Savi puts the tiny yellow flowers in my hair as I study my reflection.
“You look absolutely beautiful, Eve.” She meets my eyes in the mirror and smiles at me. She has her hair down her back like mine and is wearing a pale yellow sundress that matches Sophia.
“Thank you,” I say softly. “I still can’t believe we pulled this all together in less than two weeks.” I laugh.
“When Mom puts her mind to something, she gets it done,” Savi chuckles. She finishes the last of the flowers and stands back to admire her work. My white dress has two small straps and comes to a vee in the front, leaving my back completely bare. The bodice is fitted while the rest of the dress flows around my legs in a soft, billowy motion. Its sheer layers are shorter in the front, hitting me mid-thigh and then flowing to the floor in the back. As soon as I put it on, I knew it was the one.
Sophia hands me my sunflower bouquet before picking up hers. “I’m surprised Ryder has left you alone long enough to get ready. He hasn’t let you out of his sight since he asked you to marry him,” she laughs.
“I think we both feel it’s too good to be true. We just can’t believe it’s finally happening.” I smile when I think back to last night. Even though Savi tried her hardest, Ryder refused to separate last night like the traditional night before the wedding. Instead, he spent most of the night showing me all the ways he worships me. It’s a night I’ll remember for the rest of my life, so I have no complaints that we didn’t separate until it was time to get ready. We’ve spent too much time apart already and don’t want any more nights alone.
“Travis and I are just so happy for you both,” she says, hugging me. I blink away the tears before they can fall.
“Don’t you dare make her cry again, Sophia. I’ve had to retouch that makeup more times than I can count in the past hour.” I can’t see Savi, but I know she’s giving us her stern look.
We break away laughing and quickly wipe our tears before they fall.
“Okay, let’s do this,” Sophia says, looping my arm through hers as Savi does the same on my other side. “Let’s make this sisterhood official.”
“Let’s do this,” I grin. We walk out of Sophia’s bedroom, where we were getting ready, and make our way through the kitchen and out on the deck. The sun is setting low from behind us, casting a warm glow on the water stretching out before us.
Meaghan and Trevor turn towards us when they hear us coming. They came to see me for the first look, taking on the role of my parents. I touch the pearl earrings that Meaghan and her mother wore on their wedding day. It meant a lot that she wanted me to wear them just like Sophia did, and Savi will one day. Ryland smiles at me from Meaghan’s arms. She’s wearing an adorable yellow sundress with a white flower wreath on her head.
“Mommy pwencess.” She points at my dress, and I laugh.
“Yes, Mommy is a princess today, and so are you.” I run my hand over her ruffled dress and finger the little delicate chain on her chubby ankle. The girls are all barefoot with jewelry chains on our feet for shoes, so we got an ankle bracelet for Ryland to wear.
“Are you ready to throw the flowers, Rybug?” Meaghan asks, holding up the small basket with the yellow petals.
“I do,” she says, causing everyone to grin.
“We will meet you all down there.” Meaghan squeezes my hand before walking across the deck and making her way to the stairs leading to the beach.
“That’s our cue,” Savi says to Sophia. She gives me a wink before following Sophia across the deck.
I hear Miles start playing the guitar as soft music starts to float through the air. Although the drums are his favorite, I don’t think there is an instrument he can’t play. He gave us our wedding gift early when he played the song he composed for us last night. Even without words, it’s the most beautiful melody I’ve ever heard.
“You ready, baby girl?” Trevor beams at me, and his blue eyes sparkle. He holds out his arm, and I wrap my hand around him. He looks handsome in his black slacks and white dress shirt. All the guys wore the same look with the sleeves rolled up and open collars. We wanted a casual beach wedding, and the guys were more than happy to ditch the jackets and bowties in this Florida heat.
“I’m ready,” I whisper. My heart beats loudly in my chest, not from nerves but from excitement. I’ve dreamed about becoming Mrs. Montgomery for so long, and I can’t wait a minute longer.
He leads me down the stairs, and I see his family standing by the wooden arch covered in yellow sunflowers. The sunset reflects off the water in front of us.
My evening sun.
I stop and take it all in before taking a deep breath and meeting the greys that hold my heart. His smile is breathtaking as he looks at me, and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. His dark hair blows slightly in the breeze, and my fingers itch to feel their silky strands. Tattoos peek out from his open collar and rolled-up sleeves. He’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. I walk across the sand, never leaving his eyes until I’m standing in front of him. I give Savi my bouquet before putting my hands in Ryder’s outstretched hands.
“You look beautiful, my evening sun,” he says for my ears only.
“You look beautiful as well,” I say softly. He leans down and kisses me before breaking away with a grin on his face.
“Ready to be my wife?”
“Very ready.” I grin.
Trevor moves to the front of us to say a few words. Ryder asked him to do the ceremony, and he was more than happy to get ordained and marry us. He winks at Ryder before he clears his throat and begins.
“It’s been a difficult ride to get here, but your love is stronger than any of the circumstances that have held you apart. You made your way back to each other and have created a beautiful family together.” Trevor smiles over at Ryland before continuing. “We knew when Ryder came home that day from the beach that he had met someone special. He couldn’t stop grinning and didn’t care that his brothers gave him hell for it.” Miles winks at me and laughs.
