Feisty Red (Three Chicks Brewery #2) - Stacey Kennedy Page 0,61

life had been easy. They lived in Fort Myers for the summer months when Mason didn’t have school and Clara worked remotely. When he was in school, Sullivan lived in River Rock as long as he could, and they traveled to see each other as often as possible. Sure, it wasn’t conventional, but it was perfectly theirs. And at some point, Sullivan would retire from baseball and come home for good. When he spoke of his future, it involved a plan to coach for the University of Denver, bringing up new ballplayers into the major leagues.

When the violinist began playing, indicating the ceremony was about to begin, Clara squatted down and said to Mason, who looked cute in his dress shorts, white shirt, and bow tie. “Remember, all you have to do is walk down the aisle with the rings on the pillow, hand them to Luka, then go sit on Dad’s lap, okay?”

“Got it,” Mason said.

This kid amazed her. He’d been more resilient than even Clara thought possible. He seemed so happy to have Sullivan in his life—they really were two peas in a pod—that the whys and hows of why Sullivan hadn’t been there before really didn’t matter to him. Those hard questions would come, but Clara knew she and Sullivan would be ready for them. Together.

She straightened his bow tie. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“Okay,” Mason said.

“Ready?”

He nodded. “Yup.”

She kissed his cheek. “Okay, go on, then.”

“Ew.” He wiped off her kiss before doing nothing she’d told him to do. Instead of walking, he ran nearly the whole way then stopped and talked to a few people before going to sit with Sullivan.

She sighed back at Maisie. “Well, he got down there and the rings are still on the pillow. I guess that’s a win?”

“I thought that was going to go far worse, to be honest,” said Maisie with a laugh, striding by and walking down the aisle in her light purple bridesmaid’s dress.

With Maisie on her way, Clara turned around to Amelia. “Ready?”

Amelia visibly swallowed, looking a little doe-eyed.

Clara had been there. Even with today being the happiest day of Amelia’s life, being the center of attention wasn’t easy for any of the Carter sisters. She took Amelia’s clammy hands in hers and squeezed tight. “You’ve got this. Trust me, the ceremony is the hardest part. After that, we party. Okay?”

Amelia exhaled slowly then nodded. “Okay. I’m ready.”

“Yes, you are,” Clara said with a smile. “I’ll see you down there.” And because there wasn’t a father figure to walk her down the aisle and tell Amelia the things a father would say, she added, “You look absolutely beautiful today, Amelia.”

“Thank you, Clara. I love you.” And this time, she looked a little more like herself.

“I love you too.” She gave her sister a tight hug then faced the guests again. Thinking of their family who wasn’t here today, and loving them instead of sadly missing them, Clara made her way down the aisle. Her gaze skipped past everyone to Sullivan sitting in the front row with Mason on his lap. His smile made her heart flutter. Would always make her heart flutter.

The violinist, who was stationed off to the side of the groomsmen, switched to a different song when Clara settled in next to Maisie. When Amelia began walking down the aisle and the guests rose to greet her, Clara spotted the moment when Amelia’s gaze drifted to Beckett, who stood next to Hayes, before she snapped her eyes back on her future husband.

Amelia had gone back and forth about inviting Beckett to the wedding, but in the end, it seemed wrong not to have him there. Even if they had a lot of history between them, they were still friends. Good friends. And, of course, Beckett still loved her madly, only Amelia failed to acknowledge that. But their time had passed, even Clara knew that.

Time slowed a little as Amelia settled into her spot in front of Luka. Clara got a good look at him then, finding Luka a little pale, she had to withhold her snort. Of course he’d be the type to faint. She didn’t like Luka and still thought Amelia deserved better, but this choice wasn’t hers.

The officiant began, “Today, we’re here to celebrate—”

“Wait.”

All eyes went to Luka.

He sputtered something incoherent then said to Amelia, “I can’t…I’m sorry, Amelia. I can’t do this.”

Gasps echoed in the barn. Loud voices filled the silence. The crowd slowly beginning to rise from their chairs.

The officiant looked