Her mom stood by her sister with the rest of the Dvornakovs. And Piper held a bouquet of tulips that wasn't remotely wilting. Marrying into a family of florists did have its privileges.
Piper's dad took her hand gently as they stood at the start of the aisle. With a chuckle, he whispered, "Why do melons have weddings?"
"I have no idea," Piper said.
"Because they cantaloupe." He chuckled at his own joke.
Piper grinned. Then he scanned Piper's face, pride shining bright. "I still remember when you insisted on wearing your superhero cape to preschool every day. We knew then you were something special, but we couldn't have known how amazing you'd truly become."
"Dad…"
He squeezed her arm. "Let's go. We've got a long walk to get through."
He and her mom were dating.
Piper just stayed out of it. Someday those two deserved their own happily ever after. But it wasn't her job to plan or to coordinate.
Right before they reached the front, he leaned close and whispered, "The wedding is always my favorite part. There's so much happiness."
Piper gulped. "Zach's my favorite part. Same reason."
Brek stood at the end of the aisle with Zach. He'd actually asked if he could be their officiant.
Aspen assured Piper that he was legit and had been ordained by an internet church. She checked. Twice.
He mentioned something about coming full circle from helping Aspen out in a pinch a long time ago by planning some weddings, to being the one to hold all the power at the end of the aisle.
He wasn't wearing a suit, but the black jeans weren't ripped, and his tattoos were barely visible under the sleeves of his black Henley. Honestly, Piper didn't care. She was only looking at Zach.
Brek cleared his throat. "You want traditional vows or your own?"
Piper glanced sideways to her almost husband. His eyes met hers like a vow that this one was totally her call.
"Our own," she said tenderly.
Her voice didn't shake. Somehow, it didn't shake.
"I never thought there'd be a wedding I'd want to attend," Piper began, her grip on her flowers loose and relaxed. "And then… you happened. You made space in my life I didn't know I needed. You saw every gross piece of me and still thought I was magic."
Zach swallowed. "Because you are."
She choked up at that.
"And you," he said when it was his turn, voice thick but steady, "you walked into my life and ruined all my plans in the best possible way. One minute, you're tripping on my keys and stepping in a wad of gum. The next? You're my forever."
They finished the ceremony with a kiss that came with cheers. Noah clapped the loudest from his spot beside Zach, and Shelby whistled one of those loud whistles that people do using their two fingers, their lips, and some kind of witchcraft.
It was flawless.
The reception unfolded in their backyard beneath glittering bulbs and a surprisingly competent string quartet who pivoted mid-song to a cover of "Sweet Child O' Mine."
Noah's toast was long, meandering, and involved a metaphor about denim elasticity that no one fully understood, but everyone clapped politely anyway.
Tess, who had given up on the Stallions to go work with Noah and Zach, was never one to miss an opportunity. She was already brainstorming with Zach about a limited-run of bridal-themed Wild Sacks lace boxers embroidered with Just Married in glitter thread.
Piper raised one eyebrow. "Back. Off."
Tess winked. "Tomorrow, then?"
