“We have a five-minute drive. You ready to go?” she asked me.
“Yes. Is Lila Kate ready?”
She nodded. “Yep. She looks like an angel. Her mommy might not be wearing white, but she’s rocking her own fluffy white gown.”
Laughing, I slipped on my flats and tucked the letter into my jewelry box. “Let’s do this,” I said, heading out my bedroom door and toward Lila Kate’s room. She was lying in her crib, looking at her slipper-covered feet in fascination. When her gaze found mine, she kicked happily. “We have a handsome prince waiting for us. We need to go.” I scooped her up.
She did look adorable in her dress.
Blaire led us out to my Land Rover, and I buckled Lila Kate in before climbing into the passenger seat. My dress was easy. I hadn’t gone for the long, white, traditional wedding dress. Instead, my dress was the palest of blues. It reminded me of the color of the sky when looking through a cloud. It was a simple yet elegant satin gown that belted at the waistline and flowed outward, falling just above my knees.
Lila Kate gurgled and let us know she was back there with a little fussing. We turned toward the club, then drove back to the private beach for homeowners only. Woods had offered to let us use the stretch of beach in front of his house. We wouldn’t have any uninvited spectators, and it would be private.
Blaire pulled up to the rose-covered archway that served as the entrance to the wedding. “This is your stop,” she said, grinning. “Nervous?”
I shook my head. “No. Not at all. I’ve never been more ready to do anything in my life.”
After stepping out of the car, I quickly scooped Lila Kate out of her car seat before she got too frustrated and tucked her in my arms. She was still less than six pounds, but she was gaining weight steadily, and that was what mattered.
“Let’s go see Daddy,” I whispered. We stepped up to the archway. Blaire straightened her dress and quickly sent a text to let them know we were ready, since we couldn’t be seen on this side of the house.
The music started up, and Blaire wiggled her fingers in a wave before picking up a small bouquet of three roses—a pink one centered between two white ones. It was a symbol of our family. I would have carried it myself, but I had my hands full of something much more important.
Blaire walked away down the aisle, and I counted to twenty just like we had practiced, before Lila Kate and I made our way down the rose-petal-covered walkway. We made the turn around the house, and there they were, all standing up and turning toward us. The people we loved. I smiled as Lila Kate’s gaze took everything in.
It wasn’t until we were at the center looking straight up the aisle that I saw him. Our handsome prince. His eyes locked on mine.
He thought I was the hero of our story. How wrong he was. He had been the hero all along.