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“I won’t. Promise.”
“C’mon, Skylar,” Charli said. “Join me in the madness.”
“Nope.”
As Layla moved back a bit, Charli leaned down to Skylar and kept her voice low as she said, “You don’t have to try to catch it. I’m just going to stand there.”
“Charli. Skylar. My darling sisters.” Gareth called out for them over the sound system. “Get yourselves up here.”
With a sigh, Skylar stood up, and Charli got to her feet as well. She glanced at Blake to find him smiling.
“Are you planning to go for the garter?”
Blake shrugged as he got up. “Maybe. There’ll be lots of competition, though. Probably more than you’ll have for the bouquet.”
He followed them to the dance floor but stayed on the sidelines as she and Skylar joined the other women gathering there. It appeared that Blake was right. There would definitely be more single men than women, which weirdly wasn’t how it seemed to be out in the real world.
Kayleigh stood holding a smaller version of the bouquet she’d carried for the ceremony, a smile on her face as she looked out over the group of women. When their gazes met, Charli narrowed her eyes, hoping to convey to Kayleigh how much better her life would be if she didn’t even attempt to throw those flowers in her direction.
Instead of looking like she’d received Charli’s message, all Kayleigh did was smile more broadly and give her a wink before moving her gaze on to the other women.
The tossing of the bouquet was a moment of fun. After all, it was just a simple bundle of flowers. Nothing that actually meant anything.
Except it did.
Charli was smart enough to understand that the only reason it meant anything this time around was because Blake was there. If he hadn’t been there, she would have participated, and if she’d somehow managed to catch the bouquet, she would have just joked about it.
Blake’s presence cast the bouquet throw in a different light. At least for her.
Truthfully, it was casting the whole wedding in a different light. It had awakened a part of her life that she’d happily allowed to lie dormant.
“Is everyone ready?” Gareth said. “Let’s do a count for Kayleigh. After being a cheerleader, she does well with a count. Right, Kayleigh?”
Kayleigh gave him a thumbs up, then turned around to face the head table. Gareth led the countdown, and as they reached one, Kayleigh flung the bouquet over her head. Right… at… Charli.
As it sailed toward her, Charli took a step to the side, allowing the flowers to fall to the floor right between her and Skylar. She looked down at the bouquet but didn’t have the time to do anything before Layla dashed over and plucked it off the floor.
“Here, Mom.” She shoved it at Charli so forcefully that Charli had no choice but to take the bouquet. Layla’s smile was beaming as she stepped back. “I’m so glad you got the flowers.”
“Well, it looks like Charli has the bouquet, thanks to a little help from her daughter. Way to go, Layla. Quick thinking there.”
Layla turned her smile on her uncle and gave him a wave. “It was Mom’s. She just didn’t react fast enough.”
“Well, I’m glad she didn’t give it to me,” Skylar muttered as she moved closer to Charli. “My condolences.”
Charli gave a huff of laughter, then sighed. “I guess I should have told her that she wasn’t allowed to interfere.”
Skylar slid her arm through Charli’s as they moved away so the men could take their place for the garter toss. Hudson had joined Kayleigh on the dance floor, bringing a chair with him.
Kayleigh sat down on the chair and edged the skirt of her gown up enough that he could remove the garter from her leg. After Hudson had the garter in hand, he got into position, facing away from the group of men. Kayleigh stood beside him, though she faced the men.
As Gareth counted him down, Kayleigh pulled Hudson down to whisper in his ear. When the count reached one, Hudson tossed the garter over his shoulder. It headed in Blake’s direction, and unlike Charli’s reaction to the bouquet, Blake actually made an effort to catch it.
And when he did, there was plenty of cheering—most of it from Charli’s siblings. When Skylar laughed, Charli crossed her arms and gave her sister an exasperated look.
“Mom!” Layla exclaimed as she pointed at Blake, who was heading to where they stood. “You both caught what they threw.”
“We certainly did,” Charli agreed.
