Libby and Mason’s wedding day had finally arrived, and although we’d only had a few weeks to arrange everything, it felt like we had been waiting forever for them to be together. After Jack had flown in, he’d been fitted for a suit; Mason had wanted to include him in the ceremony and had asked him to be a groomsman with Josh.
Libby and Mason had decided against a rehearsal dinner, instead opting for takeout with the whole family at the house. They spent most of the night curled up on the loveseat in the den, kissing and giggling like teenagers. I was a blubbering wreck at that stage of my pregnancy anyway, managing to cry at almost anything, so watching them both so happy and in love caused me to cry more than once. Josh was now so used to me spontaneously bursting into tears, he would just pull me into his arms and hold me until I pulled myself together. I had decided early on when choosing my bridesmaid dress that I would need somewhere to stash some tissues, as I was definitely going to be crying while I watched them get married.
Libby and I had slept at the ranch house, with Brody, Josh, and Jack all squeezing into Libby and Mason’s cabin. They were under strict instructions not to drink too much alcohol or shave any of Mason’s eyebrows off. Anything was possible if Brody was left in charge, and Lib had told him to behave, not wanting to have her wedding pictures ruined because Mason only had half his normal facial hair.
We’d had breakfast, although Libby was too nervous to eat much, and it was finally time to start getting ready. Lib had asked me if I would do her hair and makeup, and I was currently curling her hair as she sat at the vanity in the spare bedroom.
“Have you seen where the ceremony is taking place?” I asked her, winding a piece of her hair around the curling wand.
She shook her head gently. “No, Mason wants it to be a surprise. All he asked me was what flowers I’m having in my bouquet. Do you know what he has planned?”
I met her eyes in the mirror and grinned. “Well I might, but there’s no way I’m telling you Libby Davis. I’m not going to ruin the surprise.”
“Well I guess I don’t have long until I find out!” she said excitedly. “What time is it?” I put down the curling iron and reached for my phone, pressing the home button to light up the screen.
“It’s 11:30,” I told her as my phone chimed with a message. I glanced down and saw that it was from Josh. Tapping the screen, I quickly scanned the message.
Josh: Morning baby, I missed you last night. We just got back from the lake, everything is ready, it looks amazing. Can’t wait to see you, love you
“Is that from Josh?” Libby asked, her voice panicked. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine Lib. It’s all ready at the lake and Josh says it looks amazing.” I watched as she let out a sigh of relief, and frowning, I met her eyes in the mirror again. “What did you think the message was going to say?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I dunno…that Mason had changed his mind.” She dropped her eyes from mine and fiddled with the hem of her robe.
“Why would he do that? He loves you—I’ve never seen a man more eager to make someone his wife,” I told her, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly.
“I guess I still can’t quite believe someone as amazing as Mason wants to be with me. I’m not good enough for him,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
I kneeled down beside her and took her hand in mine. “Hey, where is all this coming from?” I asked gently. She shook her head and I reached for a tissue, passing it to her so she could wipe her eyes. “You are good enough, and Mason certainly thinks so. He loves you so much. Please talk to me.” I waited while she blew her nose and finally, her eyes met mine.
“Mia should be here. She should be here on my wedding day. Sav, I miss her so much. Thinking about her brings everything back,” she said as she sobbed.
“She’s in here Lib,” I said, touching her chest. “She will always be in here. She would be so happy for you, and she wouldn’t want you to be upset.”
She nodded and took a deep breath, composing herself. “I know you’re right. We got a wedding card from her parents. It arrived yesterday morning, and it brought it all back to me, how unfair it is that she’s missing out on life.”
“It is unfair, but she wouldn’t want you to miss out on your life too. You’re marrying your Prince Charming, remember?”
She smiled and nodded her head. “I am, thank you,” she said, smiling at me.
I waved my hand. “You don’t need to thank me, you can pay me back in babysitting duty,” I joked. “I’m also going to need you to help me up—turns out kneeling down at almost 30 weeks pregnant isn’t such a great idea!” I exclaimed, and she laughed as she took my arm, pulling me up.
“I love you Sav,” she said as she hugged me.
“I love you too Lib, now let’s get you married!” I picked up the curling iron and motioned for her to sit back down.
An hour later, we were all dressed and ready to make our way to the lake. Libby looked incredible in her dress, and her dad cried when he saw her coming down the stairs. My dress was beautiful, though a little on the snug side. My breasts seemed to be growing on a daily basis, and they were very much on display. I had no doubt Josh was going to love it. He had taken quite a liking to my breasts, and kept commenting on how big they were getting.
Aunt Emma and my mom were already at the lake, and my dad was driving me, Libby,
and Uncle Phil in the truck. It wasn’t exactly fancy transportation for a wedding, but we didn’t want to get stuck in the fields in a normal car, so it would have to do. We pulled up a little way from where the ceremony was set to take place, and my dad came around and helped me down from the truck. The weather was beautiful. It was a little chilly, but the sky was blue and the sun was shining. For December, we couldn’t have asked for better than that.
