“My sister’s boyfriend is the guy standing beside the groom,” Brody said, his voice low. “Liam Trulane. He’s also Georgia’s brother. They grew up here too.”
“One big happy family, huh?” Kat whispered as the music changed and the audience stood.
“We have out moments,” Brody murmured, his lips curving up, forming a smile that managed to scream sexy and sweet at the same time. “But for the most part? Yeah, one big family.”
Why do I have a feeling your worst moments together surpass my best memory of “having a family”?
Because even at their worst, they had each other.
Turning to the aisle, Kat wondered if she should slip away after the ceremony. She didn’t belong here. The connections in her life didn’t run deep. Even the ones that scratched the surface—her friends from medical school, her colleagues in New York, her mentor—none of those relationships had roots in this town.
She’d grown up with these people but didn’t recognize them. She’d planned to march into town, her look-you-were-wrong-about-me attitude in place. But so far no one remembered her.
The anonymity left her unsettled. And wondering if she’d given her past and this place too much weight.
The bride appeared, her smile wide and her brown eyes brimming with excitement. Georgia moved with slow, measured steps as if it took all of her self-restraint not to race to the arbor and greet her groom. The simple ivory strapless dress flowed effortlessly around her. It was a classic, elegant choice, apart from the black lace sash wrapped around her waist. The sash, a modern twist that set the gown apart, formed a big bow at the back.
Watching this woman, a virtual stranger who’d fought in a war, survived, and struggled with the aftereffects, head for her groom, the number of people present faded into the background and emotion took over. And so what if they didn’t remember her? This was Georgia’s moment.
“Eric, it feels like I’ve loved you forever,” the bride said, beaming up at her groom. “And then I fell head first in love with you. I trust you to always see me and believe in me. And I promise to do the same for you. I can fight the scary bears alone, Eric. But together, as a family—” The bride stole a quick glance at the ring bearer.
“Nate is Eric’s nephew,” Brody explained in a low voice. “He took the kid in after his parents died.”
Kat’s gaze snapped to the little boy as an imaginary band squeezed her heart. Joy chased the rush of pain she felt for his loss. He wasn’t alone. The child had lost so much, yet gained these people, who were openly declaring their love for one another.
“Together as a family,” Georgia continued. “We’ll fight the scary bears.”
Eric reached out and took her hand. “Always, Georgia. Always.”
The ring bearer gave a solemn nod.
“My turn?” Eric said. And then without waiting for confirmation, he began: “I’ll keep this short because I’m dying to kiss my beautiful bride.”
The audience laughed and Nate scrunched up his nose.
“I always try to do the right thing, make the right choices. And loving you, Georgia? Standing by your side, taking care of you no matter what life throws our way, nothing has ever felt so right. I promise to love you for the rest of my life, trusting in you, believing in you. I’m going to do whatever it takes to make you happy. Always.”
Happiness—looking at the bride and groom, Kat believed it was possible. But it had often felt out of place amid these mountains. Still, she had changed, and so had Independence Falls. She didn’t have to spend her time here revisiting the unwanted feelings that had descended on her swift and fierce outside the Falls Hotel. She could find new ones, bury the long-held hurts.
And she could choose to spend her brief time here with the football star who’d offered a helping hand once upon a time. Brody Summers was one of the best things this town had to offer, then and certainly now that he’d matured into a man who knew how to use his sinfully perfect body to deliver the world’s best orgasms.
Judging from the way he’d pulled over and handed back her panties, he wanted her too.
“Brody,” she whispered as the groom kissed his beautiful bride. “Do you dance?”
“It’s been a while,” he admitted, his gaze fixed on the happy couple.
“I think you proved last night that lack of practice doesn’t diminish your ability to perform.”
Cheering, music, and the officiant’s words, “I now pronounce you man and wife,” interrupted. Kat stood, clapping and smiling as the bride and groom raced down the aisle followed by the empty-handed little boy and the golden retriever.
“But I can’t dance with you,” Brody murmured.
His words took the edge off her happiness. “Then why did you bring me?”
She knew the answer as soon as the words escaped. Pity. She’d offered a window into her past and Mr. Do-the-Right-Thing had felt sorry for her. Her grade school science project was coming back to haunt her again. But she refused to let it win.
“I thought you’d have fun,” he said.