Page 8 of Sunny Skies Ahead (Watford Sweethearts #2)

Chapter five

Imogen

A bbigail Kaitlin Collins was a bridezilla.

I’d always suspected this would be the case, but watching my best friend about to lose her mind over one singular flower arrangement being wrong when the florists were still setting things up had me clamping a hand over my mouth to stifle my laughter while also wanting to be an emotional support for her.

The last four weeks had been a flurry of phone calls, meetings, and last-minute conversations ensuring that everything was in order for the wedding.

I’d confirmed every detail, down to 15-minute windows of each vendor’s expected arrival.

The spreadsheets were updated. I’d taken to setting an alarm on my phone to remind myself to eat.

I was in my zone. Abbie should know better than to freak out now, when the finish line was in sight.

The Winding Road Barn was a dream wedding venue.

A spring wedding had been the perfect choice.

There was the ceremony space outside of the barn, where a wooden arch adorned with white daisies and greenery was staged in front of rows of log benches.

Delicate burgundy accents were woven throughout the decor, the deep red designed to be a tie in with both the bridesmaids’ dresses and Connor’s dress blues.

It was rustic and earthy and everything Abbie had wanted.

Kameron was with Connor in the men’s dressing room. I idly wondered if Connor was also freaking out.

“You’re freaking out,” I said, handing Abbie the water cup. She took the cup from my outstretched hand while looking at me with panicked eyes. I stifled another small laugh. “Your lipstick is waterproof. You’re safe.”

Abbie downed the whole cup in a single gulp. I took it back from her and set it on the table before taking a seat in the chair opposite her.

“Is this what cold feet feels like?” Abbie whisper-yelled. We were the only ones in the room now, the artist having moved on to do Kyrie’s makeup in the next room down.

I rolled my eyes.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me!”

I let out a long sigh, turning to face my best friend, who was staring herself down in the mirror.

I’d found the hair and makeup artist we’d hired on social media, and she was well worth the money.

Abbie’s dark blue eyes were striking beneath a delicate smokey eye, her long brown hair pinned delicately into an elegant and intricate braided bun on the back of her head.

“You’re freaking out,” I said again, keeping my voice even. I faced the mirror, placing one of the pearl studs in my ear. I’d rummaged through my Nana’s jewelry box to find something suitable to wear with this dress, and as soon as I’d laid eyes on these, I knew they’d be perfect.

The makeup artist had worked magic on me, too. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d done a full face of makeup. Dark, thick lashes, golden sparkles and shimmering tones, which complimented my brown skin and brown eyes.

When paired with the beautiful shade of burgundy that Abbie had chosen for everyone in her wedding party to wear, I felt beautiful. My dress was a-line and sleek, with off-the-shoulder straps that accentuated my upper arms and neck. I felt confident, if not a little sexy.

The last time I had been this dressed up had been the last Marine Corps ball I’d attended with Jacob.

I quickly cleared that train of thought away. Those memories had no place here.

“It’s going to be okay, Abbie.”

“Can you go check on Connor, please? Make sure he’s still here?” Abbie said, finally getting up from her chair and turning towards the dress hanging on the wall behind us. My eyebrows rose.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay in here by yourself?”

Abbie nodded her head. “Yeah. I could use a few minutes to myself, actually.”

I wasn’t going to argue with that. I glanced at the clock on the wall and muttered under my breath. It was just under an hour until the ceremony started, and I needed to get a move on. I slipped out of my sneakers and reached for my heels.

Yet another thing I rarely wore. I stood on slightly shaky legs, adjusting my dress so it wasn’t wrinkled. Abbie let out a low whistle and her jaw practically hit the floor.

“Miss Imogen,” Abbie said, shimmying her shoulders seductively. “You look ravishing.”

I rolled my eyes and ducked my head to hide my heated cheeks.

“I’ll go check on your beau. I’m also sending Kyrie in here to help you into your dress while I make sure everything is set up correctly.

You don’t have to worry about a thing,” I said.

Abbie looked like she might cry, and I stood there awkwardly for another heartbeat while I waited to see if she would burst into tears or not.

“You’re the greatest best friend in the entire world,” she said, eyes still welling with tears.

