Chapter Twenty-Two #2
“Just a minute!” Reba called out as the girls ushered Shauna into the bathroom to change her clothes.
The bathroom was quiet, amplifying Shauna’s thundering heart, and the soft hum of conversation on the other side of the door as she changed into her jumpsuit and put on her sandals.
She stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the halter top on the jumpsuit.
It was as soft as butter and fit even more perfectly than she remembered.
The expression on Zander’s face when she’d walked out of the dressing room flashed before her, and heat slithered down her chest. That was a look she’d never forget, and one of the main reasons she’d chosen the jumpsuit.
It felt like her, simple, comfortable, and dressy enough to show Zander how much she appreciated his help.
She swallowed hard and pressed her fingertips to the sink for stability against the nerves weakening her knees.
She drew in a few deep breaths, trying to match the woman in the mirror to the one who had signed up for this.
A courthouse wedding felt more contractual, easier to deal with.
Some paperwork, a few signatures, and empty words.
A means to an inheritance. But the woman staring back at her didn’t look transactional.
With her makeup done and her hair cascading in gentle waves over her bare shoulders, she no longer looked simple or casually dressy. She looked like a bride.
Her chest constricted.
This is really happening.
It wasn’t just the ceremony and legal vows.
Zander’s family and friends rallied around not only him, but her.
Madigan was definitely a Wicked, bossy and take-charge, but sweet and endearing, and his mom…
God. Reba had said the nicest things, and she sounded like she meant every single one of them.
Shauna would have done anything to have a mom like that when she was growing up.
And the others? None of them treated her like she was a temporary visitor in their world.
They treated her like family. Like Cap treated her.
Oh no. Cap.
She grabbed her phone, feeling awful that he was going to miss the wedding, and thumbed out a text.
Hey, thank you again for being willing to show up for me tomorrow at the courthouse.
That means the world to me, but it turns out we won’t be having a courthouse wedding after all.
Zander’s family surprised us with a backyard wedding tonight, so I don’t need a witness anymore, but I wish you were here.
I know you wanted to walk me down the aisle, and that means more to me than you can possibly know, but the wedding is happening now. I’m sorry.
As she sent it off, a soft knock sounded at the bathroom door. “Sweetheart?” Reba said. “Do you need any help?”
“No, thank you. I’m coming.” Shauna slipped her phone into the pocket of her jumpsuit and took one last look in the mirror and a deep, calming breath.
As she opened the door and stepped out of the bathroom, she had the strange sense that she was walking toward something more real than anything she’d ever known.
Reba gasped, her hand flying up to cover her heart. “Shauna, honey, you are absolutely breathtaking.”
Shauna felt a blush rushing up her chest to her cheeks as the girls gathered around, raving about how pretty she looked. “You guys,” she pleaded. “I appreciate your compliments more than you can imagine, but you’re making me even more nervous.”
“It’s your wedding day. You’re supposed to be nervous.”
Goose bumps chased up her arms at the familiar deep voice.
She whipped her head to the side, and her heart leapt.
Cap stood before her, wearing slacks and a crisp white dress shirt and that comforting smile she knew so well.
She blinked several times, her emotions sneaking up on her. “Cap? What are you doing here?”
“I got a call from Preacher after you and I talked yesterday. He wanted to see what kind of gal his son was marrying.”
“I guess you lied well, huh?” she teased.
“You know it,” he said warmly. “You clean up nice, Flores.”
“Thank you. So do you. I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me too,” he said. “Are you ready?”
“Wait!” Madigan exclaimed. “She needs the bridal things. Something old?”
“She’s got me,” Cap said, holding out his arm.
As Shauna took it, Madigan said, “Something new?”
“My ring!” Shauna held up her left hand.
“Damn,” Cap said. “You’re sure Zander knows this is temporary?”
“Yes. He said he has a reputation to uphold,” Shauna said.
“Oh, Zander,” Reba said with a shake of her head, and the girls laughed.
“Shauna needs something borrowed and something blue,” Madigan said, looking around.
“I’ve got her covered. She can borrow my necklace.” As Reba took it off, she said, “It’s blue topaz, Zander’s birthstone.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Shauna asked.
“Honey, you’re marrying my son. You’re one of us now. What’s mine is yours.” As Reba put the necklace on her, she said, “Except Preacher. He’s all mine.”
“Except when he’s a pain,” Ginger chimed in. “Then she’ll gladly kick him to the curb.”
“There is some truth to that.” Reba looked thoughtfully at Shauna and said, “Okay, honey. We’re going to get out of your hair, but we’ll be right there with you, cheering you on.”
She felt so much gratitude, she bubbled over with it. “Thank you.”
One by one they hugged her, wishing her luck as she thanked each of them. Then it was just her and Cap. She held his arm tight.
“You sure you want to do this?” he asked.
“Yes, but you could have warned me about the Wickeds.”
“Preacher would have kicked my ass if I had ruined his surprise.”
She wasn’t talking about the wedding. She had a feeling they were going to be hard to walk away from, but she kept that to herself as they headed outside.
As Shauna stepped off the deck, she was even more grateful for Cap’s presence.
Madigan played the guitar, and Conroy was taking pictures of Shauna and Rodney as they crossed the yard toward Junie, Rosie, and Leo, who were standing with Leah and Tank at the head of the aisle.
The kids were beaming at Shauna, each of them holding a basket.
Tank and Leah were blocking her view of the gazebo, but the chairs were full, and everyone was looking their way.
“Here she comes!” Rosie bounced on her toes, waving wildly. “We’re ready!”
“She knows, Rosie!” Junie chided, then waved just as energetically.
“Give her the flowers, Papa Tank!” Rosie hollered.
Shauna was so nervous as Tank stepped forward, she had to remind herself to breathe.
“Welcome to the family, sweetheart,” Tank handed her a bouquet of white lilies.
“Thank you,” she said shakily.
With a nod, Tank moved to the side, and then, finally, she saw Zander.
He was standing in the gazebo with Preacher and his brothers, looking like a dream she’d never imagined, and she was hit with a sense of comfort and belonging that breathed air into her lungs and courage into her heart.
He was wearing a white dress shirt, sleeves rolled up like the other men, his leather cut, and jeans, but unlike the others, with their perfect hair and practiced gazes, Zander’s hair was tousled, his smile crooked, and he was looking at her like she wasn’t just his temporary bride.
But in that look she saw, and felt, something else, something more.
An underlying disbelief, like this wasn’t part of the plan.
Was that possible? Could he feel it, too?
Her heart cracked open, soft and stunned, still tender from her time with the girls, and for one wild, heart-thundering moment, she wanted to believe it.