Page 39 of Settling the Score (The Karma Club #4)

They were there to celebrate everlasting love, the promise of ‘forever’ that Astrid and Blake were going to make to one another, but the truth was, Sienna didn’t know if she was capable of believing in it. Not for herself, anyway.

Astrid had chosen the most classically ‘Astrid’ wedding outfit imaginable.

A stunning silky dress that was cut on the bias, so even though it sort of seemed to float to her ankles, it still hugged her hips and slim waist like a second skin.

The dress dipped right down in the back to reveal delicate lace detailing on either side, satin buttons cresting over her backside.

Astrid being Astrid, she’d teamed it with a boho plait, and a pair of cowboy boots, yeehaw.

Not to mention a smile that just wouldn’t quit.

There was not a single hint of nervousness for this bride.

Not an ounce.

She was vibrating with giddy joy, like every moment she’d lived on earth had all been building inexorably to this one moment.

And yet, as they moved out of the suite – assured that all guests had now assembled on the beach, ready for the wedding – Astrid took a second to grab Sienna’s hand and pull her back.

Astrid the Bride-Chilla to end all Bride-Chillas had also been incredibly kind to the bridesmaids, letting them choose dresses in whatever style they wanted, so long as they were somewhere in the ballpark of the same palette.

Sienna had chosen a pale yellow – one of her favourite colours – and in terms of style, the dress was classic prom.

Appropriate, given that she’d never been.

It was fitted in the bodice, but flared at the waist, and fell to the knees.

Her own hair had been pulled back into a low bun at the nape of her neck, and the make-up had been kept ‘sun kissed and minimalist’, or so the make-up artist promised.

‘Love, just one sec, okay?’

Sienna had a sense of trepidation. ‘Yeah?’

‘Okay, I promise, this is the last thing I’ll say about this today.’

Sienna craned her head, to see where the others had gone. She had a sinking feeling they’d known Astrid was going to bring this up again, and had made themselves scarce.

‘Honey, your groom awaits,’ Sienna said, aiming for humour.

‘Trust me, he’ll keep waiting,’ Astrid said with serene assuredness.

‘This is your wedding day,’ Sienna groaned.

‘Yes, it’s my wedding day,’ Astrid agreed. ‘But it’s not the most important day of my life.’

Sienna’s eyes narrowed.

‘Not even close. I love Blake, and he loves me. Regardless of what happens today, we’re us, starting a family, a couple who loves each other very deeply.

This is just… frosting. A bit of something extra to put on top of what we already have.

Honestly, this isn’t the most important day of my life but I truly feel like it might be yours.

If you don’t talk to Aiden, if you just let this go, if you keep fighting what I’m pretty sure you feel for him… I don’t know if you’ll get over it.’

Sienna closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. Not to ruin the spectacular job the make-up artist had done.

‘All I’ll say,’ Sienna whispered, ‘is that if you really thought he loved me, it wouldn’t matter whether I spoke to him today or not.

Because love isn’t transient. It isn’t changeable.

And it isn’t temporary. You’re describing a flimsy feeling, that will just go away if I don’t say “yes” to him, right here and now.

That’s not love.’ She forced a smile but it hurt.

Oh, how it hurt. ‘It’s not love like you and Blake have, and it’s not a love that’s good enough for me. ’

Astrid’s eyes widened. ‘I didn’t mean?—’

‘It’s okay,’ Sienna promised. ‘I’m okay. I just really don’t want to think about Aiden ever again. He’s been living rent free in my brain for way too long. I want to evict him – starting now.’

* * *

Two golf carts were being used to transport the bridal party from the house to the beach, and Aiden knew that the plan was for the golf carts to offload the passengers just out of sight, at which point the wedding coordinator would signal to the band, who’d begin to play ‘Canon in D’ as the bridesmaids walked down the aisle, followed, finally by Astrid and her mom.

