Powerful (The Driven World) - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,25
handsome in a white shirt.
“Sorry, my fault, I asked Ashlea to give me a ride.”
“Where’s your car?” asks Mom.
Kris comes to a complete stop about five feet from me, his eyes travel from the tips of my shoes to the top of my head, a smile splitting that gorgeous face of his.
“Kris?” says Mom.
Without taking his eyes from me, he says, “I left it with Sophia so she could get to the yacht club.”
I feel like someone poured ice water over me at the mention of her name. The moment between Kris and I is lost, so I give Father Daniel my complete attention.
“Where do you need us, Father?” I ask.
He claps his hands together. “Where are your parents, dear?” he asks Ashlea.
“They’ll be here on Thursday night. Dad has some club meeting he couldn’t miss.” Ashlea rolls her eyes and smiles.
“Well, okay then. TB, you’ll be where you are. Kris, you will be on the other side of him, yes that’s right.” Kris stands next to TB. “Ashlea, you’ll walk up the aisle and stand where you are right now. When you get here, Athena will be waiting for you, and you’ll pass off your bouquet to her.” Father Daniel beams at all of us. “Then we recite the vows. Now, there are two ways we can do this. You can face each other—”
“I want that,” interjects Ashlea.
“Right, so TB, you’ll be facing Ashlea.” I giggle, and Father Daniel nods at me. “The bride always gets what she wants.”
“Damn straight,” agrees TB.
“If you get stuck, look to me at any time, and I’ll help. After all, it’s what I’m here for.” Father Daniel looks from Ashlea to TB, but neither of them are looking at him, they only have eyes for each other. “Now, repeat after me…”
It’s at this point I realize Kris is smiling and staring at me. The world falls away as I become mesmerized under his gaze. Vaguely, I can hear Father Daniel talking, TB and Ashlea reciting their vows after him, but it’s Kris that I’m tuned into. The way his white shirt fits him, showing off his muscles underneath, and how even with a look, he can reduce me to an emotional puddle. I love the way he smiles at TB when he pretends to lose the ring, and the way he’s looking at me right now as if he knows how he’s affecting me, knows that I’ve always been his. When Kris mouths ‘I do,’ all the air in my lungs seems to disappear.
“Athena? Athena?” repeats Father Daniel. I swiftly look at him. “This is where you pass the bouquet off to Ashlea, and they’d leave the church, okay?”
“Okay,” I squeak out.
Ashlea hugs me. “Thank you so much for doing this with me. You are the best sister-in-law ever.”
I pull back and look at her. “Soon-to-be sister.”
Ashlea’s eyes well up with tears, and she nods while TB puts a comforting arm around her.
“Trust me, honey, she’s not so great. She’s been my sister forever, and I know.”
Laughing at TB, I shake my head. “You don’t know how lucky you’ve been.”
“She’s right, TB, our girl, is one of the best.”
Our girl.
It was a running joke all through high school that no one messed with me as I was their girl. Even after Kris left, the local boys kept away from me as TB would warn them off. He’s never done that with Todd, maybe he knows Todd doesn’t like girls?
“Does everyone know what they have to do come Saturday?” asks Father Daniel.
“Show up on time, say a few words, give my bride a ring, kiss her, and then run away. Sound about right?”
Father Daniel smiles and shakes his head. “Yes, TB, that sounds about right. One last thing… I’ll have a microphone so everyone in the church can hear you but speak up. This is your day, and everyone who you’ve invited and a few who will sneak in, only want the best for you. So, make sure they can hear you. It is a day to be celebrated with those you love the most and God.”
“Yes, Father,” replies TB as he gazes adoringly at Ashlea.
“Dinner!” announces Dad as he claps his hands together. “Father, are you joining us?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
TB hands over his car keys to Kris. “I’m going with my bride. Can you drive Athena?”
“It’s fine, I can walk,” I reply.
TB looks down at my feet. “Not in those shoes, you can’t.”
Kris nods. “It’d be my honor.”
Mom smiles at