I find myself moving out of the yard—far away from the people that are here for the rehearsal. I walk along the side of the house with no real direction in mind. I stop, though, because something in the window across from me catches my eye. Standing in the window is Callie. She’s wearing a pale pink dress, holding a bouquet of white roses, and her head is thrown back, laughing.
My fucking heart stops before picking up an extra beat. God, she’s so beautiful that time literally stops. I love her.
I. Love. Her.
CHAPTER 21
Callie
Music begins to play, and I watch from the doors as Jeff comes and gets his mother and escorts her to the white seat that is covered in silk and secured with a pink ribbon. The silk runway they’re walking on glistens with the reflection of the hanging lights. It looks like a something out of a fairytale.
We tried our dresses on for tomorrow, but we’re back in our regular clothes now. I’m wearing jeans and a pink T-shirt, so if you want to get technical, I at least match the wedding color scheme. I normally feel comfortable around everyone here tonight. I’m still a little nervous, though. I smile as Jeff bends down and kisses his mom on the forehead. He’s such a sweet guy. I glance back where Katie is standing and talking with Lennon—who is walking her down the aisle.
God, I hope things work out for both of them.
The music starts that signals it’s time to walk. “Are you ready?”
Katie looks up at me and for a minute, and I see stark fear on her face. “For tonight, yeah. You may have to shove me down the aisle tomorrow.”
“That’s doubtful.” I’m trying to laugh in response, but not feeling a lot of humor about any of this. I can’t shake the feeling that there’s a dark cloud over this whole wedding.
I step out with what I hope is one last reassuring glance back at Katie. It’s just the rehearsal. It shouldn’t feel this momentous inside my brain. Yet, somehow, it does. I walk to where the rows of chairs start and that’s when Reed joins me. He winks down at me and we link our arms together.
“Somehow whenever I thought of us walking down the aisle together, it was different,” he jokes.
I feel heat blast my face with the force of a thousand suns. It was just a throwaway statement, but it still makes me feel flushed—everywhere. Then again, I doubt Reed ever fantasizes about what it would be like to be married to me. I can’t say the same about him. I’ve imagined it so many times and in so many different ways. I may have trouble dealing with real life but when it comes to Reed Lane, my fantasies are alive and well. They always have been.
“I can imagine,” I whisper as we continue walking. “You probably pictured me with a gun in one hand, forcing you to the altar.”
“Nope. I always figured I’d be the one who would have to force you,” he laughs. “I wasn’t going to use a gun, though, Bluebird.”
Just as we reach the altar where we’re supposed to separate, I find myself looking up at him. “What were you going to use?”
He studies my face and then leans down to whisper in my ear so that only I can hear his answer.
“I was going to get you pregnant.”
With that, he walks to his position behind Jeff. I stand there stunned. Kurt clears his throat. I finally shake myself from my daze long enough to take my position. The music shifts again, and Katie and Lennon begin walking down the aisle. Lennon looks as if he would rather be anywhere other than where he’s at. That would make me smile, but I’m still going over what Reed just said.
He couldn’t have been serious—could he?
Inevitably, my gaze moves back to him. He’s looking at me, and although there’s a smile on his face, there’s a heat in his eyes that does something strange to me. It’s been so long since anyone has looked at me that way—since I’ve wanted anyone to. It feels as if my skin is charged with electricity.
“I did it!” Lennon exclaims, looking very proud.
“That you did, buddy,” Jeff praises.
“Tomorrow, Lennon, I’m going to ask you who gives this woman to this man and you’re going to say I do. Okay?” Kurt says, bending down on a knee to talk to Lennon.
Lennon scrunches up his face. “That’s Mommy. Not, this woman.”
We all kind of giggle over that—even Kurt. “You’re right. But do you think you can say I do when I ask that question tomorrow?”
“I guess,” Lennon says, but you can tell he’s not thrilled about it.
“Good boy,” Kurt says, ruffling Lennon’s hair.
Lennon clearly doesn’t like that and gives him a look that should strike fear in Kurt’s heart, but probably doesn’t.