“Baby.” I kiss the top of her head, keeping my arms tight.
“It’s for the best,” she adds, then she lifts her head and looks around my shoulder when footsteps get close. I know who it is without looking, so I kiss the side of her head and let her go to her friend.
“I’m so sorry,” Chris says, and I can hear the stress in his voice as Kim steps forward to hug him. As much as I want to be pissed at him for what went down, I can’t be. He didn’t know the bitch would make a scene, and he was trying to do something for my woman.
“It’s okay,” Kim whispers, patting his back as he cries.
Thankfully, by the time we make it into the restaurant, the drama for the evening has come to an end and we’re able to do nothing but celebrate with our friends and family.
*
LYING IN BED with Kim asleep against me, I stare up at the night sky as my mind replays what went down with Ginny and the pain I kept seeing in Chris’s eyes throughout dinner. Even with Kim telling him that it was okay, he was still a mess. “Fuck.” I rub a hand down my face then carefully get out of bed and get dressed.
“Baby, I’ll be back,” I say as I take a seat on the side of the bed touching her hip, and her sleepy eyes blink open to meet mine.
“What? What time is it?” she asks.
I look at the clock then mutter, “It’s 12:15.”
“Where are you going at 12:15 at night? On the night before we are supposed to get married?” she asks, getting up on her elbow.
“I need to take care of something,” I answer vaguely, and her body gets tight.
“Should I be worried?” she asks, wrapping her hand around my jaw and smoothing her thumb over my bottom lip.
“No.”
“Promise?”
“Promise. Sleep. I’ll be back.”
“Okay,” she whispers, leaning up and touching her mouth to mine, then dropping her head back to the pillow. “Be safe.”
“Always.” I kiss her once more then leave the room, closing the door as I go.
Heading out of the house, I set the alarm then get in my car and take off toward town. When I pull up in front of Chris’s house forty minutes later, I shut down the engine and hop out, slamming the door behind me. Walking up his front porch, I pound on his door twice and wait for him to answer.
“Hey.” He pulls the door open. “Is Kim—”
“Not here about Kim. Get dressed. You’re coming with me.”
“What?” His eyes get big and fill with panic. “Where are we going?”
“Alabama,” I tell him, and the panic slides out as realization filters in.
“I’ll be right back.” He runs off, and I shake my head, feeling a smile curve my lips. Two hours later, we break into Ginny’s house. Three hours after that, I climb back into bed with Kim, who only wakes enough to turn in my arms and cuddle close.
Kim
STANDING AT THE end of the aisle with my arm tucked into my dad’s, I look around and tears blur my vision. The hall is beautiful, more beautiful than I could have imagined, with nothing but white tulle and bright pops of red and orange flowers everywhere that match my bouquet.
Touching one finger to the pendent around my neck, my throat closes up. A few hours ago, when I was getting ready before I had my makeup done, Chris came in to see me and gave it to me. At first, I thought it was just a beautiful necklace. I didn’t know what the significance was. But then he explained that inside the pendent was a little bit of my sister’s ashes.
I didn’t ask him how he got them. I knew. After he told me that, I cried, because even if Kelly and I didn’t have the best relationship, I want to believe that she would have wanted to be here with me today. So being able to carry her with me meant a lot.
“Don’t cry,” Dad mutters, handing me a handkerchief out of his pocket.
Turning my head his way, I smile. “I’m trying not to.”
“Well don’t, ’cause I don’t want to cry,” he says, and my heart gets warm as his eyes water. “You make a beautiful bride.”
“Thank you, Dad.”
“I love you. One of the best things that ever happened in my life was you,” he whispers, kissing the side of my head, and I bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t cry.
“I love you, too.”
“I know,” he mutters, and then the music starts up and he squeezes me in with his arm. As we make our way through the chairs lined up on each side of the aisle, my heart lodges in my throat.
I had imagined a million times what it would feel like to walk toward Sage on our wedding day, but I had no idea I would feel so complete. Watching his eyes heat and darken as they move over me in my wedding dress, and seeing the love and possessiveness in his gaze almost brings me to my knees. I love him. I love him more than I ever thought I could possibly love another person.