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She didn’t want to dwell on it, but she had a feeling that she wouldn’t have a choice since she was pretty sure Kayleigh and Hudson had manipulated things—probably at Jay and Janessa’s prompting.
They were oblivious to the backstory of what had gone on between her and Blake. And because of that, they’d think it was great that they were the two who had caught the bouquet and garter, especially since that had been the siblings’ intention. To encourage them to continue to spend time together, one-on-one.
If this had happened back when she was twenty-one, Charli would have thought it was great. She would have seen it as a sign.
Now, though…
“Can I have that, Daddy?” Amelia asked when he joined them.
“I think I’m going to offer it back to Kayleigh,” he said.
“You don’t have to do that,” Charli told him. “She bought it specifically for the toss.”
“I could use it as a headband.” Amelia took it from Blake. “I think it will be cool.”
Charli noticed she didn’t try to put it on her head right then, which was good because she probably would have messed up her hair.
“I’m going back to the table,” Skylar murmured. “Since the show’s over.”
They all trailed after her as Gareth let them know that Kayleigh and Hudson would be sharing their first dance. Charli was glad for the distraction, so that she didn’t have to think too much about what had just happened.
They angled their chairs to face the dance floor. The overhead lights dimmed further except for the ones above that section of the room. Hudson led Kayleigh onto the floor, then twirled her around before she settled into his arms.
As their song started to play, they began to slowly drift around the space. It didn’t surprise Charli that they didn’t have crazy moves or anything because that just wasn’t Kayleigh’s or Hudson’s style. Instead, it was an elegant, intimate moment during which those watching were made to feel that Hudson and Kayleigh had forgotten that they were all there.
Hudson bent his head as Kayleigh looked up at him. They were definitely lost in a world of their own. One filled with love, devotion, and a bright future.
All at once, Charli felt beyond exhausted.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Charli was ready to go home. She wanted to swap out her fancy dress for her favorite pajamas and curl up in her bed. And in the privacy of her room, she could stop trying to keep her emotions hidden. Her very messy emotions.
She was happy for Kayleigh and Hudson, just like she was happy for Will and Janessa, Jay and Misha, and Gareth and Aria. But she was also sad for herself. So incredibly sad.
For years, she’d thought she’d mourned the loss of her dreams when Blake had broken up with her. But perhaps she’d just mourned the loss of him, because that day—watching Kayleigh marry Hudson—had dredged up her sadness of lost dreams.
Although, had it been the day? Or had it been Blake’s presence as a part of the day?
It had been her choice not to pursue a relationship over the years, and the desire to reach for her dreams of a marriage and a large family had died. Or so she’d thought.
When the music faded away, the lights brightened a bit, bringing the mesmerizing moment of the dance to an end. Emotional tension had gripped Charli’s chest, and she took a deep breath to try to loosen it.
“That was soooo pretty,” Layla said, clearly entranced by everything happening that day.
She’d been in other weddings. Most recently, Janessa’s. However, she was older this time. It seemed she was falling in love with the idea of love and all the romantic things she’d seen that day. Just another way she took after Charli. She’d been very similar at that age.
“Your siblings sure are persistent,” Blake said as the kids left the table to play around on the dance floor, joining other guests there.
“Some of them definitely are,” Charli murmured in agreement.
“Not me,” Skylar said, lifting her hands, palms out. “And I don’t think any of the non-resident family members are in on these manipulations.”
“True.” Charli glanced over at Jay, who suddenly turned his attention to his wife.
“Want to dance, sweetheart?” Jay asked.
“Yes. I think I would.”
