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Chapter One
Eighteen Months Earlier
Golden freckles glow on my reflection as my gaze flits between it and the tulle ball gown hanging on the back of my childhood bedroom door. The chocolate scent of Mom’s freshly baked Guinness cake is still lingering in the air from this morning, and as I draw in a deep breath—still debating whether I love my wedding dress—there’s a low knock.
“Hey.” My cousin, Summer, peers in before opening the door wide.
“You look cute,” I tell her, admiring her pale green dress while she asks, “Who’s coming today? I know you keep telling me, but there’s so much going on…”
“Umm…” Turning to face her, I let out a low laugh when she cringes at her memory. “I don’t even know anymore. It was close family only, but Tyler’s mom insisted on inviting their whole extended clan to the rehearsal dinner…cookout? Anyway, I don’t know who’s coming anymore and I’ve been told to only worry about turning up.”
My once intimate lakeside wedding has become an over-the-top occasion with rehearsals for meals, church ceremonies, and even scheduled photo shoots. When Tyler and I had our low-key engagement party nine months ago, everything seemed to be perfectly under control. Nothing like what it is today; an out-of-control avalanche of expensive flowers, frothy tulle, and designer suits.
“How is it you have the super rich, high-society husband, but your wedding was small and cute…perfectly laid-back, and me with the working class family ends up with this huge fanfare?”
Summer chuckles at my dramatic sigh, her blue eyes lighting up as she obviously dreamily thinks back to her beach nuptials a couple of months ago. It sucks to admit it, but I’m a little jealous of her right now. Not in an awful ‘I want to take what she has’ way. I’m not that person, and I love Summer way too much to begrudge any of the goodness in her life. She deserves every bit.
“Ya know…” She flips her red hair over her shoulder, sashaying my way with a crooked grin, “we still have time to run away together.”
“And where would we go?”
“I don’t know.” Summer shrugs, picking up my dress from the bed and shaking out the gold embellished crushed, ivory silk. “My filthy rich husband has a holiday home in Mexico. ” After a giggly second she adds, “Or…or we could get lost in Disney World. The jet is ready to go when you are, babe. ”
“And what would your husband say about me crashing your magical family vacation?”
“Parker wouldn’t care, besides, East would love it. He adores you.”
Standing, I shrug my bathrobe off before stepping into my cocktail dress. My chest squeezes around my heart when my gaze falls on my wedding gown again. Excitement bubbles in my belly when I look down at the pearl and diamond ring on my finger. That same all-consuming happiness I felt when Tyler proposed overwhelms me, causing my heart to skip a beat when I imagine what it’ll be like walking down the aisle to him.
“As great as it sounds, I want to marry Tyler. I can’t wait to marry Tyler.”
Pausing in front of me, Summer gives me a soft, goofy smile. “I bet Tyler can’t wait to marry you, either.”
“I just wish we were doing it our way. ”
“But it’s not a deal breaker. Right?”
“Heck, no!”
“Didn’t think so.”
A smile I can’t contain tugs at my lips, making it impossible to focus on anything else other than that I’m marrying Tyler this weekend. We’ve been best friends since I can remember. He’s the one and only person I think about every second of every day. Tyler is my person.
As I slip my feet into my gold strappy heels, I’m filled with more excitement than I can contain. “I’m getting married, Sum.” I grin at our reflection in the floor standing mirror, crouching to buckle my sandals.
“I’m so jealous.” She gives me a twisted smirk when I stand beside her. “I didn’t have a chocolate fountain at my wedding or your mom’s Guinness cake.”
“God, yeah…your wedding really sucked, huh?” Teasing Summer, I lace our hands together and grab my phone from my bed as we head downstairs.
The sight of my parents’ home dressed up with flowers leading the way to our backyard makes me giddy. The yard is lit up with countless strings of lights that form a gorgeous canopy under the darkening sky. Wooden buffet tables are lined up on one side, laid out with cream lace runners, candles, and small vases with random field flowers. While Dad’s outdoor kitchen is being taken over by a local caterer and a small bar is set up beside it with one of the staff from our family’s pub manning it.
“I think it’s time for a toast,” Summer sighs at the gorgeous surroundings she helped create. We meander to the bar where Dad and Summer’s husband, Parker, are talking. “Are there a couple of glasses for us ladies?”
“Always.” Parker smiles at her, not wasting a single second before he presses a kiss to the top of her head.
Taking the drink Dad holds out to me, I take a small sip. The pear sparkling wine fizzes on my tongue with a little tartness from the fresh strawberry juice it’s mixed with.
“This is yummy.” Summer clinks her glass to mine. “Here’s to new adventures and beautiful memories.”
