Chapter Seventeen
Two weeks later, Max and I were in the Hamptons for Justin and Tessa’s wedding. The sun was setting on the beach near Fletcher’s house, and the simplistic beauty of their setting was breathtaking. They had a two-post arch with white drapes at the end of a sweeping aisle lined with starfish and conch shells. Eight chairs sat on both sides of the aisle, and guests were given their choice of where to sit. Justin and Tessa had opted for no wedding party, since most of their audience would have been gone if they had. They had a big white tent set up further down the beach where their dinner and reception would be taking place.
“This is gorgeous,” Harper mused, smiling back at us. “I love their decorations.”
Maverick and Harper were seated in front of us, and the minute we’d sat down, Max had stolen their adorable little girl, Seghen, from them. Bayler and Fletcher were seated next to Maverick in the front row.
“It is really pretty,” I agreed with a nod. “I’m excited to see her dress!”
Harper beamed with pride. “It fits her style well. I’m glad she let me design it for her.”
Let her? I thought. I’d be honored to have the woman running Jen Harper’s fashion empire design my wedding dress for me.
Elly walked down the aisle, said something to Cash, who’d gotten ordained for the special occasion, and then she took her seat on the other side of the aisle next to Carter, who was holding their son, Cooper. Next to them, Paige and Drake also sat in the back row, leaving the front for Justin’s grandmother, Mrs. J, and Tessa’s brother, Treylor.
Beside me, Max cooed to Seghen, making it incredibly hard for me to ignore the hot man with an adorable baby in his arms.
“Isn’t she just adorable?” he stated, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I think you’re the cutest baby girl I’ve ever seen. Yes, you are, Seghen girl.”
I smiled, admiring him with his best friend’s daughter. The site of them together undid that maternal need for another baby that I thought I’d locked up years ago. I’d never imagined having another child after Zane, but now the thoughts harassed me on a regular basis. Babies surrounded me. Harper and Maverick had Seghen. Elly and Carter had Cooper. Paige and Drake had one on the way. It made me imagine what it would be like to have another child.
Especially when I was so in love with the man holding one right now.
“What?” Max asked, glancing over at me. Seghen’s hand fell upon his cheek and he laughed. “I can’t give any attention to Whitley, huh?”
She laughed and pressed her other chubby hand to this other cheek.
He kissed her on the nose and she laughed again.
“Gah,” I whispered, resting my head on his shoulder. “You can’t be doing that type of stuff.”
“What stuff?” he laughed. “I’m just entertaining her.”
“I know, but a gorgeous man with an adorable baby . . .” I said, touching her small baby sandals. “It’s too much. And it doesn’t help that she’s practically wearing baby couture.”
He laughed. “Have you met her mother?”
“Hey,” Harper retorted, smiling back at us. “I heard that.”
I laughed lightly. “I wish I had her style.”
“We all should’ve worn mermaid attire,” Bayler added sarcastically. “Tessa would’ve loved that.”
Fletcher eyed the low neckline of Bayler’s maxi dress. “I wouldn’t mind you in just a bra.”
“Of course you wouldn’t,” she deadpanned.
“That skirt slows Seghen down,” Maverick stated. “The girl is on the move all the time now.”
Harper nodded. “It’s cute, too, but it does keep her from toddling away so quickly.”
They had Seghen in a glittery mint green mermaid maxi skirt and a light pink halter top made out of the same stretchy, shiny material. She had a flowery crown in her dark brown hair that didn’t seem to bother her. She didn’t fuss in the fitted skirt, although unlike most mermaid skirts, hers stretched enough that she could actually move around in it. Small gold sandals adorned her chubby little feet, and she kicked them around like she wanted down to roam around. Her adorable baby belly was on display from beneath her halter crop top, and she giggled louder whenever Max would blow a raspberry on her belly.
Max blew on her belly again and laughing ensued amongst all of us.
“Max, you have to stop doing that. You’re getting her all riled up,” Harper said, shaking her head. “I don’t want her making a lot of noise during the ceremony.”
“Oh, she’ll be fine,” Max argued, smiling up at Seghen. “Won’t you, pretty girl?”
