“Are you still thinking no necklace?” Willa asked.
I brought my fingers up to my bare neck and nodded. “I think so.”
Willa handed me a box. “Hunter asked me to give this to you.”
Turning, I took the box from her and stared at it. “He got me a gift? Crap! Was I supposed to get him something?”
Willa laughed. “He knew you were going to say that, so he told me to tell you that you’re giving him two of the greatest gifts he could ever want: you and the baby.”
Tears started to build in my eyes. Before they could fall, I felt a sharp pain on the back of my arm. “Ouch! What in the hell?” I said as I spun around and stared at Candace.
She had a stern look on her face. “I spent forever on your makeup—no crying allowed!”
I opened my mouth to protest, but she raised a single brow as if daring me to argue. I closed my mouth and focused back on the box in my hand. I opened the small card and read it.
For my beautiful bride. Your something blue.
I love you always and forever, Hunter
I picked up the piece of lavender sprig inside the card and put it to my nose, smelling it as I let a single tear slip free. To hell with Candace.
“Don’t wipe! Dab! Dab!” Candace rushed over and dabbed a napkin on my cheek. When she stepped back, I started to open the box. I gasped at the beautiful silver bracelet with round sapphires inside.
“Oh, that is stunning! It looks like an antique,” Abby stated.
Willa sniffled. “It was our grandmother’s. My granddaddy gave it to her on their wedding day. Then when my folks got married, she gave it to my mother to give to their firstborn. Granddaddy got it from his mother, who told him it needed to be passed down to each firstborn baby. I’m not even sure how old it is, I just know it’s been handed down for generations to the firstborn on their wedding day. So, if you and Hunter have a son, you’ll give it to him for his bride. Or if you have a daughter, it’ll be a gift to her from you and Hunter. It’ll be her something blue too.”
“Oh shit,” Candace said as she ran and grabbed the tissues.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, looking down at the bracelet. Willa took it from me and proceeded to put it on my wrist.
Candace was back with the tissues. My lower jaw trembled, and I fought to hold back my tears. Candace handed me the box and sighed. “Fuck it. Just cry. I’ll fix the makeup.”
A sob slipped free as I stared down at the family heirloom. “I love it even more now,” I said, grabbing a tissue and trying not to mess up my makeup. After I got my emotions in check, I turned to Candace. “Did I ruin it?”
She placed her thumb and finger on my chin and examined me carefully. A wide smile broke out on her face, and she shook her head. “Goddamn, I’m good. You still look beautiful.”
“Candace! We’re in a church!” Abby protested.
Greer let out a laugh. “Like she cares. She’s had sex in a church.”
We all gasped while Candace rolled her eyes. “It was outside of a church, not in it.”
Greer laughed and looked like she was about to say more, but Candace changed the subject by turning me so I could look at myself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror. “Are you ready to become Mrs. Hunter Turner?” she asked.
With a deep breath in, I exhaled. “I’ve never been more ready.”
Turning to the door, I stopped when I saw my mother and father standing there.
“Arabella,” my father whispered as he walked toward me. “My goodness, you are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen, besides your mother.”
Mom laughed and wiped at a tear. “Are you ready, honey?”
“Yes.” I sniffled, and my father handed me a handkerchief.
“Wrap it around your bouquet, darling—you’ll need to use it once or twice, I’m sure,” he said.
Nodding, I said in a barely there voice, “I will, Daddy.”
Abby reached for the handkerchief and expertly wrapped it around the bouquet she’d made for me. All five of my friends were standing up at the altar with me: Abby as my matron of honor, and Willa, Greer, Bree, and Candace as my bridesmaids. They were dressed in various shades of light blue dresses with bouquets made of white and blue flowers. They’d all found their dresses the day of our shopping trip. I hadn’t cared what the dresses looked like, I just knew I wanted them to be blue.
“Here you go, sweetie,” Abby said as she gave the flowers back.
Daddy held out his arm and nodded. “Let’s go get you married!”
I smiled up at my father. “Let’s.”
Hunter
The moment I saw Bella appear at the end of the aisle on her father’s arm, I started to cry. It was like looking at an angel walking toward me. She was dressed in a beautiful white gown and her face radiated love and happiness. Even from where I stood, I could see how bright her eyes were. But more than anything, I loved the peace I saw in those eyes. It left my heart feeling like it would beat right out of my damn chest.