“They’re ready for you, Skylar.”
At the sound of Mia’s voice, we turned to see her standing in the doorway, a smile on her face. Jillian and I were upstairs at the winery in what Mia called The Bride’s Room, which had a couple sofas and chairs, several full-length mirrors, and plenty of natural light streaming through the windows.
“OK.” Skylar took a deep breath and looked in the mirror one last time. “This is it. Am I good?”
“You’re absolutely stunning.” My voice hitched as I said it, and for the millionth time, I wondered when this pregnancy would stop making me so emotional. I cried at everything these days! Although seeing our middle sister in her wedding gown and veil, holding her bouquet, in the moments before she married the love of her life, even had Jillian near tears.
“You are,” she echoed, sniffing. “No one will be able to take their eyes off you.”
“The only eyes I care about are Sebastian’s.” Skylar’s smile was bright and her eyes clear as she picked up the bottom of her frothy white dress with one hand. “And I can’t wait to see them, so let’s do this thing.”
Sebastian’s two young nieces were serving as flower girls, and they were already giggling at the top of the steps, waiting to be told they could go down. When Mia gave them the nod, they took off, bounding down the stairs in a fit of excited laughter. “Here, let me take your flowers so you can hold your dress up as we go down,” she said to Skylar.
Skylar handed them over and used both hands to ensure she didn’t step on the bottom layers of tulle. She’d chosen a strapless tiered lace dress with a mermaid shape that showed off her hourglass figure, and wore her hair in a loosely braided mass of curls pinned to one side. Her veil floated behind her, and Jillian handed me her flowers so she could pick up the lace-edged tulle and make sure it didn’t catch on anything.
I was last coming down the stairs, carefully keeping my eyes on my feet. The last few weeks, I’d been a little dizzy, but other than that and the out-of-control emotions, pregnancy was treating me pretty well. I was about fourteen weeks along now and just barely starting to pop. My dress, also floor-length tiered lace in a dusty lavender, had a wide eggplant-colored sash that probably emphasized the fact that I no longer had a waist, but at least I could breathe in it. It looked much better on Jillian, whose slender frame was perfect for its slightly vintage look.
As we neared the bottom of the steps, I saw our father waiting and heard music from the string quartet playing outside. My heart beat quicker.
“Hey, Dad.” Skylar held up a hand and he high-fived her. “Ready to do this?”
“I sure am.” He smiled at Jillian and me, offering me a hand as I neared the bottom step. “You feeling OK?”
“Yes. Promise.”
As I’d expected, my parents had been shocked but not unhappy about my pregnancy and engagement, and once they’d had a few days to let it sink in and see Miles and me together, they’d both taken me aside and said how happy they were for me. Although we were living in my house for now, they were hoping we’d move into the Haas vacation home so they could see the baby whenever they wanted. Neither of them seemed bothered by the fact that we weren’t planning to be married before the baby was born, and my mother was already talking about a shower. Miles and I often remarked how lucky I was to have the parents I did. His parents seemed happy for us, if a bit unsettled by the news that Miles was getting married and making them into grandparents, but they still hadn’t come to visit.
“This way, please.” Mia led us over to some large glass doors leading to the terrace and we peeked out over the flower girls’ heads. Rows of chairs had been set up and an aisle created on the stone patio, with everyone facing away from the building. The terrace was strewn with soft pink rose petals, and strands of lights were strung above it, looping from the building to the surrounding trees.
“OK,” Mia said smoothly, handing Skylar her bouquet. “They’ve seated all the parents and grandparents. Skylar and the girls will stay here with me. Natalie and Jillian, you go out, and when you see Sebastian and his brothers line up at the front, you walk slowly toward them and take your places opposite. Got it?”
We nodded, grateful for her cool head and professional experience. The three of us would have been a mess back here alone. For a moment, I wondered about my own wedding—would it go something like this? Miles and I still hadn’t decided what we wanted, but we knew we’d wait until after the baby was born, so we had time to think.
I turned to Skylar and took her hand for a second. I wanted to say something, tell her how beautiful she was, how happy I was for her, how much I loved her, but my stupid throat closed up again and tears welled. She understood, and it made her smile. “I know,” she said, squeezing my hand. “I love you too.”
Jillian fared better. “You’re breathtaking, Skylar. We’re so happy for you, and we love Sebastian like a brother. You’re perfect for each other.” Pressing her cheek to Skylar’s, she smiled. “OK, Nixon sisters. Let’s do it.”
I followed her out into the warm September afternoon, managing to hold my tears at bay. Standing at the back, we watched as the three Pryce brothers came from around the building and walked together to the front of the terrace, where the officiant waited. Jillian reached behind her back, and I grabbed her hand when we saw how sweetly nervous Sebastian looked. He was clean shaven, hair neat, and his tall, muscular frame filled out his black suit like nobody’s business. He had a face that rivaled Skylar’s in its classic beauty, and for a moment I imagined the gorgeous children they’d have.
Once the men were in place, Jillian took a breath and started up the aisle, heads turning to watch her. When she was nearly to the front, I started out, my legs a little shaky, my fingers gripping my hydrangea bouquet tightly. Halfway up the aisle I saw Miles, and surprisingly enough, his handsome smile and adoring expression didn’t make me tear up. Victory! Maybe I could get through the ceremony without weeping!
As I passed him, he mouthed the word beautiful at me, and my stomach fluttered. I passed my mother, seated at the front, and she smiled before bringing a clump of tissues to her nose. Glancing at Sebastian, I flashed him a big grin and he gave me a small one back. I took my place next to Jillian, and we held hands as we watched the flower girls come up the aisle, all ribbons and giggles and gap-toothed smiles.
Finally, the music changed and our dad and Skylar appeared at the base of the aisle. The guests rose, and a collective gasp sounded as everyone took in how beautiful the bride was. They started up the aisle, and I had to laugh to myself because it looked like Skylar was moving even faster than our Dad, like she was so eager to get married, she was hurrying him. Jillian squeezed my hand as he kissed her cheek, and we both sighed at the way Sebastian looked at Skylar as he took her hand, as if she might not be real.
The ceremony began, and as I listened, I looked out at the love of my life, at my family, at this perfect, sunlit day that felt like such a gift. Putting a hand over my stomach, I caught Miles’s eye and smiled at the pure joy in my heart. It was almost too good to be true.
Almost.