CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
I didn’t call Aspen.
The short train of my bright white wedding dress catches on a door hinge and I freeze, scared if I move I might rip it. I should have called Aspen. How can I get married without my friends and family?
“Hang on, sweetie. I’ve got it for you.” A sandy blonde haired woman with the sweetest southern accent and big dark blue eyes reaches down and repositions the dress until I'm free to move through the door.
I walk through to the main dressing room where brides get ready in A Garden of Eden Wedding Chapel. The trip here turned out more difficult than Ryland and I thought, but we’re minutes away from our wedding. Well, I’m here. Ryland better be on his way here.
“Thank you.” I turn to her sticking a hand out and grin when it only shakes a little. “I’m Marissa.”
“Rhea Lynn.” She reaches out shaking my hand and fixes a strap on her light green dress with large purple roses in the pattern. “Where you all from?"
The bell over the door dings and I look around her hoping for Ryland, but it’s another tall dark-haired guy. “San Francisco. You?”
She answers and I half listen as Rhea Lynn fills me in on her life in Arkansas and her visit to Vegas for her sister’s quickie wedding to a man she met thirty days ago. The mindless chatter between us helps my nerves and almost makes me forget my fiancé’s missing. Almost.
The door opens again, and this time when I lean to the side to check, I’m met with Ryland’s suit covered chest. He walks to where we wait and opens his outstretched hand. Two simple wedding bands rest in his palm.
“Oh bless his heart. He made it in time.” Rhea Lynn pats me on the back as I release the breath I’d been holding since he dropped me off at the front entrance to get ready.
Ryland looks to me over my new friend. “Ryland, this is Rhea Lynn. She’s from Texarkana, Arkansas.” His eyes slide away from Rhea Lynn and I nod my head slightly twice to confirm it’s a real place. “She and her husband volunteered to be our witnesses.”
“Okay.” He still looks confused and I realize he hasn’t been here for the latest drama.
“The witness the chapel provides went into labor, don’t ask, and Rhea Lynn volunteered.” I try to sum up the events of the last thirty minutes as quickly as possible. We have a wedding to get to. Ours.
“Oh, well thank you.” He reaches out and shakes her hand.
Rhea Lynn’s eyes fall to Ryland’s chest and linger a little longer than I’d like, but I suppose I’ll get used to marrying a guy people ogle.
“You’ll do just fine. Good luck, Marissa.” Rhea Lynn smooths out a section of my dress at my hip. “We’ll be in the chapel.”
When the room is empty except for the two of us, I turn to Ryland and place myself as close to him as possible without ruffling my dress or hair. In the quiet, Ryland’s eyes abruptly widen and he spins me around, his hand running down the pearl buttons on the back of my dress. “This is not the easy access I requested for any and all dresses.”
“But, Ryland, look.” I clutch fabric toward the bottom of the dress where the tight mermaid lace material begins to fan out and spin. “Isn't it gorgeous?” The shorter train trails behind me wrapping around my shoes.
“I’d marry you in a paper bag, Kitten.” One of his long arms wraps around me and Ryland leans down giving me a small bite between my neck and shoulder until I quiver.
“Well thankfully it isn’t necessary today.” I drop the dress to lean into him further. “Do you think it’s a sign?”
“A sign?” he asks.
I step back in agitation. “Yes, a sign we shouldn’t get married here. Everything has gone wrong. The dress, the rings, my hair, the witness, what else could happen?”
“Nothing else will happen because today’s almost over.” He checks his watch in a big showy fashion. “In about five minutes to be exact. Then you’ll become Mrs. Bates.”
I groan and try to move back again, but he won’t let me go.
“And you’re looking at it wrong, Marissa. Everything turned out fine. You’re here in the dress, your hair looks amazing, and we have rings. In the end it worked out the way it should have. Just like us.”
He makes good points, but I’m not ready to move past my freak out yet. Why isn’t he getting cold feet? Oh, right because he didn’t watch a woman's water break in the middle of the chapel waiting room as she screamed out in pain. I’ll get married, but I am never having kids.
He checks his watch again. “It’s almost midnight. Let’s go.” He's so sure of himself, me, and us.
“We’re ready for the next couple.” A short woman in a light brown pant suit steps out of the altar room. She looks down to her clipboard. "Ryland Bates and Marissa Melrose.”
Ryland’s hand shoots up like he’s in elementary school again ready to answer the most important question of his life. “Here!"
