Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)(80)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

ANNABELLE WAITED AROUND the side of the barn. The day was warm and clear, with a light breeze. Two afternoons ago a storm had blown through, dropping enough rain to wash everything clean. Now the ground was dry, the flowers bright, the moment perfect. Wedding perfect.

“I feel ridiculous,” Charlie muttered, tugging on the waistband of her dress.

“You look great.”

She did, Annabelle thought. The pinkish-melon fabric complemented her coloring, while the sweetheart neckline and fitted bodice showed off unexpected curves. One of the Gionni sisters—both helping the bridal party and on a truce for the wedding—had curled her short hair then used product to add an edge to the curls. Makeup, applied by a very brave Nevada, accentuated her blue eyes and long, dark lashes.

“You can dress up a pig, but it’s still a pig,” Charlie muttered.

“Wilbur would look very handsome in a tuxedo, and you’re not a pig. You’ve spent your whole life trying to be the opposite of your mother. May I point out she’s not here, you’re a woman and every now and then it’s fun to dress like you remember that. You look beautiful. Yes, it’s a compliment. Suck it up and go with it.”

Charlie blinked at her. “For a short person, you have a lot of attitude.”

Annabelle laughed. “I’m also wearing four-inch heels which I could use as a weapon. Don’t piss me off.”

“I guess I won’t.”

Heidi came around the side of the barn. Glen and May were with her, both helping hold up the gown.

Heidi looked at them and sighed. “What was I thinking, wearing a train on grass? Once we get through the ceremony, I won’t care about stains but until Rafe sees me, I want to be perfect.”

“You’ve succeeded,” Annabelle told her, taking in the upswept hair, the sparkling tiara and the graceful dress. “You’re stunning.”

“She’s right,” Charlie told her, voice thick. “Damn, I’m getting all misty.”

“Thank you,” Heidi told them. “For everything. For being my friends and helping me and—”

“Stop it right now,” May said sternly. “I mean it, girls. Stop it or you’ll all start crying. There’s still the ceremony and then pictures. You can mess up your makeup all you want then. Do you hear me?”

“I’d listen if I were you,” Glen told them, his mouth twitching as he tried not to smile. “She can be mean.”

May gave a laugh, then started to straighten Heidi’s gown. When it was in place, Annabelle handed the bride her bouquet. May left to be seated up in front.

Glen moved next to Heidi and offered his arm. “You ready for this?”

Heidi nodded. “Thanks, Grandpa. You know I love you, right?”

“Nearly as much as I love you. Rafe’s a lucky man.”

“I’m lucky, too.”

Annabelle felt her eyes start to get a little misty. She blinked several times to avoid tears. The music changed to the last song before the bridal march. She looked at Charlie, who squared her shoulders, like a soldier heading to battle.

“I’m ready,” Charlie muttered. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Ever the romantic.”

Charlie gave a strangled laugh, then started around the barn. Annabelle waited about fifteen seconds, then followed. She turned left and was able to see the seated guests and the archway where the couple would be married.

Rafe stood up front, with Shane and Clay at his side. Annabelle did her best not to stare longingly at the middle Stryker brother, aware that in this crowd anything could be fodder for town gossip. But it was hard not to be impressed by the well-cut dark suit and the handsome man wearing it.

She walked slowly up the petal-covered center walkway and took her place by Charlie. Off to the side a string quartet, compliments of the California University Fool’s Gold music department, seamlessly transitioned into the wedding march. The guests rose and the bride appeared.

The ceremony was quick but meaningful, with Rafe and Heidi reciting vows they’d written, followed by the traditional love, honor and cherish. The kiss was just passionate enough to assure everyone this couple was going to make it, then they straightened and were introduced as husband and wife.

An hour later the pictures had been taken. Heidi’s dress had one more surprise—the overskirt came off, leaving the bride in a reception-friendly long dress, absent extra layers and the heavy train.

The quartet was replaced by Fool’s Gold’s favorite party DJ and guests began to dance. Annabelle was just going to find Charlie when Shane came up and captured her hand.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said, pulling her close as the music shifted to something slow and romantic and they began to move together.

“No, I was giving you space.”

“Why?”

“You might have brought a date to the wedding.”

He looked genuinely confused. “Another woman?”

“Or a man. I’m not going to judge.”

Shane pulled her to the side of the dance floor. “Annabelle, what are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I be with you?”

She stared up at him. The four-inch heels helped, but honestly nothing could change the fact that she was just plain short.

“We’re spending time together,” she told him. “But we haven’t talked about anything. I didn’t want to presume.”