Small Town Girls Don't Marry Their Back-Ups - Carol Moncado Page 0,15
a few years ago.” Madi looked up at him, tears shimmering in her blue eyes. “This is what she meant when she said she’d been praying for you for years, though I doubt she expected it quite this way. She said the same thing to Eli Whitaker a few weeks before he married my sister, Mia.”
Eli Whitaker? The movie star? He was married to Madi’s sister? They’d married out of nowhere, hadn’t they? Wyatt had been too caught up in baseball to pay much attention.
But if what Madi said was true, then Mama Beach believed this marriage thing had a chance at working.
He sucked in a breath and said words he never thought he’d say. “Then let’s do it. Let’s get married.”
6
With a deep breath, Madi smoothed her hands over the fabric covering her stomach. She’d been taken to a dress shop less than twelve hours earlier and thanked God she liked one of the dresses that fit her - and was approved by the producers. Likely, she wouldn’t have chosen it if she’d had as much time as she wanted, but it would do nicely.
The way the satin and lace hugged her curves, without being too revealing, made her feel beautiful in a way she never had before. Would Wyatt like it? Would he like how she looked in it? Did it matter?
Yes.
Should it?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Sean moved next to her. “Are you sure about this?”
“I’m sorry it’s stealing attention from your actual wedding.”
Her older brother snorted. “Lexi’s more excited for you than she is about our wedding.” Sean and Lexi had eloped the summer before, but had decided on a vow renewal and celebration around Christmas. “Besides, our wedding is still weeks away.”
“Good.” The butterflies in her stomach showed no signs of settling down.
The wedding coordinator handed Madi her bouquet. Sean offered his arm.
And Madi tried to forget that her parents had refused to come.
Her siblings were all there, along with their spouses.
Most importantly, Wyatt would be at the other end of the aisle. She hadn’t seen him since the night before when they went back out to the set and confirmed to the audience that they would indeed be getting married in less than twenty-four hours.
There was more to the deal with the production company than she knew, but Mama Beach had promised her the only things she didn’t know were good things - or at least not bad. Allegedly, all of the upcoming twists had been revealed to Mama Beach who had promised not to spill the beans just yet. She had, however, given her approval of them.
“Are you completely sure?” Sean asked one more time, likely forgetting about the mic on his lapel to pick up everything they said.
“I’m sure.”
She and Wyatt hadn’t been on a real date, much less kissed, or even had a complete conversation, yet a peace filled her every time she thought about the decision.
“Let’s do this,” she told her brother.
Though the day had been almost unseasonably warm for early November, heaters had been discreetly placed around the small seating area outside the resort on Serenity Lake. The lace sleeves on her dress helped a little, but also itched when she moved wrong.
Mama Beach had insisted she be the one to perform the ceremony. For that, Madi owed her aunt eternal gratitude.
The walk didn’t take long and a moment after they started, Madi and Sean stopped near the end of the aisle.
“Who gives this woman in marriage?” Mama Beach asked.
“On behalf of her siblings, I do,” Sean answered.
Madi hadn’t known what he was going to say, but he’d effectively cut their parents out of the ceremony. Wyatt looked a little surprised by the answer, but Mama Beach did not. Sean must have discussed it with her.
Then Madi’s hand was snug in Wyatt’s.
Mama Beach spoke to the audience, then to the two of them, then directed them to speak to each other.
Less than fifteen minutes after she left the safety of the building, she was Mrs. Wyatt Carson.
Mrs. Wyatt Carson who was being kissed by Mr. Wyatt Carson.
Just a quick, fleeting brush of the lips but definitely a kiss.
They turned to face the crowd. Madi slid her hand into Wyatt’s offered elbow as Mama Beach introduced them to the small crowd gathered on short notice.
They walked back up the aisle, a grin plastered on Madi’s face. When they reached the resort building, she wanted to let down her guard, but couldn’t, not until they were in their hotel suite.