“It’s not, Andy. The wedding is in two hours, it’ll be over by then.”
“But the chairs will be all wet!”
“Trevor and I will come wipe them down. Don’t you worry about it. Stop crying, Mom will be so upset if your makeup looks bad.”
“I don’t have any makeup on yet.” Andy cries harder into the phone.
My sister crying has always torn me to pieces. I look helplessly out the window at the angry storm clouds in the sky. If only I had the power to make them disappear. Brothers should have that power.
“Andy, I promise. We’ll figure it out. Trevor and I will leave now, and make sure everyone’s got a plan B. You don’t worry about it at all.”
Andy’s sniffles soften, until she’s just barely hiccuping. “Okay.”
“I’ll see you soon. Stop worrying.”
I hang up with a sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose hard. Jesus.
Trevor slings his suit jacket on a hanger, then wrangles me out of my own to hang it up as well. He aims one of his comforting, sweet smiles at me.
“Let’s go save the day.”
And that’s what we do. The rain ends just as we arrive at the farm. The day is hazy, a mist hanging overhead, but the rain clouds look like they’re gone as we get to work. An hour passes us by as we wipe down every single chair until they’re mostly dry for the guests.
The trees drip moisture as they sway in the wind but I’m placing my bets on us finishing our task before the wedding starts in an hour. Thirty minutes until people start arriving to take their seats. It’ll work out. It has to work out.
Trevor and I hustle back to the truck to slide on our suit jackets. He carefully helps me into mine, fingers lingering along my broad shoulders as he brushes his hands over my chest to straighten it out. Next, he fixes my tie so that it’s lying flat. His baby blues flit up to my gaze. With a nod, he clucks his tongue approvingly. Something in his eyes makes my knees go just a little weak.
“You look perfect,” Trevor tells me, voice warm and low.
I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry. “You too, sweetheart.”
Trevor chuckles softly before pulling away, his gaze far away despite being right in front of me. “Let’s do this.”
After helping Trevor to his seat, I leave him in the capable hands of Harper. To the back, the little barn has two sides, one for a bride and one for a groom, so I make my way into the bride’s suite. I shield my eyes as I enter so I can’t see the ladies half-dressed.
“Can I look? Everyone dressed?”
A round of laughs echo around the room.
“You can look, Beau,” Mama says from the other side of the room.
With a bashful smile I remove my hand from my eyes to survey the room. A few of my female cousins and Andy’s friends wave at me from where they stand in their blush-pink bridesmaids dresses.
But my gaze lasers in on my beautiful little sister. Her hair falls down her back in soft waves over the ivory lace body-hugging bridal gown. I remember when she gripped my hand tight before jumping into the springs, when she had no front teeth, and when she was impossible to find while playing hide-and-seek. She’s all grown up now. Lost to me.
“You look beautiful, Andy.”
Andy’s smile is watery. “Don’t make me cry, Beau.”
“I won’t.” Kissing her warm cheek, I steel myself against the tears wanting so badly to fall. “Everything’s all ready for you. Are you ready?”
The bridesmaids around the room sigh dreamily for Andy. We all help her get outside, avoiding the wettest spots around the farm. I squint to make sure that Ethan is already waiting with his groomsmen, and when I see he’s there, I hold on to Andy’s hand and wait for her bridesmaids to walk ahead of us.
Dad stands from the chair in the back row we’d saved for him. His breaths are a little short and pained as he takes Andy’s hand. I kiss his cheek but let him take over for Andy. I run up the outside of the row to join Trevor at the front.
“She’s all good?” Trevor whispers against my cheek as he kisses me.
“Perfect.”
