His smile faltered and he quietly cleared his throat. His confident stance melted as his shoulders dropped and a soft bend in his torso brought his voice closer. “I just wanted you to know I’ve been thinking about it.”
“Oh.” I blinked, so confused. “Okay.”
His gaze dropped and narrowed on the way I was rolling the bouquet from hand to hand. A beat of annoyance furrowed his brow. “This conversation completely derailed. I must be a lot rustier than I thought.”
“Rustier? At what?”
“I…” His chuckle sounded self-deprecating. “I think I was trying to…” He lowered his voice again. “Flirt with you a little, I guess? But I’m clearly out of practice.”
I had no idea what to do with that. Mentally, I tried to switch gears, but my body was fishtailing in defense mode.
A swallow pulled at his throat. “I don’t want an apology. I brought it up because…” His green eyes bounced between mine. “I liked it, Hollie. I likeyou.”
“Oh.” The wind rushed from my lungs, my shoulders falling in shock.
The opportunity to say something else was whisked away as Dad rumbled up the driveway, bringing Bea and the flower girls. Thankful for the chance to focus on someone other than Jesse, I oohed and ahhed as they got out of the car and gave the girls last minute instructions.
Moments before we lined up, Jesse gently clasped my elbow, his eyes serious and darker than before. “Hey. Find me later.”
My heart tripped. “After the wedding?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay.”
Then I turned to Cooper, who stood at the back of the line.
“Miss Hollie.” He lifted his arm for me even though it would be a solid six minutes or so before we walked. I slipped my hand around his elbow. He smelled spicy and clean, even though a lingering cigarette smell followed him.
“Hi, Cooper.”
“You look ravishing.”
“Thanks. You look nice, too.”
His gaze slid to my girls, gathering to walk behind us. “Your daughters look just like you.”
“They really do.” I gave a soft laugh, happy for small talk to keep my mind busy and off the fact that Jesseliked me, whatever that meant. Cooper’s frame was a few inches taller than my 5’5” and he had grey eyes like Tag. But there were deep, purple circles beneath his eyes. Amid his rugged handsomeness, he seemed weary and thin. “And you look like your brother.”
That made Cooper roll his eyes.
Cooper was the only groomsman who hadn’t rolled his sleeves part way up. They were down and buttoned around his thick wrists. He also wore a normal belt, with a plain silver loop buckle, and boots with laces instead of cowboy boots.
But before we could exchange any more words, the music began and a hush fell over us all.
TWELVE
Hollie
Jackie, standing at the microphone, waited for the laughter to finally die down. Her maid of honor speech had everyone in stitches. Finally, she raised her glass of bubbling juice.
Everyone followed suit.
Jackie’s eyes moved to the head table, where the bride and groom sat. “To Tag and Bea, and the magic we all feel whenever we’re around them.”
Jackie took a sip of her glass. The round tables scattered across the grass clinked their glasses together and a hardy chorus of “cheers” and “to Tag and Bea” filled the night sky. Estelle and I tapped our glasses together as she took a loud, snotty sniff.
“I can’t keep doing this,” she whimpered in my ear. “How’s my make-up?”
