Callie
Iswear to God, if you two do not stop blubbering, I am going to slaughter you both,” I warn them sharply as I stare at their teary faces through the mirror I am currently fixing my hair in.
“Oh, shut up,” Rosie tells me bluntly, wiping at her eyes to ensure her makeup doesn’t run. “This is a sign of the apocalypse. I’m allowed to cry.”
“Thanks a lot,” I snark and can’t help but grin. I turn my focus back to my reflection. I have to admit, I get why they might be tearing up. I look fucking awesome.
The dress they’d helped me pick out was strapless, slightly off-white, with delicate flowers cascading down the front and around the train in chiffon and sparkly beads. There was a sash tied around the middle and I could have had it in any color—I’d picked apple, which is similar to the Barons red and gives the Vera Wang dress a modern pop that is so me.
We’d announced the whole getting married thing over breakfast. Devin had simply said, “Guys, don’t make plans for tonight. Callie and I are getting married by the pool and we’d like you to be there.”
Luc had dropped his orange juice on the floor. Jessie and Rosie screamed so loudly security came over to our table to make sure they weren’t being murdered. Jordan choked on his eggs. Cole and Leah clapped. Donna started to cry, which made Conner cry because he thought she was sad. I even saw tears well up in Wyatt’s eyes and he excused himself from the table, which made me want to cry like an idiot.
When Wyatt came back, he hugged me so hard he lifted me off my feet. And then he almost lifted Devin off his feet. After that the day had been overtaken by my sisters, Donna and Leah, who had traipsed me all over Vegas finding my dress, flowers and a ring for Devin.
I hadn’t even thought about a ring until they mentioned we had to have them. So I’d picked out a simple, thick platinum band for him and spontaneously engraved numbers on the inside—the geographical coordinates for the barn at his parents’ place. Where this all began so many years ago.
There is a knock at the door of the room we’re hunkered down in just off the pool area. When Rosie opens it, Donna and Wyatt come rushing in.
“You’re so beautiful,” Donna gushes. “Oh, Callie.”
She hugs me tightly. I hug her back. Wyatt clears his throat. “Don’t blubber too much, Donna. You have to do this again in a month.”
Jessie laughs. Donna lets me go and Wyatt steps forward and hugs me. He pulls back and looks in my eyes. “I always worried about you the most, but I don’t have to anymore.”
“Oh, Wyatt…” I hug him tightly.
“It’s Dad to you now, kiddo,” he warns and I start to cry. Full-on waterworks.
“Makeup!” Jessie yells. “You’ll ruin your makeup.”
I laugh. “Okay. Okay. I’ll stop…I hope.”
“We’ll give you girls a minute,” Donna says with a smile. “Devin and Conner are outside when you’re ready.”
My future in-laws disappear back out the door and I turn and stare at my sisters for a long time. We’re all smiling from ear to ear.
“I knew when Grandma Lily died that these hometown hockey boys would infest both your lives again,” I say, looking from Jessie to Rose and back again. “But somehow I’m the one marrying one of them first? How the hell does that happen?”
Jessie kisses my cheek. “You’re just lucky, I guess.”
I laugh, hug them both and then follow them out the door. Devin and Conner are in the hall in matching black suits with red ties that match my sash. They both look amazing. Devin’s hazel-colored eyes fill with tears as he sees me. I jump into his arms.
“If you cry, I cry and then Con cries and it’s a total mess,” I whisper in his ear, cupping the back of his neck gently. “So suck it up, Garrison.”
He nods and takes a deep breath. “You’re the most beautiful thing in the world,” he announces in a throaty whisper.
Conner beams up at me. “You’re really pretty, Callie.”
“Thank you, little man!” I ruffle his hair. “You look very handsome.”
“Ready?” Devin asks and his voice is tentative, like he thinks I might have cold feet. Hell, no.
“Totally,” I say confidently.
We decided to walk down the aisle together, with Conner. It just seemed right. We were doing this together—to become a family. I would never be Con’s mother—and I would always respect Ashleigh’s place—but he was becoming my stepson. I wanted him to know he was a part of this.
The ceremony starts off on the perfect note as the pianist plays my musical choice, an instrumental version of “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. Everyone laughs. An arch of white hydrangeas is set up in front of the waterfall and we follow the white carpet, sprinkled with red rose petals, past the rows of white chairs containing our relatives. Conner skips ahead waving to everyone excitedly. We go with the traditional vows. Everything else I want to say to him has been said or could be said in private.