She grabbed his cheeks again, and I rolled my eyes at him and then leaned forward to Harper. “I’ll make sure they behave.”
“Thank you,” she laughed.
Relaxing back in my seat, I reached my hands out toward Max. “It’s my turn anyway. Let me have her.”
Seghen came to me without any issue, and I immediately loved the feel of her in my arms, resting against my chest. I no longer held my own child like this anymore, but what surprised me the most was how much I missed it. The loving gestures of kisses, high-fives and cheek grabbing. Seghen reached for my necklace and admired it closely, the same way Zane used to when he was her age. Luckily, she didn’t pull on my hair like Zane used to—I certainly didn’t miss that.
Max leaned over and whispered into my ear. “I’m not the only one who looks good with a baby in their arms.”
“Stop it,” I pleaded playfully, pushing him away. “The ceremony is about to start, and you can’t be whispering that type of stuff in my ear.”
He laughed and tickled Seghen under her chin, causing another giggle to fall from her.
I glared at him and he held his hands up in defense. “I know, I know.”
From a nearby stereo, the instrumental of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” started playing, and we watched as Justin, in a pair of khaki pants and a white button-down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, walked Mrs. J down the aisle to her seat and hugged her before taking his place up at the altar with Cash.
Cash motioned for the rest of us to rise, and then we watched as Treylor led Tessa down the aisle. She moved gracefully across the sand in flat, ivory-jeweled sandals, without a bouquet in her hands or a veil covering her face. Her ivory A-line gown had a sweetheart neckline and lace-accented off-the-shoulder sleeves. Her satin bodice was appliquéd with lace, and her chiffon skirt had an airy slit up the front and a sweeping train that followed behind her. Her long, wavy hair was swept over to one side and accessorized with a floral crown made of ivory roses, white pip berries and vine wire.
Harper was right; Tessa’s bohemian look matched her style perfectly. I loved when a bride looked more like herself on her wedding day than just a generic bride all done up for her special day.
I gazed back at Justin and watched him admire his bride with a smile spread wide across his handsome face, not an ounce of fear or anxiety evident in his features. Once they met him at the altar, Trey hugged Tessa, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and then took his place next to Mrs. J in the audience.
Cash motioned for us all to sit again, and Seghen found my earrings and admired them as he started the ceremony.
“As the last single man in our group of friends, it’s an honor to be standing up here this evening with Justin and Tessa. I’ve learned a lot from watching all of you fall in love, but with each couple, it’s always been a new learning experience for me. With you two, love isn’t just patient and kind, but it is determined. It gave you two the strength and confidence to be yourselves and allow the other to love you for who you are. And that kind of love is what led you two to this moment right here.”
He turned and smiled at Justin. “I never thought I’d see the day where Justin Jameson would be the second one of us to get married, but I know when you say your vows, you’ll mean them. You’ve never gone a day in your life without saying what you mean, even if it’s in words none of us understand.”
We all laughed, remembering how the genius of our group enjoyed correcting us.
“And Tessa,” he continued, turning to her. “You’re unlike anyone else we know, and our family of friends wouldn’t be the same without you. In this body of love between you and Justin, you are most definitely the heart. You’ve always followed your heart, listened to your gut instincts, so I know you’ll do the same when you say your vows. On behalf of everyone here, thank you for never giving up on Justin, even when his obliviousness got the best of him.”
More laughter ensued. For years, Justin had had no idea how Tessa felt about him; now, here they were getting married.
“As you become husband and wife today, may you both remember to always better one another even on your worst days. May your love’s determination never cease.”
He nodded at Tessa and then had her repeat after him as she and Justin went on to exchange their vows.
I wiped a tear away and Max handed me a tissue from his pocket.
“Thank you,” I whispered, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
He studied my face, wearing that charming smile of his, and then he put his arm around my chair and whispered in my ear. “I want that to be us someday, standing in front of our family and friends getting married.”
Then he leaned forward and his smile grew wider as he playfully waved at Seghen and she waved back. “And I want at least one of these with you.”
“Anything else?” I asked in a soft, teasing tone.
“Just forever.” His lips and stubble grazed the sensitive skin of my neck as he kissed me, causing a shiver to tingle down my spine. “What do you think?”
“I want all of that, too.”