“Love you too,” I said, blowing her a kiss as I opened the door to step into the hallway, closing it just as quickly, so no wandering eyes saw the bride before her big moment.

I turned down the hallway heading towards the center space to check on the table and seating arrangements.

I fiddled with my right earring, rounding the corner and running smack into a very solid, very muscular body.

I gasped and jumped back.

“Whoa,” the man said, reaching out his hands to steady my shoulders, and I immediately slumped forward in relief as I recognized the person in front of me.

“Jesus Christ, Kam,” I muttered. I met his eyes, surprised to find his attention fixed entirely on me. His gaze swept over me slowly, as if he was taking in every inch. He took me in, his eyes darting to my lips and then down, past my hips and my thighs. I fought the urge to squirm under his gaze.

When his eyes snapped back to mine, there was a fire there that made my heart race.

“You’re the one who came flying around a blind curve,” Kam said, his lips curling into a smirk that had my knees weakening. “How are we doing?”

I barely heard the words come out of his mouth.

I was too focused on the crisp white button down that was only halfway buttoned, the burgundy tie hanging loosely around his neck, and the sight of his muscles flexing under his shirt as he adjusted his cufflinks.

Kameron looked glorious in his usual lightweight button up and jeans combo, but Kameron in formal dress was devastating .

It took several seconds for my brain to catch up and give me words to respond with.

“She’s freaking out.”

“Oh good, he’s freaking out too.”

“He got his hair cut, right? He better have gotten his freaking haircut.”

Kameron laughed and shook his head.

“Connor wouldn’t dare get into his blues with one hair out of regulation, even though he loves his long hair.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Speed this process up so these two chronic overthinkers get to the altar as quickly as possible.”

“Agreed,” I said. We stepped aside to allow the catering staff through .

“I’ll check on the music and the chaplain, you check on the catering and seating arrangements?” Kam offered.

“I need to find Kyrie and send her in there to keep Abbie company,” I said, grimacing. “I’m worried she’ll do something drastic like steal Memphis, grab Connor, and ride off into the sunset.” Abbie loved that Tennessee Walker horse so much.

Kameron’s laugh eased some of the built up tension in my shoulders.

I felt slightly ridiculous, standing there in the hallway of this beautiful wedding venue, having all manner of inappropriate thoughts about the groom’s best friend while my best friend—the bride —had a mental breakdown several doors down.

“Good point. You find Kyrie and check on the table arrangements, and I’ll check on everything else. And remind her that it’s just friends and family here. Everything will be fine.”

The guest list was smaller than a venue like this typically called for.

Abbie and Connor both had a short list of people they wanted to invite.

Most of them were friends and fellow business owners in Watford, and then Kevin and Kyrie.

There would be less than thirty people here today, but that’s exactly what they wanted: a small, intimate ceremony focused on just them, and celebrating the love they’d lost—and then found again.

“Right,” I said, though I took those words and tucked them away for me rather than Abbie. The minute she saw Connor standing down at the front of the barn in his dress blues with his gloved hand outstretched towards her, I knew she’d be fine.

I turned to walk away, but a hand circled my wrist. I turned around to face Kameron once more, my breath hitching in my throat when I realized we’d somehow gotten a lot closer to each other.

If I leaned just a few inches forward, my chest would brush his.

I willed myself to relax, though that mantra wasn’t doing me much good at the moment.

“How are you?” Kameron asked, voice earnest and soft in a way that had my stomach doing a strange flip.

“I’m okay,” I said, putting on my best smile. I would not let Kameron Miller distract me on the day of my best friend’s wedding. I would sort my crap out later.

Right now, I needed to focus. And not on the gloriously muscled body in front of me.

“I’m glad I can be here for this. What they have is extraordinarily rare, and I’m excited to celebrate it with them. With all of you.”

Kameron’s eyes shone with something I couldn’t wrap my head around. He released my wrist a second later, and the absence of his skin against mine bothered me more than I wanted to admit.

“Tell me if something comes up and you need a break, alright? This is not a one woman show.”

This time, my smile was genuine as I stepped away.

“It’s always a one woman show when you’re with me, Miller.”

Abbie and Connor’s vows had everyone in tears, though I expected nothing less.