She’d been forced into regaling Caroline with her stories from last night, every nitty gritty detail, and they’d stayed up too late, talking as if they were teenagers. Then this morning, she’d woken up early and gone for a stroll along the beach, no camera, just her in her rolled-up jeans, barefoot in the water again, arms folded over her flapping flannel. She’d enjoyed the peace and the serenity of the brilliant morning, while echoes of the night before played in her head.
Hunter loved her. Was that even possible? They were worlds apart, and yet in this magical place, they’d become closer than she’d ever been with anyone, including some family members. He’d taught her to dream things and open her eyes for a better look at herself.
She loved who she was with him.
Wasn’t that the whole idea of love?
She hadn’t told him she loved him, technically. She’d have to do that at some point, when the time was right. She did love him, there was no question, and surely he had to know, considering she’d told him it wasn’t one-sided.
But, as Caroline put it last night, nothing in love is certain.
She’d gone back to the house after her walk, but something caught her attention: Jenna sneaking out of the back patio door, hair down, in a simple T-shirt and yoga pants, grinning at something Mal couldn’t see. She moved for a better look just as Jenna dashed off the patio and Tom caught her in his arms, holding her tightly, her feet dangling.
He just held her for a moment, then slowly let her down. They cupped each other’s faces, talking softly, both grinning like mad fools. Mal was too far away to hear them, and she was glad for that. It was their wedding day; they deserved a moment of privacy. She waited until they had disengaged themselves a few quick kisses later and Jenna had gone back into the house before doing so herself.
She was instantly attacked by Caroline, who forced her to get in the shower and then set to work on her hair. Between sessions of drying and product and curling, Caroline allowed Mal to get changed, and then pulled out the dress for breakfast. It was a formal occasion, so she’d decided on a designer dress—Alexander McQueen, to be precise. It was a fitted cream dress with an ivory Celtic lace pattern overlay, cap sleeves, and a pencil skirt that would fall below her knees. Best of all, it was a knit dress, so it would hug her minimal curves. Mal balked at the idea of wearing something bridal-looking, but once Caroline assured her that Jenna was wearing mint, it wasn’t an issue.
Then Mal tried to suggest it was too much, but Caroline shushed her and said it was at least four years off the runway, so it wasn’t even the hot thing anymore. As long as it wasn’t trendsetting, Mal could deal with it, apparently. Thankfully, she’d been permitted sensible T-strap pumps that meant at least her feet would be steady, if nothing else was.
Caroline had done a perfect job of her makeup, again, with a natural, yet elegant look that had Mal shaking her head. The hair, on the other hand, would take some getting used to. She’d gone for blowout curls, and it had been mountainous at first. But once Caroline calmed it down, it wasn’t half bad. It just took forever.
Mal entered the breakfast room to find it only half filled with bridal party members and various other relations that had apparently just arrived. Jenna and Tom, looking like the perfect combo in a Doublemint commercial, were standing close together and mingling with some of Tom’s family. Taryn and Dan were already at work but gave her smiles and thumbs-ups.
She glanced around and smiled at various other people, even Sophie, who seemed to have mellowed out after the bachelorette party. Lucas had been sequestered into conversation with Aunt Joni and gave Mal a pleading look that she pointedly ignored. Aunt Cady and Uncle Drake weren’t there yet, and Caroline was just behind her, so she couldn’t have been late, really.
The prebreakfast spread of juices and fruit was on a table in the far corner, and the tables were decorated with simple, floral centerpieces. All in all, the room looked great, just a hint of their personal touches and not much else required. That was refreshing, considering the rest of the day would be nothing but finery and details.
She saw Hunter at last, leaning against the terrace railing, watching her. He’d probably seen her the moment she’d come in. And with that look in his eyes, he approved. She approved of him as well, with his white shirt—sleeves rolled, as usual—and tie with a black vest and black slacks. His throat worked on a swallow, and he put a very subtle hand to his chest as if he couldn’t breathe.
Mal smiled at him softly and winked.
One corner of his mouth curved up.
“Mal,” Jenna said, suddenly beside her. “Would you mind terribly taking some pictures of us before the rest of the people get here?”
Mal smiled at her cousin and agreed, which earned her a tight squeeze.
For the next several minutes, she worked her way around the room, taking requested pictures and generally avoiding interacting with family members she didn’t mind being estranged from and strangers she didn’t care to meet. She compared notes with Taryn and Dan, and then set to work getting the best shots she could of the tables before everyone sat.
The room filled with more people, all relatives of either Jenna or Tom, and work was plentiful. People were kind and cheerful and very Southern in some cases. If her heart got blessed one more time, she’d be an angel. But it was enjoyable, which surprised her, and she found herself looking forward to the rest of the day.
She spent a pointed amount of time trying to get a good shot of the flowers on the end of one table when Hunter came up beside her, glass of orange juice in hand, with his back turned to the room so it would appear as though he were only looking out at the view of the lake. With the current crowd of the room, it was a fairly good disguise.
“That was quite a way to start a day,” he murmured as he sipped the juice.
“How’s that?” she replied nonchalantly, turning her camera for a different angle.
“Seeing you look like that. I couldn’t decide if I’d just had breakfast or if I was suddenly starving.”
A soft grunt of distress hit her throat at the drop in his voice, and she looked down at the display on her camera. “Stop that. I’m working.” She turned to get some shots of the room in general.
Hunter stepped closer, his shoulder close enough that if she leaned back, she’d make contact. “I’m grumpy this morning,” he muttered.
“Sorry,” she quipped unapologetically.
“You should be. It’s your fault. I barely slept at all.”
She snorted softly and continued taking pictures. “Well, join the club, babe.”