Chapter 31
Casey
The Maldives, early afternoon…
The chiffon dress fell just below the bride’s knees, the ideal length for a beach wedding.
The thin straps showed off her strong arms that were already tanned from a few short days here.
I pinned a white orchid in Michelle’s hair, while her other bridesmaid, Sutton, arranged the loose tendrils that framed Michelle’s face.
I stepped back, appraised the bride, and clasped my hands at my heart. “You look so beautiful,” I said, pushing past the lump in my throat.
“Thank you so much,” Michelle said, her expression heartfelt.
“His jaw is going to drop the second he lays eyes on you,” Sutton chimed in as we finished the final prep in the villa nearest the beach.
There was a soft rap on the door. Sutton and I stared at each other with wide eyes.
“It better not be Jack. I’ll answer it,” I said and opened the door a few inches, peering around the wood to find Michelle’s brother, Davis.
“Oh, you’re the only guy allowed in right now,” I said, with a bright smile.
Davis flashed a quick grin in return, his piercing blue eyes lighting up his face.
“I have something for the bride,” Davis said. He held a small box and carefully opened the lid.
Michelle gasped when she looked inside, and brought her hand to her mouth.
“It’s Mom’s,” he said softly.
Michelle nodded. “I know,” she said as a lone tear slid down her cheek.
“I thought you’d want to wear it. I’ve held onto it for you for this day.”
“I do want to wear it,” she said, holding out her hand so Davis could clasp a simple, thin silver bracelet on her wrist.
Sutton grabbed a tissue and dabbed quietly at Michelle’s cheek.
Michelle held up her wrist. “I love it.”
“And I love you,” Davis said, then wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. I looked away, giving them their private moment.
When they pulled apart, Michelle spoke first. “Are you ready to give me away, but not give me away?”
Both Davis and Michelle laughed, and the touching, tender moment had turned to a lighthearted one now.
“No one could ever give such a strong, independent woman away. It is merely my honor to walk by your side on this journey,” he said, and it was my turn to steal away a tissue and bat at the tear in my eye.
I loved their approach—Michelle wasn’t anyone’s to give away, but she and Davis had looked out for each other and took care of each other, and it simply felt right for him to be the one to walk by her side at this moment.
We made our way through the resort to the beach, weaving through palm trees and banyan trees, lush and emerald green. The sun was high in the sky, but the breeze that blew off the ocean kept us from sweltering. Soon, we reached the patch of sand where the ceremony was to be held.
Pretty music from a string quartet rose up to greet us.
A Brahms symphony, I recalled Jack telling me, and then he’d made some offhand remark about never catching the end of it the night he and Michelle had gone to the symphony.
I didn’t press him about what he meant, figuring it was a sexy inside secret between the bride and groom.
We rounded the final bend in the path to the beach, and the wedding came into view.
A canopy was set up on the soft white sand, and Jack stood waiting, looking handsome in beige slacks and a white shirt, as casual as he could ever be.
My heart raced as my eyes landed on Nate, standing next to the groom.
He was beautiful, and he took my breath away even from this distance.
The wedding was small—perhaps twenty people—and they all stood since the ceremony would be short.
“Ready?” Davis asked.
“Never been more ready,” Michelle said.
Davis gestured to Sutton, her cue to walk down the white runner spread out on the sand.
With flowers in hand, Sutton led the way.
Michelle grabbed my wrist, and tugged me close.
“You told me last night you were glad I was marrying your brother,” she said and I nodded as I recalled our conversation.
“I want you to know how happy I am that you’re my sister-in-law. ”
“Oh hush,” I whispered, waving my hand quickly in front of my face to try to quell the tears that welled in my eyes once more. “Now you’re going to make my mascara run yet again.”
Michelle grinned. “Go. I’m eager to see my soon-to-be husband,” she said, then let go of my wrist. I walked to the canopy, my smile growing wider as I neared my two favorite men—my brother, who I adored to the ends of the earth, and Nate, who I loved madly.
I wore the yellow dress I’d snapped a photo of myself in a few weeks ago, and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Nate was remembering the time I’d sent it to him, and was savoring the way it fit me in the flesh.
I thrilled at the way he looked at me; it told me he only had eyes for me.
“Hi,” Nate whispered under his breath as I took my post next to Sutton.
“Hi,” I whispered in return.
We both turned our gaze to the bride as the music shifted, and the quartet began playing “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven.
I had asked Michelle why she’d chosen this piece and she’d responded that the music made her happy.
That seemed reason enough, and I understood why.
The piece lived up to its name, matching the expression on Michelle’s face as she walked to the canopy.
When they reached the wedding party, Davis let go of her arm, planted a kiss on her cheek and stepped aside to join his wife.
Jack gazed at Michelle with such happiness, such certainty, that I wanted to jump up and down, and dance in circles. I was so damn happy for him.
The officiant began the ceremony. An older man with graying hair and kind eyes, who looked like he was from this island, seemed well suited for his role.
“We’re here today to celebrate the relationship of Jack and Michelle.
Together, they have gathered the most important people in their lives,” he said, stopping to gesture to the guests, “to share in their love and their joy.”
As the officiant continued his introduction, I locked eyes with Nate.
I couldn’t have wiped the grin off my face if I’d tried, nor could he, as a warm breeze rustled the canopy.
I had never expected to be at my brother’s wedding having fallen in love myself.
But it had happened, hook, line and sinker, and here I was, deep in the throes.
Soon it was time for the vows.
“Michelle and Jack are here to marry each other and begin this next path in their lifelong journey,” the officiant said, his deep voice carrying across the coconut-scented tropical air.
“Their words, their intentions, their vision, and that love and faith in each other will define and shape their marriage and all their days together. There will be times of conflict and times of joy, and amidst all those times I ask them to remember always that love is a gift, that marriage is a lifelong commitment, and that together they can face any hurdles with a love this strong. I call on them now to give their promise to each other before their friends and family. These are the pledges that will bind them together.”
The older man looked from Michelle to Jack and back. “Please join hands and look into each other’s eyes.”
Michelle handed Sutton her bouquet of pink roses, then focused on Jack as he clasped hands with her.
“Jack, with this understanding, do you take Michelle to be your wedded wife and to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and to be faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?”
Jack nodded. “I do,” he said, his voice full of confidence and hope.
“Michelle, with this understanding, do you take Jack to be your wedded husband and to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and to be faithful only to him, so long as you both shall live?”
Michelle beamed as she answered, “I do.”
The officiant turned to Nate. “May I have the rings, please.”
Nate dipped his hand in his pocket, and presented two platinum bands.
“These rings are a symbol of your unending love and a sign of your commitment to each other. A ring is unbroken. May your marriage always be unbroken too. Now, as you place these rings on each other, you may share your vows,” the officiant said, gesturing to the couple.
Jack slid the ring on Michelle’s finger, his eyes on her the whole time as he spoke. “This ring is a gift for you and symbolizes my desire and my love for you that grows every day, and will continue to for as long as we both shall live.”
Michelle took his hand, placed the ring on him, and repeated the same vow. Then the officiant delivered the words that sealed off the ceremony: “You may kiss the bride.”
As my brother kissed his wife before our friends and family, I let my tears of happiness fall, and soon the guests were clapping and cheering, and the quartet was playing again.
I felt a hand on mine, then fingers interlacing, then a voice in my ear. “What if the best man wants to kiss the bridesmaid?”
“She’d say yes.”
We kissed too.