I took my dad’s arm then he walked me up toward the lake, and I gasped when I caught sight of how beautiful it looked. Fairy lights had been strung in the trees, like when Mason had proposed, and a few rows of white wooden chairs were set out on either side of an aisle. Bunches of roses were tied to the ends of each row, and blush pink ribbon was tied around the roses. It was simple, but perfect.
My dad took his seat, and I turned around to see Libby on the arm of her dad, tears in her eyes, in awe of how amazing everything looked. We were still tucked out of sight of the guests, and I walked over to her, kissing her on the cheek.
“You look stunning Libby, are you ready?” I asked. She nodded and I walked to the beginning of the aisle, only then seeing the large wooden arch Mason was standing under. While his back was toward me, I took a minute to look around, taking in just how beautiful everything looked. The arch had the same flowers winding all the way up it, along with more fairy lights and blush pink ribbon. It was positioned so Mason and Libby looked out over the lake as they took their vows.
Taking a deep breath, I gestured with a nod to the officiant and he asked the guests to stand. Nerves swirled in my stomach and I held on tightly to my bouquet, praying I wouldn’t trip down the aisle. Mason stood at the front of the aisle with Brody, Jack, and Josh next to him, and as they turned to face me, I smiled and began walking. My eyes met with Josh’s and I grinned as I looked him up and down. He looked gorgeous, wearing a dark blue suit with a light grey woolen waistcoast and a white shirt. His tie matched the color of my dress perfectly, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
As I reached Mason, I kissed him softly on the cheek and whispered in his ear, “She looks beautiful Mase.” Taking my position on the opposite side from the groomsmen, I turned and looked toward the end of the aisle, waiting for Libby to appear.
Glancing over to Josh, I saw that he was still looking at me, and as my eyes met his, he mouthed, “I love you.” I grinned back at him, my nerves replaced with a thousand butterflies. The chorus of “In Case You Didn’t Know” by Brett Young began to play, and I tore my eyes away from Josh to watch Libby. As she walked down the aisle on the arm of her dad, tears welled in my eyes and I looked over at Mason as he watched Libby walk toward him, his face a picture of happiness. The music faded as Libby reached him and I watched as she kissed Uncle Phil on his cheek, taking her place in front of the officiant. Mason took Libby’s hand and he bent down, brushing a kiss on her cheek. He must have whispered something in her ear as I saw her look at him as her cheeks flushed pink.
The ceremony was beautiful, and as I predicted, the tears were flowing as they said their vows. After they were announced as man and wife, they walked back down the aisle arm in arm. Looking up, I saw that Josh was waiting for me, and I took his arm as we followed Libby and Mason.
“You look beautiful Savannah,” Josh said, leaning his head next to mine. “I don’t think I saw any of the ceremony because I couldn’t stop looking at you.”
“You’re looking pretty hot yourself Mr. Miller. I hope you get to keep the suit—I could get used to seeing you all dressed up.”
“Don’t get too used to it sweetheart,” he said, tugging on his collar. “I think the next time I’ll be wearing a suit will be at our wedding. Thank God my job only requires jeans and a t-shirt,” he said with a chuckle. I stopped abruptly and he tugged on my arm. “What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned. Looking around, I made sure no one was within earshot of us. Lib and Mason were being congratulated by everyone, and Jack and Brody were talking with Ava, Rose, and Harper. “Sav?” he prompted.
“Our wedding?” I asked him quietly, my eyes focused on the bouquet I was holding. He stepped closer to me and wrapped me in his arms. As I looked up at him, he smiled.
“Yes baby, our wedding. You seem surprised—did you not hear me at my parents’ house a few weeks ago, when I said you and the baby would be having my last name soon?”
I nodded. “I did, I just thought you were trying to convince your mom you were serious about us.” I bit down on my lip as I looked at him.
Reaching his hand up, he gently tugged my lip from between my teeth and traced his finger over where I had been biting. “I was trying to convince her we were serious, but I meant every word. Savannah, you will be my wife, and soon—hell, I’d do it right now, except I think Lib and Mason might have something to say if we hijacked their wedding.”
I giggled and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his lips. “I love you,” I murmured against his mouth.
“I love you too,” he replied. “Come on, I think we’re wanted for photos,” he said, taking my hand and leading me toward where the photographer was waiting.
The rest of the afternoon raced by. It was a relatively small wedding, and a sit-down meal had been arranged by outside caterers back at the ranch house. Speeches were made and tears were shed. I’d never seen Libby so happy; she was almost glowing, and Mason hadn’t left her side since they said their vows.
