Joseph nodded. “He's still there.”
They’d had a wonderful time in town. Adele had found four dresses and bought a new pair of shoes. He smiled at his daughter in the pale blue dress she’d chosen for the wedding.
It was the one he’d found, and the one she liked the most.
Shona squeezed his fingers. “Paris must have arrived. There’s a flurry of movement at the back of the church.”
Joseph looked over his shoulder. A flash of color shot past the doors leading into the church. That was probably one of the bridesmaids. Hopefully, Paris had arrived without any major mishaps.
The music changed, and Adele looked down the aisle. “Here they come,” she whispered. “They look so pretty.”
He glanced at Richard. He was looking nervously toward the back of the church. Joseph didn’t need to turn around to know when Paris began to walk down the aisle. Richard’s face relaxed into a besotted smile. With eyes brimming with tears, he watched his wife-to-be move toward him.
Adele sighed and Joseph turned around.
Andrea and Jackie walked past them carrying large bouquets of pale pink roses. A few seconds later, Paris followed them toward the front of the church. With her jet-black hair swept into a fancy knot on the top of her head and her sparkling blue eyes focused on Richard, she was stunning.
“Look at Paris’ veil,” Adele said wistfully. “It’s so pretty.”
All Joseph could do was nod.
Shona sent him a reassuring smile, as if she knew he was thinking about his wedding. He’d married Hillary believing it was the beginning of something special. Instead, he’d stepped headfirst into a relationship that wasn’t good for either of them.
He wrapped his arm around Shona’s waist. “How are you feeling?” he whispered.
“All right. I haven’t been to a wedding since Chris died. Seeing Paris has brought back a lot of memories.”
He kissed the side of her head and held her close. From what she’d said, her marriage to Chris was the complete opposite of his. They’d enjoyed a strong, loving relationship that made his marriage look like a train wreck waiting to happen.
The music faded, and Pastor John stepped forward. The service was heartfelt and sweet. It focused on unconditional love, on accepting the person you love for who they truly are, and being there for them no matter what.
Joseph wished he’d taken those sentiments on board when he’d married Hillary. He regretted many things, but the most important was his marriage. He’d made mistakes, but he was too headstrong and focused on things that weren't important to fix what he’d broken.
With everything inside of him, he vowed in front of God, that he wouldn’t do the same thing again.
CHAPTER16
Shona stepped into Joseph's arms. “Are you sure you remember how to dance?”
“It's like riding a bicycle. Once you learn, you never forget.”
“I hope you're right. Just remember I took off my shoes because my feet hurt.”
He pulled her closer. “Don't worry. I'll look after you. But, in defense of your high heels, they made your already amazing legs look fantastic.”
Shona’s eyes widened. “Are you flirting with me?”
“I’m trying.” Before she knew what was happening, Joseph swept her onto the dance floor, waltzing like a seasoned pro. She relaxed against him and enjoyed letting him take the lead.
“Are you impressed?” he whispered against her ear.
She smiled and snuggled closer. “I am. Why didn't we do this sooner?”
“Dance?”
“No. Spend more time together. The first time I saw you was at least two years ago at the old steamboat museum. Our lives could have been completely different if I’d said hello.”
“The first time I saw you wasn't at the old steamboat museum. It was in The Welcome Center.”
