“Ready to lose your freedom?” he joked. “Come here. I need to mike you. Remember to speak up. Also, if you have to cry, don’t full-on sob, just leak a few tears.”
I rolled my eyes as he pinned the body mike to my jacket.
“What the fuck?” Greg spat next to me. I turned to see Mrs. Schultz walking into the grand hall, Grant Holbrook escorting her.
“What the fuck is a Holbrook doing here?” Hunter said in a low voice.
“Can we not have a brawl at my wedding?” I asked.
Mrs. Schultz saw us and waved.
“Congratulations,” she said. “My husband did so want to be here, but he was called away to Europe at the last minute. Grant here was kind enough to escort me. Such a nice young man!”
My brothers glared at him. Grant smirked.
“I remember my wedding day,” he said. “Best day ever. Congratulations.”
“I don’t trust this,” Greg said to me after Grant helped Mrs. Schultz to her seat. “Something’s up. Do you think he knows this isn’t real?”
I grabbed the microphone. Thankfully, it was still turned off.
“Keep your voice down!” I hissed at him. “The wedding is about to start. We’re so close. What could he possibly do now to ruin it?”
Most of the wedding party had assembled. Avery’s father, a scowl on his face, was there, as were her stepmother and Trevor, who was going to be escorting Ensley down the aisle. Judge Edna, Ida’s sister and a tough old bird, as Archer liked to say, was adjusting her robes. There was excited chattering, and the group of bridesmaids slowly walked down the stairs toward us.
“Good gracious, those dresses,” Edna muttered under her breath. “That has my sister’s fingerprints all over it.”
“See?” Archer said, pointing to the bright-green taffeta gowns. “We should have worn something more exciting.”
Penny arranged my brothers with their respective bridesmaids. Several of them were my brothers’ girlfriends, since Avery didn’t have quite enough friends to go along with my twenty-five groomsmen.
“Look at all these good-looking guys,” Ida exclaimed, whistling.
“And all these lovely women!” Archer replied, blowing her a kiss.
“Oh, you’re such a flirt,” Ida said. “Who am I paired with?”
“With Garrett,” Penny said, pushing people into line, “because I’m trying to take photos.”
Garrett did not look happy at the prospect of escorting Ida.
“It’s Ida or Edward,” Penny told him.
We turned. Edward was wearing a green tux that matched the bridesmaids’ dresses. He cracked his knuckles.
“Now there’s a man with a nice suit,” Archer said, saluting him.
“You all are going to start walking in five minutes,” Gunnar said.
It looked like most everyone had found a seat. Davy, seeming to realize just how many people were there, clung to my leg.
“I don’t want to do this!” His chin wobbled, a telltale sign he was about to start wailing.
“No, Davy!” Penny cooed. “Don’t cry. We need you to bring the rings down the aisle.”
The prospect was too much. He started screaming.
“Come on,” Penny said, trying to pry him from my leg.
