Wooing the Wedding Planner by Amber Leigh Williams

Author:Amber Leigh Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

“LOOK AT THEM,” Briar said wistfully, nursing a flute of champagne.

“I’m going to have to stop looking at them,” Adrian admitted, “before I start blubbering like a baby.” She glanced sideways at Roxie. Her eyes widened. “Ah, crap. They broke Roxie.”

Something escaped Roxie. A laugh or a sob, something in between. In vain, she tried to reel back the tears into their ducts and away from her makeup. In her white gown, the bride circled one spot on the dance floor slowly, leaning largely on the solid line of her brother. Her cheek was pressed to his lapel. His head was low over hers and shaded. They swayed gently in the protective circle of each other’s arms, and Roxie didn’t think her heart would survive the last refrain of Dave Matthews’s “Sister.”

She’d done countless weddings. Her soul had been touched in many ways through the years...

But then there was Byron. She’d watched him walk Vivienne down the aisle, glowing nearly as brightly as she did. And something inside Roxie had cracked when a stunned Sidney overcame his shock and met the pair halfway down the aisle, offering to take his bride the rest of the way. Roxie had watched Byron follow, offering a ready handkerchief to his mother and father in the front row before taking his place at Sidney’s back.

The cracks had begun to web when, alongside Priscilla—stalwart Priscilla, who had been weeping openly—he’d bound their hands for the Celtic-style handfasting. By the knots of these cords your love is united, they’d spoken together before taking turns reading the blessing itself.

These are the hands, Byron had read alone, that will comfort you in illness and trials, and share the joy and happiness of life together...

Roxie’s professional composure had fissured well before the start of the reception, when again Vivienne rose to towering applause to share her first dance with her husband, then partake in a father-daughter dance with Constantine and, finally, a dance with Byron.

“Here, honey,” Olivia said, handing Roxie her own champagne. “You need this more than I do.”

Roxie took it. She sniffed, swiping her fingers as discreetly as possible underneath her eyes as she tipped the bubbly substance to her mouth.

She felt Olivia’s pat on the back. “Hell of a wedding.”

“Absolutely,” Adrian added while Briar simply pressed her fingers to her lips and gazed out over the dance floor.

“I’m not sure I’m responsible for any of it.” Roxie’s voice lagged when Byron lifted his cheek from Vivienne’s. His head turned slowly and his eyes found her. All the fissures and cracks exploded, leaving nothing behind to shield the light that had been burning behind them unbeknownst to her. She sucked in a breath, stunned at the aching.

Oh, God, what do I do about this? What do I do about this man and the way I feel about him?

All three girls looked from Byron to Roxie. Adrian smiled and went back to sipping her champagne. Olivia raised a brow and exchanged perceptive glances with Briar.

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