“I can hear you.” Toni looked back at them. “Wait, are you saying they aren’t pink? Are they that orange-pink hue? She doesn’t like that.”
Kaelee laughed as they had to walk faster to keep up with Toni.
When the guests started to arrive, all four attendants seated them. Addie’s man of honor was her cousin Eric, who was strikingly handsome in his pink tuxedo. Her other attendant, a woman named Maren who would walk with Kaelee, wore the dress version of the tuxedo. Addie had decided to have the guests seated at their tables for both the ceremony and reception, so each guest had to be taken to the correct location. It complicated things slightly, but guests’ invitations had their table numbers, and the guest list was small.
The pair of photographers on site were snapping pictures of some guests and all four members of the wedding party. Because of the television show, there were more than a few Hollywood people here, along with members of the college. Kaelee walked up to Harold, the head of the history department, who was there with his husband.
“Miss Carpenter.” Harold nodded at her, seeming more serious than he was around the department.
“Right this way.” She offered an arm to him, and he took it with a little chuff of laughter. She offered the other to his husband who lightly put his hand on her elbow as they walked to a still empty table.
One of the last guests to be seated was Greta.
Kaelee’s heart tightened at the feeling of having Greta’s hand curl around her arm. Here. At a wedding. Despite everything, it was impossible not to feel a flutter ofwhat ifas she walked her toward the front of the crowd where she was seated.
“Thank you,” was all Greta said. She glanced over then, and in alow voice added, “I am ever so glad to be petite right now. The view from here…”
“Darlin’,” Kaelee managed as Greta’s gaze fixed on the opening of Kaelee’s tuxedo jacket.
The pretty smile that came over Greta made Kaelee’s cheeks warm again. They hadn’t been able to talk as much the last week, other than flirtatious notes.
“Save me my dance later,” Greta reminded her before turning away to take her seat. “I’m beyond ready to be in your arms again.”
The thought of their agreement not to touch themselves while they were apart flooded Kaelee’s mind, and she knew from the intense look on Greta’s face that she wasn’t the only one thinking about it.
“Be good,” Kaelee muttered.
“I have,” Greta whispered. “But tonight… that ends.”
Kaelee walked away before she was unable to leave Greta’s side.
Once every seat was filled and each guest had their wine or water, the music started. A string quartet switched to playing a Victorian piece, Mendelssohn from the sounds of it. A wedding officiant walked to the front of the room and waited as a hush fell over the room.
Toni began her walk. On one side was her mother, Lil, who had an arm wrapped around Toni’s. On the other was a woman who could only be Addie’s mother. Behind them was Addie’s father. At the front, all three parents took seats at a table where one guest—the presumed nurse for Toni’s mom—waited.
Once Toni took her position, Kaelee and Maren began their walk, separating at the front. Next up were the best woman and the man of honor, and then walking alone with every eye in the place fixed on her was Addie.
The bride’s dress was a Victorian dream, and the back of her veil trailed behind her almost long enough to match her dress’s train. Thetrain stretched along half the length of the aisle in a glittering puddle of silk and sparkles.
Toni stared at her as if she were a magical creature, not a mere mortal. There was no doubt of their affection. The usually surly professor and writer looked like she couldn’t see anyone but her bride, and Addie stared directly at Toni as she walked.
Kaelee glanced at Greta, only to find her staring at Kaelee rather than at the brides. With effort, Kaelee looked away from Greta just in time to watch Toni greet her bride. Toni lifted the sheer veil over Addie’s face, leaned in, and kissed her softly.
“A bit ahead of schedule, Toni,” said the officiant.
The guests laughed, but Addie just looked thoroughly delighted by the gesture. She rested a hand on Toni’s cheek and there in front of everyone the two stared at each other as if the words promising forever were completely unnecessary for them to pronounce aloud. Everything was conveyed between them without a word spoken.
For all Kaelee’s doubts about marriage and even relationships, there was no way to see this couple and think that true love was a myth.Could I have that one day?Her gaze went back to Greta’s.
Again, Kaelee forced her attention back to her friends’ vows, but a whisper in her mind suggested that yes, that sort of love could be possible. She could have that, a marriage of equals, a future of joy.
The thought of such a possibility was terrifying—both because it had never been a future Kaelee had considered and because she fundamentally craved it in that moment. The weight of that epiphany had Kaelee staring at the couple fixedly. By the time they were through with vows, the officiant said, “I pronounce youlegallywed this time.”
Kaelee watched as Toni held on to Addie as if she were the most precious creature in the entirety of time.
I actuallywantthat,Kaelee confessed in the privacy of her mind. Her gaze shot to Greta, and she saw a glimmer of tears in Greta’s eyes.
The newlyweds pivoted to face the assembled group, and Tonisaid, “We’re going to take a moment to mingle before dinner is served.”
