Music of the Soul (Runaway Train, #2.5)(14)
Glancing down below me, I saw my father. At the bottom of the stairs, he paced around on the landing. Outfitted in his best suit, he looked so handsome. But the sadness on his face was palpable, and my chest caved with pain. I knew he hadn’t taken the news of my engagement well, and I guess he had hoped we’d have an even longer engagement than we had. I was his only little girl, his baby, and I imagined he felt like Jake was stealing me away. At the same time, he had always treated Jake with love and respect, and I was so thankful for that.
The moment he saw me, he forced a smile to his lips. “There she is. The beautiful bride,” he said.
Clutching my enormous bouquet, I carefully made my way down the narrow, stone stairs. When I finally reached him, he pulled me into his arms and gave me a tight squeeze. “You look absolutely breathtaking, sweetheart.”
“Thank you, Daddy.” I pulled away to smile at him. “Ready to give me away?”
He shook his head. “I could never do that. I may walk you down that aisle and consent for Jake to marry you, but I’ll never fully give you away. You’ll always be my little girl.” His hand came to his chest. “You’ll forever remain right in my heart, Abigail.”
“Oh Daddy,” I murmured, as tears stung my eyes. When I glanced back at the girls, I expected them to chide me on crying and potentially wrecking my makeup. Instead, their eyes were shiny with tears as well.
“So sweet,” Mia murmured, as she quickly wiped her eyes. From her expression, I knew she was thinking of how hard it was going to be for her own father at her wedding in a few months.
The wedding coordinator appeared wearing a headset and carrying a clipboard. “Okay, I need the flower girl and ring bearer to line up followed by the bridesmaids.”
After handing her bouquet to Mia, Lily bent down to straighten Jude’s shirt and tie. “You know what to do, right?”
I could tell he was fighting the urge to roll his eyes at her. “Yes, Mommy. I walk down the aisle holding the pillow, and then stand next to Daddy. I’m not a baby, you know.”
With a smile, Lily patted his chest. “I know, sweetheart. I just wanted to check.” She then turned her attention to Melody. After she fluffed out Melody’s frilly dress and adjusted her headband, Lily asked, “And what about you, Miss Priss? Do you know what to do?”
“Throw the flowers!” she cried with a grin.
I laughed at her enthusiasm while Lily shook her head. “No, you’re not supposed to throw the petals. You need to gently toss them on the sand. Do it just like we practiced. Okay?”
Melody bobbed her head, but in my mind, I didn’t think she was totally onboard with the whole “gentle” thing. Lily rose up to give me a tight smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll be right behind her in case she goes crazy or something.”
“It’ll be fine,” I reassured her.
The wedding coordinator motioned for Jude and Melody. Just as they started around the chairs toward the aisle, the string ensemble started playing Ave Maria. As Jude and Melody started down the aisle, Lily followed close behind them. Then Mia went followed by Allison, who I had asked to be my maid of honor. There were friends in my past I could have asked, but Allison was about to become my sister-in-law. It felt like the right thing to do. And regardless of how Jake felt about his father, he truly loved his little sister with all his heart.
“Okay, Abby, it’s time.”
Unable to form words, I merely nodded. My arm trembled slightly as I slipped it through my father’s. “I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he said, as he smiled down at me. The quartet changed music, and the sound of Here Comes the Bride filled the air. This was really it—the moment I became Jake’s wife.
As the crowd rose from their chairs, I put one barefoot in front of the other. Craning my neck, I desperately tried to catch a glimpse of Jake. I could see Brayden, AJ, and Rhys in their island casual khaki pants, crisp white, button-down shirts, and pink vests. But there was no Jake. Finally, as we curved around the last row of chairs to start up the aisle, my eyes met his. The smile that spread across his lips caused my heart to still and restart.
I couldn’t remember a time when he had looked more handsome. His dark hair was perfectly slicked back. His vest hugged his muscular frame while his biceps bulged against the fabric of his shirt. Even from my place down the aisle, I could see his deep blue eyes sparkling in the twilight. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be marrying this gorgeous man. But it wasn’t what he looked like on the outside that mattered to me. It was his caring heart and sensitive soul that made the true attraction for me.
My mind was on sensory overload as I tried to take in every detail of my walk down the aisle. The smiling faces of friends and family, the gentle breeze that rippled through my hair, the way the warm sand squished between my toes, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore below us.
When I reached Jake’s side, the sun had started its descent into the west, sending an array of reds and oranges across the deep, blue sky. In the fading sunlight, thousands of candles and twinkling lights lit our perfect piece of heaven on the shore.
Kissing my cheek, my dad then left my side to take his place at the head of the altar. He was pulling double duty giving me away, as well as performing the ceremony. “Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here in the sight of God to join together this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony…”