The door closes behind Stefano, and I swear it’s like everything in me just leaves. “Oh my God,” I declare, trying to get to a chair before I collapse on the floor, which will make an even bigger scene.
“Oh my God,” Sofia says, putting the blue box down and looking around the room to make sure no one saw what just happened. All of the women are too busy getting ready to even care what just went down.
I put my face in my hands as the door opens again, and for the second time today, I think my heart stops. I look up expecting to see Stefano storm back in here and make a scene, but instead it’s Clarabella. “Okay, everyone but the bride,” she announces, “it’s time for pictures.” I let out the biggest sigh of relief and literally hang my head when the women slowly trickle out of the room. One of Sofia’s cousins comes over and takes Avery with her, as Presley and Shelby walk into the room and take a look around.
“What is going on?” Presley asks.
“Oh my God,” Shelby says, “did someone get shot?”
“Was it a horse?” Clarabella gasps. “I told them doing a gun salute was not a good idea.”
“Wait… what?” Sofia says and then shakes her head. “Forget it. I need to focus on one thing at a time.” She turns and looks at me. “Are you okay?” Her voice goes soft.
I shake my head, looking to see if there is any sweet tea around. If there was ever a time for sweet tea, it would be now, at this moment.
“Why wouldn’t she be okay?” Shelby asks softly, coming over and sitting next to me. The tears now come out of me, but I quickly wipe them away. The four of them have been the closest thing to family I’ve had in five years.
“I just saw someone I haven’t seen in five years,” I say, and my voice cracks at the end.
“Oh, that’s weird,” Clarabella says, sitting down in the chair. “Who was it?”
“Five years, that’s a long time,” Presley states as she sits on the arm of the chair Clarabella is sitting in.
“How are they not getting this?” Sofia shrieks, throwing up her hands in the air and looking at each of the girls.
“I think I need to sit down,” I say, forgetting that I’m actually sitting down.
“Oh my God!” Clarabella yelps, as if she solved the biggest mystery of the world.
“The baby daddy?”
I nod my head, and Shelby flies out from the seat beside me. “Code Purple.” She starts to look around frantically. “We have a Code Purple.”
“We’re all here.” Presley throws up her hands. “Who else are we calling?”
“We do not need a Code Purple,” I say, though I need a Code Purple. Actually, come to think of it, is meeting your baby daddy five years later with his girlfriend not considered higher than a Code Purple? “This is not the time or the place.” I get up and smooth down my dress. “This is Sofia’s day.” I look at her, and everything in me wants to fall apart, but this is her day, so I need to put my emotions away and do my job. I have to show them I can do this job. “Let’s get Sofia married.” I force a smile on my face as Sofia looks at me. “I need you to pretend it didn’t happen.”
“Okay,” Sofia gives in, “but we’ll have to discuss this.”
“Oh, I don’t think you are the only one I’ll have to discuss this with,” I finally say. “Did you see his face? He knows.”
“I mean, are men that intuitive?” Presley asks, and I just look at her.
“Oh, he knew right away,” Sofia chimes in. “They have the same eyes. It took me a total of two point six seconds to put it together.”
“Well, let’s hope no one else puts it together,” I mumble, “especially his girlfriend.”
Clarabella gasps. “He has a girlfriend, and this is information you lead with?”
“Excuse me?” Shelby butts in. “Can we know who he is?”
“Stefano Dimitris,” Sofia fills them in, and now gives me the last name I will most likely have to add to Avery’s birth certificate. I feel my stomach getting sick and push down the thought, you are fine. Well, you will be fine. It will all be fine. I don’t even think I believe myself this time.
“That is a sexy-ass name,” Presley says, and Clarabella hits her arm with her hand. “What? It is.”
“Can we focus on getting Sofia in her dress, please?” I urge. “I’ll go get your mother so we can get you in it.”
“I’ll go get Hazel,” Shelby volunteers. “You stay here and have a shot of sweet tea. You look like someone died and then kicked your dog after telling you Santa isn’t real.” She takes a deep breath. “It’s not a good look.”
“Wow,” Clarabella chides, “smooth.”
“When are you guys changing into your dresses?” Sofia asks, and we all look at her. “All my bridal party is wearing lilac, and I expect the four of you to wear it also.”
“But—” I start to say.
“But nothing. It’s my day, and you will do what I say,” she huffs as the door opens, and her mother pops her head in.
“Not to be pushy or anything, but Matty is getting antsy. He started to bounce on his heels and then your grandfather asked him if he wanted to go shooting in the woods.” She smiles but you can see the panic in her eyes. “We don’t think that is a good idea.”
“I thought they put all the guns away!” I shriek. “Billy said he would.”
“Oh, Charlotte told them if they so much as leave this area, no one is getting any food,” Hazel informs us, coming in. “Now let’s get you dressed.”
I smile at the two of them as she leads her over to her wedding dress. “Here.” Presley hands me a lilac dress. “You get the off-the-shoulder one.”
