Page 83 of Not Faking it with the Colonel

“They came to Atlanta right after they got engaged, and I took her shopping at Bridals by Lori. The third dress was perfection. It’s so romantic and so Elizabeth.”

Shopping for Megan’s wedding gown had been an exciting experience for Bethann and Megan. They’d come home exhausted but so excited when she’d found “the one.” The sense of loss evoked by the memory was a shadow of what it had been before Erin came into his life. What if she had to move to LA? That kind of distance could mean the end of things. While that had been their agreement, it was something he wasn’t ready for.

Instead of turning to see Elizabeth enter, he intently watched John’s reaction and easily read his lips when he mouthedWowand broke into a huge smile.

Ripples of laughter made Graham turn to see an oversized dog walking Elizabeth down the aisle. The personalized vows the couple exchanged had the tough operators in attendance laughing but were also very moving.

“Do you need a tissue?” Cindy Nishiyama offered.

“I’m good,” Atchinson said as Graham looked over his shoulder in time to see him knuckle away a tear. Graham swallowed the emotion choking him too.

The ceremony was short and sweet. After the chaplain pronounced them Captain and Mrs. John Bryson, John dipped Elizabeth for a long, romantic kiss to cheers from nearly every guest there.

While the wedding party posed for the photographer, appetizers and drinks were served. Guests took tours of the tiny home where John had temporarily lived.

“I’ve got to see this.” Erin pulled Graham by the hand to the row of three tiny homes.

He pictured the six-foot-five-inch soldier commando-crawling into the sleeping loft, which only had about three feet of clearance. Erin laughed when Graham stepped into the tiny shower. “I’ve lived in tight quarters when deployed, and I could do this if I had to, but I don’t know how Bryson did it.”

After the guests took seats for dinner, John and Elizabeth made their entrance and danced to a custom medley. Following dinner and toasts, Bryson led Elizabeth to the dance floor. Partway through “Somebody Like You,” their family members joined them. Bryson whistled, and the woman in charge of his dog let him loose to romp on the dance floor with the happy couple.

Another pang of nostalgia hit Graham when the song “Look what God Gave Her” played. The last concert he’d attended with Bethann had featured the singer, Thomas Rhett.

He shook his head as Bryson’s team quickly got into the action, leading their wives and dates to the floor, performing choreographed moves, and serenading the women. “I heard something about Bryson’s team practicing some ‘unique training maneuvers.’” He pointed to the dance floor.

“Don’t be mad. It’s good for morale and relationships.”

“That’s exactly why I let it slide. It gave me an idea for the ball.” He took Erin’s hand, and they made their way to the dance floor. The line about having haters made him think of Noelle, who had no valid reason to act like she did toward Erin.

After another song, the bridal couple exited the dance floor and made their way to the table holding the wedding cake. Guests gathered around, and Cecilia brought her husband over and introduced Nate to Graham.

“So, you were the bachelor guy on the dating show I let Bryson go on?”

“Yes, sir. I appreciate you letting him do that.”

“So do I.” Cecilia hugged Nate’s arm and smiled adoringly at him.

Maybe he should thank them, since, indirectly, it led to Erin coming here for research purposes.

Even though it wasn’t a military wedding in terms of dress, the Brysons still cut the cake using a sword as all the guests watched.

Elizabeth gave Bryson a look of warning before he fed her cake with a fork—in a loving manner. She reciprocated, then playfully dabbed frosting on his nose. He laughed and kissed her, leaving a smear of icing on her cheek.

Graham and Erin took seats to eat their cake. Cruz slid into the seat on the other side of Erin.

“What’s the latest word on your series?” he asked before taking a bite of cake.

“They’re casting for the pilot, and we’re working on other episodes.”

“Wow. If she catches the bouquet, you better catch the garter, Colonel, and lock her down before she goes out to LA and some Hollywood hotshot makes a move on your lady.”

Erin shook her head and laughed. “I’m not fighting all these single women for the bouquet. Besides, Graham has a much better shot at getting the garter, and I don’t want whoever catches the bouquet to get ideas.” She stole some of the frosting from Graham’s slice of cake with her finger, then sucked it off while eyeing him.

Blood flooded to Graham’s groin as he recalled her straddling him after he’d asked about the wedding cake scene in her script. However, avoiding the bouquet and garter toss could raise questions since they were supposed to be on the fast track to marriage.

Between dancing, Erin chatted with the wives from John’s team and several other women guests while Graham stayed with the team guys or couples. He and Erin joined the crowded floor when the DJ played popular line dance songs.

“I’m surprised you know this one, Colonel. I took you as a “Macarena”-era guy,” Cruz joked.

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