At around 7pm, we all headed over to the barn by the guest accommodations. Neither Libby nor Mason had seen how it had been decorated, and I was excited to show them; I’d stopped by yesterday, when the company my parents had hired were there, and they had made it look amazing. Pushing the doors open, I let them go in first, and I heard Libby gasp.
“Oh my God!” she exclaimed. “This looks incredible.” I followed her in and looked around. Hundreds of white lights had been strung from the beams in the roof of the barn, stretching the whole length and width of the room. Hanging in the center were dozens of jam jars filled with tea lights that lit up the space, flickering softly. Round tables with crisp white tablecloths were dotted around the dance floor, which was in the center of the room, and roses adorned every surface, the fragrance hitting you as you walked in. There was a band in one corner and a bar in the other.
As guests began to arrive, I remembered that Josh’s parents had been invited, and although Josh had gone home the week before to clear the air, I was still apprehensive about seeing them. Trying to forget about it and not wanting it to ruin the night, I grabbed Libby’s arm and pulled her onto the dance floor.
“Are you happy?” I asked her as we danced.
“The happiest. It’s been the best day Sav, thank you for being part of it,” she gushed.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” I told her truthfully. “I’m so happy for you and Mason.”
“You next,” she said, taking my hands and spinning me in a circle.
“Maybe,” I told her, laughing.
The next hour or so was filled with dancing and the occasional rest when my feet started to ache. I was standing at the bar with Josh when I saw his parents arrive. “Your parents are here,” I told him, snuggling against his side.
He looped his arm around me and kissed me on the head. “It’s going to be fine Sav, my mom promised to behave.” I hoped so—the last thing I wanted was to cause a scene at Lib’s wedding. I hadn’t told my parents about what Grace had said to me in the hope that she came around and grew to accept me. I saw Robert wave and I lifted my hand in a small wave back, watching as they made their way across the dance floor. Josh shook his dad’s outstretched hand before he leaned in to kiss me on the cheek.
“You look very pretty Savannah,” Robert said with a smile.
“Thank you,” I told him before turning toward Grace, who was just pulling back from hugging Josh. “Hello Mrs. Miller,” I said, not feeling brave enough to call her by her first name.
“Hello Savannah. Robert is right, your dress is very pretty.”
“Thank you,” I said again, amazed by her half compliment.
“Would you like a drink?” Josh asked from beside me, his arm snaking around my waist. I watched as Grace’s eyes dropped to Josh’s arm before looking back up at me. She gave me a smile when she saw I was watching, but like before, it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Yes, please darling,” she purred. “A glass of wine I think, and make it a large one.” Her eyes met mine as Robert asked for a bottle of beer, and Josh turned away to order the drinks. I became increasingly uncomfortable as I felt her eyes on me, even though she was making no effort to make conversation.
“If you’ll excuse me, I just need to use the bathroom,” I told her, rushing off before she had a chance to respond. I walked straight past the bathroom and headed outside, needing to get some air. A few people were milling around outside, but I didn’t feel like making conversation so I slipped around the side of the barn where I knew there were some hay bales to sit on. Sitting down, I sighed. I thought it would be safe to say that Grace was on her best behavior; no doubt Josh and his dad had spoken to her and made her promise to be civil. Even so, I had a feeling it was the calm before the storm. I really had no idea why she disliked me so much. Yes, I was loud and opinionated a lot of the time, but I was a nice person—at least I hoped I was—and I loved her son. Isn’t that what all parents want for their children? To see them happy?
I sat outside for five minutes, but it was getting late and I was thinking about calling it a night. It had been an amazing day, but a long one, and if I was being honest, I didn’t want to spend too much longer making small talk with someone who clearly didn’t want to be around me. Standing up, I made my way back inside the barn, quickly spotting Josh as I walked inside.
“Hey, you disappeared—everything okay?”
I nodded, taking my drink from his hand. “I’m fine, but I’m wiped out. I think I’m going to call it a night after this,” I told him. “You stay though, I can make my own way back.”
“No, if you’re leaving, I’m coming too,” he insisted.
“You really don’t have to Josh, I don’t want to ruin your night.”
“Are you kidding? The best part of my night is going to be peeling that dress off you—which I’ve wanted to do since the minute I saw you—along with falling asleep with you in my arms.”
I smiled as I put my drink down on the nearest table. Looping my arms around his neck, I reached up to kiss him. “Take me home Josh,” I sighed against his lips, and he nodded before kissing me. When he pulled out of the kiss, I turned to see his mom scowling at me. I flashed her a fuck you grin, and after saying a speedy goodbye to everyone, we left. There was no way I was going to let that woman ruin what had been, up until her arrival, an incredible day. I also vowed that I wasn’t going to let her fuck up my relationship either. She obviously saw me as a threat, someone who was taking her son away from her, but what she failed to see was that if she continued behaving like she had been, she was going to lose him anyway.