Page 79 of Otto: The Hawthornes

“Well, if it isn’t the groom,” my mom called out cheerfully as she threw open her door. “I’m guessing that umbrella isn’t for me. I’ll meet you in there!”

She held her purse over her head as she hurried into the building.

“Hey bud,” my dad said, rounding the hood. “You good?”

“I’m good,” I confirmed.

“Alright. We’ll see you inside.”

Then it was just me, standing next to the SUV, super fucking nervous to open the door. The anticipation surprised me. It was a marriage of necessity for fuck’s sake. Why the hell was I dying to see Esther in her wedding dress?

Only the knowledge that she was probably watching me stand outside the door like a fucking idiot made me step forward and open the back door.

Then, there she was. Not smiling. Wide-eyed and just as nervous as I was.

Her dress covered her from throat to ankles, but that was about all I could see before she stepped out of the SUV. I fumbled with the umbrella trying to open it, and then nearly swallowed my tongue.

The dress covered her, yeah, but the entire thing was made of lace and while I was sure that underneath the lace was flesh-colored fabric, it didn’t look that way. It looked like she was fucking naked underneath. I was going to kill my mother… or maybe thank her.

Jesus.

“You’re not saying anything,” she said quietly as I looked her over.

“Holy fuck,” I replied. They were the only words I could think of.

“It’s kind of racy,” she said, her hands fidgeting.

I looked up to meet her eyes, and that’s when I noticed that she was wearing her hair down. It was pulled back on one side with a fancy clip, but the rest of it hung in curls and waves to her waist.

“I might have a heart attack before we make it to the vows,” I told her honestly.

She giggled a little in relief and the nerves I’d been fighting since I’d woken up that morning were gone in an instant.

“You ready to do this?” I asked, thrusting out my elbow so she could grip the arm holding the umbrella over us.

“Are you?” she countered. She turned and grabbed something out of the back seat. When she turned back, I could see that it was a large bouquet of yellow flowers. “I know you said your favorite color wasn’t yellow,” she said lightly. “But I thought—” She shrugged.

“Pretty,” I replied gruffly.

I led her toward the building as a few other cars pulled into the lot. I didn’t say anything about the way her hands were shaking, since mine weren’t exactly steady either.

“I know no one can actually see anything,” she whispered when we were close to the door. “But I’m starting to question how I let your mom talk me into this dress.”

“Probably because it looks fuckin’ phenomenal on you,” I replied, pausing before I reached for the door.

“Thank you,” she murmured, lifting the bouquet up so it covered most of her torso.

“Here—” I chuckled a little as I pulled her hair forward with my free hand, draping it over her shoulder. “That better?”

“Not really,” she said apologetically. “I don’t remember the last time I wore my hair down in public.”

I looked at her blankly for a moment. It took me a minute to understand what the problem was—she looked amazing. Then it dawned on me that this wasEsther. The girl who had grown up wearing nothing but out-of-date baggy skirts and hid her hair in a bun ruthlessly slicked back from her face for as long as I’d known her. The past few days, I’d seen her in new clothes andher hair in a loose braid, but that was clearly as far as she’d felt comfortable straying from what she was used to.

“Baby, why didn’t you get somethin’ you were more comfortable in?” I asked quietly, leaning down to meet her eyes.

“For you,” she replied simply.

The words were a blow, both making me feel about ten feet tall and also like a fucking cockroach. There were people headed toward us, taking their time to give us a little space, but I knew we didn’t have more than a minute before we needed to head inside.

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