He knew all the details, but when the music began to play, and he realised how soon he’d see Sienna, every part of him kicked into a very unnerving gear. He was more nervous than during the playoffs. More nervous than his first pro game. More nervous than he’d ever felt in his life.

Because last night, he’d come to realise something important. He loved Sienna. He’d always loved her. And he wanted to be with her. Not just for this week, but forever.

He’d told Blake, and Blake had told Astrid. Astrid had, by now, probably told Sienna.

Meaning that she knew. And the moment she stepped onto the sand, he’d know how she felt about it. Just by the way she looked at him, he’d know if she felt the same way. If she was open to feeling the same way.

He looked at his brother, who was grinning like a toddler at an all-you-can-eat dessert bar.

Paige walked down the aisle first, holding a small bunch of pretty wildflowers. He saw the way she glanced at her boyfriend, Olly, as she passed, and something twisted inside of him. Now that he’d opened his eyes to how he felt, it was like love was everywhere.

The classical strains filled the air. A moment later, Bella stepped out, gloriously elegant in a lustrous gold halter neck dress with a slightly more restrained bouquet of flowers. As she passed Chase – sitting beside Olly – she winked and he grinned from ear to ear.

Something shifted in his gut.

These were Sienna’s friends. Her best friends.

And he liked them. They were fun and sweet and kind, and the guys were cool.

The kind of people he could actually see himself hanging around with, when his schedule permitted.

It had been so long since he’d thought of having friends outside of his hockey team.

Even then, Ice kept everyone at a distance except for Blake.

He was professional. Untouchable. But with Sienna, and her friends, he found himself wanting to just be.

Himself. Not Ice. Not Distant. Just… Aiden.

With the shift of movement in his peripheral vision, Aiden’s gaze was drawn right to the back of the aisle again, as Sienna walked down, looking like some kind of princess. She held a simple bouquet of flowers, and her hair had some extra blossoms weaved through it, to form a sort of crown.

The whole bottom fell out of his world.

Yeah, he’d realised he loved her last night, but knowing that and seeing her now, it was like the world took on a whole new shape. Everything was bigger and brighter, glistening and glowing. Sparkling. Radiant.

Effervescent. Hell, he felt like poetry was bursting out of his pores. He felt like he might be able to fly.

If she’d just look at him. If she’d just turn to him and smile. Then, he’d know.

He’d know he hadn’t ruined everything. He’d know there was still hope.

But she didn’t look at him. And she didn’t smile at him. She smiled, though. A serenely, beautiful, contented smile, for everyone but him, which slightly took the shimmer off the hazy euphoria he’d been feeling a minute earlier.

Blake made a sound, a gasp, a sigh, a something, and he glanced past Sienna, finally managing to wrest his eyes off her, to where Astrid was beginning to walk towards them.

Her mother stood on one side of her, and their mother on the other, in a touching gesture that choked Aiden up as damn near much as it did Blake.

One glance at his brother confirmed how overwhelmed his twin was.

On his way back to Astrid, Aiden’s gaze landed on Sienna, and found that she was looking at him, lips compressed.

Not in a smile, but with an expression that was deliberately, carefully neutral. He smiled. She looked away.

His whole chest felt like it was about to split open.

Astrid reached the top of the aisle. Cynthia kissed her cheek, then Blake’s, before taking her seat in the front row. Astrid’s mom did the same thing. Then, Blake let out a low whistle. ‘Holy shit, Twinkle Toes. You’re hot.’

The whole crowd laughed, Aiden included.

Sienna, too, he saw out of the corner of his eyes.

A lump formed in Aiden’s throat, and it didn’t go away the whole ceremony.

It wasn’t just the fact his best friend in the whole world was marrying someone who clearly made him feel complete.

It was that now, for the first time in his life, he realised that he wanted this for himself. That he deserved it.

That with the right woman, he could have this kind of happiness.

And there’d only ever been one right woman for him. His entire life, it had always been Sienna Mastrangelo, and it always would be.