Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Fair winds and following seas!
Ms. Seaside
* * *
I drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled as I looked at myself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror.
“Nervous?” Brody asked, walking up to me.
I shook my head, but a small part of me was exactly that.
Mason, who was looking out the window, said, “Yes.”
Brody and I both smiled at each other before he said, “Turn around, your tie is off a bit.”
“Probably from my hands shaking nonstop,” I said. “Why are my hands shaking? I want to marry Harlee. It’s the only thing I’ve been thinking about since we got together.”
Brody chuckled. “I was nervous going to the justice of the peace with Sutton, and we were getting married for totally different reasons. I was happy, though, even if it wasn’t how I would have pictured our wedding.” He glanced over at the other groom. “Mason? You doing okay?”
Mason turned and leaned against the windowsill. “Nerves or not, I’m so ready to marry Palmer. The fact that Harlee asked us to be a part of this makes me really happy.”
“Because you get to marry Palmer sooner?” I asked.
He gave a slight shrug. “That, and all of us doing it together. I don’t know…it feels special. And Palmer said this place holds special meaning for you and Harlee.”
I nodded. “It does. We got stuck here at the bed and breakfast back in February and, well…things changed for us here.”
He smiled. “Thanks for letting us join you guys today.”
“I loved the idea the moment Harlee asked my thoughts on it. Thank you for making my baby sister so happy.”
Brody finished adjusting my tie and took a step back. “Please tell me you aren’t going to start crying and hugging.”
I smiled at him. “And thanks for being the best man.”
“I’m honored you asked. But don’t think I don’t know I’m your second choice.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “I still can’t believe Thomas and Kelsey Roberts eloped and went to Spain for a month.”
“That’s a match I wouldn’t have put together,” Mason said with a disbelieving look on his face.
“How in the hell did Ms. Seaside miss that one?” Brody asked.
Mason shook his head. “She missed our weddings too.”
Brody nodded. “Maybe she is losing her touch.”
“Maybe so,” I said as I put my cufflinks on and then looked at Mason. “Have you seen the setup yet?”
“I was waiting for you and to get the all-clear from Kris. I know Palmer and Harlee saw it when they walked through with their moms.”
“Speaking of parents, where’s my dad?” I asked.
Mason grinned. “He and Harlee’s dad are with Mitch, helping him with last-minute preparations for the reception. In other words, they’re telling him he’s setting up the tables all wrong.”
I rolled my eyes. “I thought the mothers were going to be the issue.”
We all laughed.
Turning back to Brody, I asked, “You’ve got the ring?”
Brody tapped his jacket. “Right here.”
“Mason, tell me you didn’t give Charlie your ring to hold on to,” I said.
With a subtle laugh, he shook his head. “Gannon has it. We told Charlie that Gannon was the stand-in best man and would carry the ring, to which Charlie said good, because he was worried he’d lose it.”
“Smart!” Brody said.
Mason nodded, then asked, “How’s Sutton feeling?”
“Last time I checked, she was in the kitchen with Kris asking for mayo to dip the cheese sticks Kris made for her. When I heard that, I turned and walked out of the kitchen.”
Mason and I both shook our heads as I said, “That’s disgusting.”
“You’re telling me. I was talking to Gannon, and he said Addie asked for ice cream and black beans again. I think it’s something with your family’s gene pool.”
I laughed and shrugged as Brody went on.
“It really makes me wonder what this child is going to be like with all the crazy food combos his mother keeps eating. The other day, she told me she was craving dirt. Dirt, Brax! I asked if I needed to be worried, and she promised me she wouldn’t eat any. What in the living hell?!”
I couldn’t help but laugh again. Mason looked like he was deep in thought.
“You know, I’ve had other pregnant women tell me that they crave dirt as well,” he stated, clearly going into doctor mode and thinking hard about why that might be.
Before Brody could reply, there was a light knock on the door.
“Come on in,” I called out.
Kris poked her head inside. “If you guys are ready, you can come on down. The girls are finishing up getting ready, so you can take a look at everything.”
Mason and I both nearly sprinted out the door. Kris let out a laugh as Brody extended his arm to her.
My breath caught when we walked down toward the bluff that overlooked the beach and ocean. When Harlee had come up with the idea of marrying on Lighthouse Island, I knew we had to have Kris be a part of it—and have it at the bed and breakfast. When we’d approached Kris with the idea, she’d asked to help plan it.