Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Anya laughs, hugging her back. “I told you we’d find it. Now let’s get you ready to walk down that aisle and marry the love of your life.”
With the veil safely in hand, we all take a moment to breathe.
“Listen,” Hartford starts. “I appreciate every single one of you today. I never thought in a million years I’d be marrying Paxton Atwood. I’d dreamed I would, but never really believed it would actually happen. But here we are, and I’m a nervous wreck.”
Clara smiles. “Hartford, just breathe. As soon as you spot Paxton at the end of the aisle, that nervousness will melt away. Promise.”
Hartford smiles, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t want to cry,” she says, leaning her head back and fanning her hands in front of her face. “No more mushy shit please.”
We all laugh, and Anya raises her champagne glass. “To no more mushiness.”
We all clink glasses and smile.
Hartford’s mother is finishing up the last of Hartford’s hair, curling her hair into beautiful tendrils that fall gently down her back.
“Wow, Hartford. You look beautiful,” I say, wondering if I’ll ever get married.
I honestly could never have pictured me walking down the aisle, until last night. I woke up in the middle of the night from a dream. I’d been dreaming about Brock standing at the end of the aisle, his boyish grin lighting up his face as I walked down a long aisle to meet him. The look in his eyes said it all, and I remember being so happy in the dream.
Like I’d never wanted that feeling to end.
When I woke up, I glanced over at Brock. He was fast asleep, and I watched him, studying him. Listening to the sounds of his breathing as I thought about what a real relationship would look like. I nearly cried thinking about it all.
I snuggled up closer to him, and fell asleep, wrapped in his arms, and I realized at that moment I was falling in love with him.
It’s crazy, right?
I wish there was somebody I could talk to about it. I wish I could talk to Anya about it, but she’d never understand. Would she?
I feel like I need advice. I need to know how to tell Brock my feelings for him have changed. That I want this to be real.
What would he think about it?
“Are you okay?” February asks me as everyone else in the room chatters away. “You look like you’re a million miles away.”
“Can you keep a secret?”
February leans in closer. “Always.”
I trust February. We met when she moved to Magnolia Ridge with her then-boyfriend, Harrison. Now they’re married, and I couldn’t be happier for her. “How did you know Harrison was the one?”
Feb smiles wide. “Honestly, I think it’s a feeling you get when you look at him. When I see Harrison my whole world lights up. I get this ache deep in my chest like I never want him to leave.”
I nod, recognizing the aching feeling because that’s how I felt last night while watching Brock sleeping. “Ah, I think I get it.”
February winks. “If it helps I think Brock is feeling the same way about you that you are about him.”
“Really?” I ask her. “How can you tell?”
“The way his face lights up when you walk into a room.”
He could just be a good actor, I want to say, but would never. “Oh,” I say instead.
Before I can answer her my phone lights up. I grab it, glancing down at the group thread I have with my brothers. My five older brothers. Who are currently back in Magnolia Ridge taking care of the Moore Restaurant. It’s family-owned, and it’s where I work as a hostess manager.
“Excuse me,” I tell February, turning away so I can read the influx of messages coming through my phone.
Jasper: Just saw online that you’re dating Brock Atwood, is this true?
Oliver: Please tell me you’re not planning on marrying him in Vegas.
Me: Where would you even get an idea like that?
Being the youngest of five brothers is sometimes a challenge. To say they’re overprotective of me is an understatement.
Me: And yes, we’re dating.
I hate lying to my brothers, but I can’t let anyone know this is fake. I can just tell my brothers we broke up whenever I get back home. I’m sure they’ll threaten to kick Brock’s ass, but I’ll need to make sure my brothers know that it was my idea to split.
If we even split at all.
Maybe, just maybe Brock feels the same way I do, and he’ll want to keep this going too.
Kai: Lil’ sis, we’ll need to talk with him when both of you return from Vegas. Don’t do anything stupid like get married on a whim.
I laugh. Leave it to my older brothers to expect the worst. Like I said, overprotective.