“Can you help?” I ask, biting my lip and lifting my wrist to him. His eyes go molten as they roam over me, taking slow,measured steps towards me before grabbing my outstretched hand. His hand is rough and warm on my skin.
“Jesus, fuck, honey,” he murmurs, doing the tiny clasp before lifting up that arm and having me twirl beneath him as they do in the movies. My heart falters with the simple move, and when I face him again, a nervous smile is on my lips.
“You like?”
“I like a little too much,” he says, looking me over again, his voice low and gravelly. The front of the dress has draping fabric that frames my cleavage, and the same draping and gathering runs across the dress, accentuating my hips and making my waist look tiny, the silky burnt orange fabric clinging in all the right places and ending mid shin. Even though I know I look hot in this dress, I suddenly wonder if it’stoohot based on his look.
“Is it...too much?” I ask, eyes wide. “I don’t know what you wear to a wedding in the woods.” I look down my body at my outfit. “Nat picked it out, but?—”
“No, no, Willa, it’s perfect. God, you look…you look amazing.”
“Really?”
He pulls me into him, body pressing against mine, and grins at me. “You look like completely fuckable but in a sweet, untouchable way.”
“Well, I’m glad. That’s what I was going for,” I murmur, and he groans, sliding a hand to my ass and pulling my hips into his. For a moment, I melt into him, pleasure moving through me at the mereideaof what he could do to me when he’s looking at me like that, but then common sense kicks in, and I push on his chest.
“No, no, you don’t,” I say, stepping away. “I sent Nat pictures of my hair and makeup already, and if it’s fucked up, I’m going to get in trouble.”
“We’re still home, you can fix it.” His voice is low and hot.
I have to admit, I hesitate, if only for a moment.
“No.Come on. We have a wedding to get to,” I say with a shake of my head. He sighs, then puts a hand to my lower back, grabbing both of our jackets before leading us out the door.
The ceremony is simple, in the woods, and, in true Hallie fashion, beautiful. There’s an aisle and a small archway that she and Jesse stand before, with Wren, Nat, and Emma beside her. Madden and Colt are standing with Jesse on the other side. The girls are in gorgeous light-blue dresses, the men in dark suits with light-blue accents, and the flowers are simple and colorful. Hallie told me the other day that they would all be cut from Mrs. King’s flower field that the King brothers helped cultivate this summer, another extremely personal touch that is so Hallie.
Apparently. Madden begged to be the officiant, something both Jesse and Hallie instantly shot down, but it gave Hallie an idea. That’s how Mr. King came to be standing behind Jesse and Hallie, watery eyes and shaking words as he married his son and the woman his family claimed as their own long before Jesse and Hallie realized they were meant to be together.
It’s perfect. They didn’t go with personal vows, something that Hallie told me she pretended to fight Jesse on, giving him a hard time even though she didn’t actually want to, but Jesse’s voice still holds strained emotion as he repeats his father’s words to Hallie. My throat aches as I watch them vow to love and cherish each other for the rest of their lives.
“Are you crying?” Leo whispers, and I slap him.
“It’s beautiful.”
He looks at me with a soft smile on his lips.
“It is,” he whispers, then presses his lips to my hair as I rest my head on his shoulder.
It doesn’t take long for Mr. King to announce Jesse and Hallie as husband and wife, for Emma to cheer louder than anyone before the wedding party makes their way back down the aisle. I wave and smile at everyone as they pass us, sticking my tongue out at Emma when she walks past on Madden’s arm, Nat on the other side, and making her giggle.
“Tits lookgoodin that dress!’ Nat squeals as she walks by, and I laugh, shaking my head.
“Hey, Will!” Wren says with a small wave, her eyes still watery from watching her oldest brother and best friend marry as she walks by on Colton’s arm. “Hallie wants you for pictures!” My brow furrows, but she tips her head towards where everyone is moving. “You two follow.”
“I don’t—” But Adam is coming up the aisle behind her, ushering Leo and me to step ahead.
“It’s best not to argue with Hallie, especially not on her wedding day,” Adam says, and I can’t argue with him.
And even though I refuse to be inallof the bridal party photos, Hallie eventually convinces Leo and me to stand with them for a few, and once again, I’m reminded that Holly Ridge is, and will from now on, always be my home, and these people are the family I’ve chosen for myself.
The reception is utter chaos.
It’s in one of the storage barns that, according to Leo, the guys spent most of the last two weeks moving tons of holiday decorations out, cleaning, and then decorating as per Hallie, Wren, and Mrs. King's vision. It truly is gorgeous. There are twolong tables for everyone to sit at instead of small assigned seats, and a huge buffet of more food than this number of people could ever eat. The entire place is decorated in flowers, greenery, and more fairy lights than I’ve seen in one place, but from what I understand, Wren has an arsenal, and this is only a small fraction of what she normally puts onherhouse for the holidays.
At the back end of the barn is a small stage with a band, and there’s a sweetheart table at the front, though Hallie decided she hated being away from the excitement and ended up forcing Jesse to eat sandwiched between everyone. In one corner is a huge bar, apparently a wedding gift from Colton to his sister, with Colt’s tenant-slash-alleged dream woman, Sloane, making drinks. According to Hallie, she doesn’t actually know how to make many drinks, but Colt doesn't seem to mind leaving the excitement of the party to help her out as needed.
When Hallie throws the bouquet, Emma catches it, making everyone laugh as she races around, fist pumping the flowers in the air.
