sharon beamed. “Isn’t it though? I’ll admit, I haven’t been a bridesmaid since my thirties. I never imagined my own daughter would ask me.”

I smiled, thinking of my own mother and our special relationship. How much more so would Krystal have that with her mom since her dad had been gone for quite a while.

As Paula gave Justin and Bryce their instructions, I glanced up and found Jake’s eyes on me.

I looked away quickly.

“Last in line is the bride, of course.” Paula grabbed Krystal by the shoulders and moved her until she stood with her back against the doors at the back of the church. Then, she turned to the rest of us. “Maid of honor and best man, you’re right here.”

Jake and I both followed her direction and stood in front of Krystal at the very back of the church, facing the pews as they stretched out in front of us.

After Nathan and Mrs. Daughtry took their place as first in line, Paula bent down to talk to my cousin’s kids who were the ring bearer and flower girl. She positioned them right behind me and Jake.

“Now aren’t they precious,” she said sweetly. Then she scoffed. “The last wedding tried to convince me they were having a flower man instead of a flower girl. Preposterous. You can bet I put a stop to that immediately.” Then she pointed at us. “Your job is to make sure those little ones are ready to follow you down the aisle, all right?”

Jake pressed his lips together, and I could tell he was trying not to laugh.

Paula seemed to notice the same thing because she narrowed her eyes at him. “Jake Barrett, I don’t want any funny business out of you, all right? Don’t think I’ve forgotten your junior high lock-in.”

My eyebrows went skyward, fueled by curiosity about what had happened all those years ago. Jake didn’t elaborate though. Instead, he turned around and started chatting with Hannah and Chip, trading high fives and fist bumps and pretending the kids were so strong they were going to hurt him with the power of their knuckles. It was pretty obvious that little Hannah was already head over heels for Jake.

I couldn’t blame her, honestly. When he turned the charm on like that? Women were all but helpless.

Paula moved to the front of the group and instructed the men how to hold their arm out for us. When she insisted we demonstrate our understanding, Jake politely extended his elbow toward me, and I tucked my hand around it. The smooth fabric of the button-down shirt felt warm under my hand, and his muscles tensed at the contact.

I tried to listen as Paula droned on about how fast to walk, but instead I nudged my hand toward his ribcage. “What happened at your junior high lock-in?”

He kept his eyes on Paula but leaned toward me and whispered, “Let’s just say there were about one hundred crickets involved and whenall creation sangduring Sunday morning service, it was not well with Ms. Terbott’s soul.”

A giggle escaped, but I swallowed it quickly when Paula turned her beady eyes on me.

“Something to add, Miss Storm?”

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