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Lucy stared at herself in the mirror and couldn’t help but smile with all of her friends surrounding her. Tatum, who was still in her arms, already felt like her daughter.
Charlene hadn’t faded into the background easily. She wasn’t happy about Matt moving back to South Port, even though she’d admitted it was probably best for Tatum. After the big scare with Tatum running away in the storm, Charlene had reluctantly agreed that Tatum was happier in South Port.
Lucy wanted to think the best of Charlene. She really did. Even after everything between them, she would try to get along with her, and she was helpful when Tatum had to go and when Charlene was in town. She didn’t like the woman, though, and it wouldn’t be easy to change that.
Then again, after seeing the way Raine had changed his life and repented to so many people in his past, she couldn’t underestimate the power of forgiveness.
Raine. A slight twinge of regret pulled at her heartstrings. He was a good guy. If she and Matt hadn’t been soul mates, maybe something could’ve happened with him. But she was glad to know that Raine was friends with Matt. He was friends with the whole beach crew, and he was attending the wedding. He had joked that without him, she never would have determined that Matt was the one for her. She wished him the best, and she couldn’t wait to see how his own love story would unfold.
“I just got a text. It’s time,” Kensi said.
Tatum let out a little squeal and took Lucy’s hand. “You’re going to be my mom soon.”
Lucy smiled at her. “Yes, I am.”
Tatum frowned. “I mean, my stepmom. Because I have a mom. But you know what I mean.”
Lucy pulled her in for a quick hug. “You don’t have to explain it to me.”
Most of the women rushed out of the room, but Ava and Kensi hung back. Ava linked her arm through Lucy’s. “Are you good? You ready?”
Kensi nudged her. “You can still walk out.”
“No way.” Lucy laughed. Matt was undeniably nervous right now. She was so grateful to be marrying this amazing man. She had loved him since she was just a girl playing with her friends on the beach.
Tatum gave her hand a squeeze. “I knew that’s what you would say.”
Lucy and Kensi and Ava all grinned at each other. They filed out the back door.
Ava broke from Lucy and reached out to Tatum. “You ready? You got the rings?” Of course, Tatum was the flower girl, and they had also deemed her the ring bearer.
Tatum beamed and held up the rings. “Got them.”
Pastor Henry waited for her at the near-end of the red beach carpet. She had asked him to walk her down the aisle. It seemed fitting. Plus, she’d grown close to him over the last couple of weeks while reading the Bible with him and Raine.
The pastor beamed at her. “You ready? You look beautiful.”
Lucy linked arms with him. “Yes. And thank you.”
The “Wedding March” started, and everyone stood. She glanced at the faces of all the people she loved. Everyone was here to support her on the day she’d dreamed of. Her eyes immediately locked on to Matt’s. He looked stunning in his suit, and she loved the huge grin on his face.
Tatum, leading the way, threw flowers and giggled. She reached her father, and he bent and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Then she turned and waited. The rest of the wedding party filed down the aisle and then split off to their separate sides.
Lucy couldn’t believe it was finally her turn to get married, to start a new era in South Port. Of course, she loved Tatum, who was like her own daughter, but she also couldn’t wait to have her own baby. She wanted to feel that life stir inside her, and she wanted to fill up her home with their children.
She walked toward Matt, and everything else melted away. She would marry this man, and she would love him forever.
Chapter 31
Raine watched Lucy and Matt speak vows about love and commitment and a life together. Sure, maybe there was a bit of jealousy in his heart, but mostly he was happy for them.
It had taken him by surprise when the whole beach crew had shown up as Pastor Henry had baptized him in the ocean. What he’d discovered, after integrating properly into the beach crew, was that they were a tight-knit group. And when they thought of you as their own, they latched onto you and wouldn’t let you go.
These people felt like his home already. Granted, he would’ve liked to have more dates with Lucy, but he knew that Lucy and Matt were right for each other. And Tatum was pretty awesome. He liked her.
Raine didn’t know what would be next for him, but he was certain that whatever it was, he could trust in God that everything would work out. The thought sent goose bumps rippling up his skin.
He liked his life here, liked the people, and his house was coming along. Maybe it didn’t give him the same buzz that he used to get from doing dishonest things, but he had a lot of comfort and joy and peace.
