The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,220

“Kelsey’s too busy putting the cart before the horse to even consider getting married.”

Garrett looked around the church for a glimpse of his sister. For once, he was grateful that she was notoriously late. Otherwise the bickering between his mom and his aunt would probably turn into an all-out brawl.

Everyone stood around, twittering anxiously over the argument until Nana Ruby finally stepped away from the back wall and whistled loud enough to get everyone’s attention.

“Debbie Sue and Barbara Mae! That’s enough!” Then his grandmother lasered him with a pointed gaze that let him know how disappointed she was that he hadn’t yet managed to steal his cousin’s bride. If he had succeeded, she wouldn’t have needed to tolerate this madness.

“Let’s get this started!” Nana Ruby shouted. “There’s a rack of ribs waiting for me.”

Aunt Debra cringed. “We don’t have ribs. Just pulled pork and ham.”

“Well, what kind of barbeque is that?”

Garrett took his place at the front of the church, standing at the end of the wedding party, next to one of Neil’s fraternity brothers. His cousin Dena, Libby, and Megan all strolled down the aisle pretending to hold bouquets while a pianist played a classical piece.

“And then the music changes,” the minister said from his perch on the altar after all the bridesmaids had taken their places. “And the bride comes down the aisle.”

Blair stepped into the doorway, and while he’d already seen her today, she looked somehow different as she stood there in the threshold. She wore a fitted blue and white print dress, and her long, dark blonde hair fell in soft waves down her back and over her left shoulder. The V-neck of her dress dipped low enough to expose a small amount of her cleavage, and the hem hit just above her knee, exposing her shapely calves. He was sure she’d never looked more beautiful.

Garrett’s gaze was glued to her, and she stayed in place for a few heartbeats, as if trying to decide whether to turn around and run away. She glanced in his direction, and their eyes locked. Her lips parted, and her eyes filled with a softness that told him her iron-clad resolve was on the verge of weakening, that she wanted to walk down that aisle toward him one day, not Neil, but then she sucked in a breath, steeled her back, and started down the aisle.

She came to a stop beside Neil and looked up at the minister.

“Since you walked down the aisle alone,” the minister said, “I presume no one will be giving you away.”

Blair looked over her shoulder before returning her attention to the minister. “No. My mom is late, but she won’t be giving me away.”

“Blair’s too independent for that,” Neil added, only it sounded more like a dig at her character than a compliment. Or perhaps Garrett was too sensitive. But one glance at Libby confirmed he wasn’t alone in his opinion.

The minister continued. He had reached the vows part of the ceremony when Kelsey walked in through the back door. She took one look at Garrett and sighed. It was a relief to see her.

She walked down the aisle and sat in the front pew on the groom’s side of the church, eyeing Blair before returning her attention to Garrett. She pursed her lips and gave him a mischievous wink.

The minister explained when the rings would be exchanged, then smiled at the couple. “All that’s left is the kiss.”

Blair gave a forced smile, and Neil leaned in and planted a kiss on her that lasted several seconds.

The minister cleared his throat. “Now you two walk down the aisle together, and the bridal party will file out after you.”

Neil looped his arm through Blair’s, and they walked toward the back door as the groomsmen and bridesmaids paired up. Garrett was on the end, and when he walked down the steps, Kelsey cut in front of their cousin and grabbed his arm before Dena could.

“Good of you to join us, Kels.”

She grinned. “Traffic’s a bitch.” She leaned closer. “So the siren’s still going through with it, huh?”

He shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. “I wouldn’t call her a siren.”

“She’s captured the attention of my man-whore brother. She must be.”

“Shh.” He looked around and pulled her into a pew, worried someone had overheard them, but no one seemed to be paying attention. “Where’s the baby?”

“Drake’s watching her at the hotel.”

“Drake?”

She shrugged with a frown. “I know. Drake’s so irresponsible he can barely be trusted with a goldfish. But he’s her father,