“I don’t know about that. I need to wear a bra ever since Avery and breastfeeding, well, they aren’t praising Jesus anymore.” I look at the beautiful satin gown.
“No one’s are praising Jesus anymore,” Clarabella deadpans. “Just put it on, you’ll be fine.” I walk into the bathroom and slip on the lilac satin dress. It hugs every single one of the curves I also got after I had Avery. The sweetheart neckline is attached to small cap sleeves. I zip up the dress in the back as much as I can before I have to ask for help.
“Your ass looks amazing in this dress,” Presley declares. “He’s going to want to eat you all up.”
“I don’t want him eating anything,” I tell them, avoiding looking at them. “Now, you three need to get out there and make sure it’s all good.”
“It’s perfect,” Shelby says. “I just went to see, but we’ll go take our seats.” She comes over to me. “You’ve got this.” I blink away the tears that are threatening again.
The three of them leave the room, and Sofia steps out, and I gasp at how gorgeous she is. “Holy shit,” I say, and then my hand flies to my mouth, “you look…”
“Do you think he’ll like it?” she asks me, and I nod.
“Are you kidding me?” I can’t help but smile at her. “He’s going to love it,” I assure her, blinking away tears. “Now, why don’t we get out there and get you married?”
She nods as I pick up her train and veil, and we walk out. Reed paces back and forth, waiting for her, and the minute he sees her, he puts his hand on his chest. “Don’t you dare cry,” Sofia hisses. “I can’t walk down the aisle a blubbering mess.”
“I’m not going to cry,” Reed denies, but at the same time, tears are pouring down his face.
I smile at them as I hand Sofia her bouquet before turning and looking at the flower girls and ring bearers. “Okay, you guys.” I squat down. “Remember, girls first and then the boys.”
“I’m going to keep some flowers for after,” Avery whispers to me, “so I can throw them again.”
“Okay,” I reply, kissing her nose, knowing her life is going to change so much.
I stand in place, making sure everyone makes it down the aisle before I let out a big sigh of relief. It went off without a hitch. Matty was wiping away tears the minute he saw her, and I, for one, can’t wait to see the pictures.
I stand in the back, trying to focus on the vows, but my eyes scan the room, looking at the back of Stefano’s head. He’s sitting right next to his girlfriend, and my hand goes to my stomach. I look down at my shaking hands, remembering the night I met him.
I got to the bar an hour after I said I was going to be there. It took me that long to decide to even go. I pushed my way through the people, heading straight to the back where they usually sat and saw they were definitely gone. I pulled out my phone and saw a text from Chloe.
Went to the diner to grab some grub.
“Ugh.” I turned and ran smack into someone’s chest. Someone’s very hard chest. Someone who smelled delicious. Someone who would change my life, but neither of us knew that at that moment. His hands gripped my arms. “I’m so sorry,” I apologized, and when I looked up, all I could do was stare. His black hair was pushed back, and even in the dimly lit room, his green eyes captivated me. He had to be the best-looking man I had ever seen in my whole life.
“You okay?” His voice came out so smooth.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, stepping away from him, but then someone bumped into me, and I was thrown in his arms again. All I could do was laugh it off nervously. “I guess I’m not that fine.”
He laughed, and my whole body went hot. “Let’s get you to a seat, then.” He ushered me to the corner where there was an empty seat right at the end of the bar.
“I really am okay,” I assured him as he crowded over me. “I’m Addison.” I stuck out my hand.
“Stefano.” He said his name, and even then, I thought it was fucking hot.
“That’s a unique name.” I closed my eyes after I said it. “That sounded so dumb.” I put my hands on my face, hoping he didn’t see me blush.
Even though the room was booming with music and people chattering, his laughter filled the room. “You, Addison,” he said to me, “are the best thing to happen to me while I’ve been here.” I tilted my head to the side. “And go figure, I meet you on my last night here.”
“So you aren’t from here?” I asked him, and of course, it would be just my luck I would meet the hottest man of my life, and he doesn’t live here.
“No, I was here for work,” he informed me. “Have you eaten yet?”
“I have not,” I replied, and he smiled at me, and his green eyes got even lighter.
“Want to grab something to eat?” He motioned with his head toward the door and all I could do was nod mine.
The sound of cheering breaks me out of my daydream as I look down the aisle and see Matty holding Sofia’s face in his hands as he kisses her. Both sides of the aisle are on their feet cheering.
I clap my hands excitedly for them as they turn and start to walk down the aisle. Sofia looks at Matty as he holds her hand in his, kissing it. I feel eyes on me, and when I turn, I find Stefano staring straight at me. His eyes a dark green, unlike the time I was with him. I stare back at him for a second, and then look at the movement beside him as Jenna whispers something in his ear. “He’s never going to be yours,” I tell myself as I turn and walk back to the barn to make sure everything is ready.
