“At least we both wear that badge of honor. I slept with myboss and now he’s considering firing me.”
I start to say something but before I can, Bethanne comesbarreling through the door, slams it, and rests her back against it. “Hide me.”
Mel rolls her eyes. “Seriously, you ripped the dress, letyour mother fix it.”
“That’s not why,Melanie,” she sneers her name.“You are never going to believe who they invited.”
“Who?” I ask.
“Asher. Whitlock.”
“You still have a thing for him?” I ask, not understandingthe appeal. Sure, Sheriff Whitlock is freaking hot. We all know it, but mysister is obsessed with the man. She gets all tongue-tied and stupid each timehe comes around.
“Of course. Have you seen his ass in uniform?” Bethannesighs. “It’s even nice in a suit. I bet his ass is perfect bare.”
Melanie peeks out the window behind her and whistles. “Jesus,he got hotter. Who is that girl with him?”
Bethanne pushes Melanie aside. “That’s the nanny, who isalso Chief Bettencourt’s daughter, Phoebe.”
“Are you sure she’s just the nanny? Look at the way he’slooking at her.”
My sister grunts. “Yeah, he’s thinking: Hey, where didOlivia go, you’re supposed to be watching her. You’re fired and where is thatgorgeous Arrowood girl? I want a dance with her.”
“Fat chance, you’re jailbait.”
Beth huffs. “I’m twenty and Phoebe is only four years olderthan me. She was a senior when I was a freshman. Also, she’s totally offlimits.”
“Which makes the sex hot,” Mel says, egging Bethanne on.
I giggle at that because anything to piss my sister off isentertaining. However, we’re on a time crunch here and this could get uglyreally quick. “Could you guys maybe, you know, help with the veil and allthat?”
Both turn to me and move quickly. “Shit. Sorry, worst maidof honor ever,” Beth says as she grabs it.
There’s a soft knock on the door and Mel goes to see who itis. “Hey, Uncle Connor.”
“Melanie, you look beautiful as always.”
“Wait until you see Hadley.”
She pushes the door open and my father walks in, his eyeswiden and he clutches his chest. “Wow.”
“Do I look pretty, Daddy?”
He shakes his head, “No, baby, you’re way more than that.”
I smile and he approaches, hands out in front of him. Thefamiliar feel calms me. I know these hands, the ones that wiped my tears when Iwas sad, built the treehouse so I had a safe place to go anytime, and alwayswere there in case I fell. He leans in, kissing my cheek.
“Is it time?” I ask.
“As much as it pains me to say, yes, it’s time.”
The room suddenly becomes very active as my cousin andsister gather different items and Daddy loops my arm in his. Each step I takepulls my heart in different directions. I’m so happy to be marrying Cayden,ready to be his wife and be a family, but I’m sad for the little girl who willbe gone. My name will change, erasing the past just a little.
We reach the barn doors where our family and friends arewaiting, my cousin Austin on one side of the huge door and Sebastian on theother. Austin winks at me and I smile. The three of us were closest in age andalways managing to get in trouble together.
All of us are now grown and living the lives we had workedso hard for.
“Are you ready?” Daddy asks.
