I laughed. “That’s so Jax.”
“He loves you,” Kaia said simply. “They both do. Owen and Jax, and they’ll figure out how to be brothers again. It might take time, but they will.”
I nodded.
“Okay.” Syn clapped her hands together, breaking the emotional moment with drill sergeant efficiency. “Enough crying. We have work to do.” She pointed at my face. “That mascara is a disaster. Kaia, you’re on makeup. Cam, figure out her hair. I’m handling the dress.”
“What’s wrong with my hair?”
“Nothing’s wrong with it. It just needs... more.” Syn was already unzipping the garment bag.
Kaia appeared with a makeup wipe, gently erasing my ruined mascara. “Just let us take care of you.”
I closed my eyes and let them work.
The next hour blurred. Syn’s running commentary provided constant entertainment. Apparently, the guy she’d mentioned on our last call, Ryat, had been at the house when Owen called with the Vegas news, and his reaction to the chaos had been deeply unhelpful and annoyingly smug.
Kaia caught my eye in the mirror and smiled.
This was what I needed. Not just Owen, but this. My people. My family.
“Done.” Kaia stepped back to admire her handiwork.
I opened my eyes.
The woman in the mirror was still a stranger, but a different stranger now. Her lips were soft pink, matching the flush on her cheeks. Her hair was half-up, half-down, loose curls that looked effortless but had definitely taken Cam forty-five minutes to perfect.
And the dress.
Oh, the dress.
Nothing like the one I’d bought. This was long, floor-length, with a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt that moved like water.
“Where did you even find this?” I whispered, running my hands down the skirt.
Kaia grinned. “If I tell you, you have to promise not to cry and ruin your makeup.”
“Okay.” I drew out the word, not understanding why I would cry.
“It was Mom’s.”
I stepped closer to the dress, tears already blurring my vision. “Kaia...”
“Don’t start crying again. Seriously. I just fixed your mascara.”
I touched the dress with my fingertips. “How did you…”
“Dad offered it to me when I got married, but I was pregnant, so it didn’t fit. But it will fit you.”
“It’s perfect.” A tear escaped, streaming down my cheek.
“Now you’ll have a piece of Mom here with you today.”
“Thank you.” I barreled forward, hugging her. “This... this is amazing.” I laughed, the sound bright and almost startled. “I love you. All of you. I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Where else would we be?” Syn asked, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You’re getting married, Harlow. Did you really think we’d let you do that alone?”
The truth was, yes. I’d thought exactly that. I’d convinced myself we had to do this alone, that it was the only way, that including anyone else would somehow diminish what Owen and I had.
