by Jenna Brandt
“Oh my gosh, I’m so glad you’re here,” Lana said as tears glistened in her eyes.
“Me, too, I’ve missed you so much,” Celeste stated through her own tears. “Man, I’m not even a crier and it’s already started.”
“Well, I guess it’s good that’s out of the way,” Bryce said with a chuckle as he came up and patted Roger on the back. “Though I’m betting it’s not the end, but only the beginning of the tears.”
“You’re probably right, but can you blame them?” Roger stated.
“Nope, not one bit.” Bryce glanced down at the boy and said, “And you must be Marcus.” He bent down a bit and reached out his hand. “I’m Bryce. I’m your dad’s best friend. It’s nice to meet you.”
The little boy looked from Bryce to his father, who gave him a nod. Marcus took Bryce’s hand and shook it back. “Hi, Mr. Bryce.”
“I think, considering how close I am to your father, you can call me Uncle Bryce.”
“Which makes me your Aunt Lana,” the pretty brown-haired girl with hazel eyes said, smiling as she joined the men. “Or I guess it will be official tomorrow.”
“Oh, well, who cares about that little technicality, you can just start calling her that tonight,” Celeste corrected. “And you’re going to love having her as an aunt. She’s the best.”
“Ah, thank you, bestie, but I think you’re just as great,” Lana said, wrapping her arms through her friend’s.
“I have a big question to ask you, Marcus,” the TV star said.
“What’s that, Aunt Lana?” the boy said, picking up the new name quickly.
“Bryce and I don’t have a ring bearer, and we were wondering if you would do us a big favor and carry the rings down the aisle for us?”
The little boy pointed to his chest and asked with shock, “Me?”
Lana nodded. “It would help us out so much.”
Marcus looked up at his father who nodded and said, “It’s up to you, Buddy.”
After a couple moments pause, Marcus slowly said, “Okay, I do it.”
“The rest of the bridal party is arriving so we need to get this rehearsal started,” Bryce explained.
The group made their way outside on the back veranda where the ceremony would be. Along with Roger, Lana’s two brothers were going to be groomsmen, and standing up beside Celeste, was Lana’s sister and cousin as bridesmaids. They practiced everything twice, by which time everyone was comfortable with their roles and what they needed to do.
As they went back inside, Marcus was running away from Lana’s niece. Carrie, who was three, had apparently decided that they were going to spend every moment together since they were the ring bearer and flower girl. Marcus didn’t see it the same way and tried to explain to her that girls had cooties. Roger wasn’t sure how it was going to end, but he found it amusing that his son was turning out to be as much of a ladies’ man as he used to be.
Along with Lana’s siblings and cousin, both of her parents, several of her out-of-town relatives, and a few close friends from Minnesota were present. Bryce’s father was there as well, in addition to a few of their mutual friends and the pastor they flew in from Journey Church.
After the meal concluded, Bryce and Lana stood up and thanked everyone for attending their rehearsal dinner. They gave out gifts to the bridal party, along with a bride and groom gift to each other. By the time the rehearsal ended, everyone was tired and ready to get some sleep before the big day arrived.
“Can we talk for a moment?” Bryce asked, pulling Roger to a private corner of the room.
“What’s going on?” Roger asked, worried his friend might be getting cold feet, though he couldn’t see how since he was head-over-heels in love with Lana.
“Tomorrow’s going to be crazy, so I wanted to talk with you about what’s going on with Marcus. How is everything going with him?”
“Well, I know I told you it was rough at the beginning, but Celeste has been a real God-send. I’m so grateful she agreed to be Marcus’ nanny.”
“Temporarily, right?” Bryce probed with a raised eyebrow, “It seems like it’s turned into something a little bit more permanent.”
“It’s only been a couple of weeks, and I haven’t had time to look into any other nanny agencies. Work, as it turns out, does a real number on your free time.”
“Glad you finally figured that out. Maybe now you get why I was always rushing off to meetings. You used to give me so much grief over that.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that,” Roger said with a frown. “I was mistaken about a lot of things; add it to the list.”
“What else is on that list? I’m wondering if relationships make the list? I can’t help but notice how close you and Celeste appear to be. When you were walking down the aisle together, I would have sworn I was looking at a couple that was dating.”
“Nothing like that is going on,” Roger stated steadfastly, “and even if I wanted it to be that way, I’m not sure she would feel the same.”
“Have you asked her?” Bryce questioned as he crossed his arms. “Celeste isn’t the bashful type. If you ask her, she’ll be blunt about it.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of. As long as I don’t ask, and we don’t define whatever’s between us, I get to put off giving her up.”
“But you’re planning for the worst outcome. When I watched you two together, it wasn’t one-sided, Roger. She was looking at you the same way you were looking at her.”
Roger hadn’t planned for that. All this time, he was fighting his feelings for Celeste because he thought he was alone in it. Was it possible that wasn’t the case? Should he chance asking Celeste?
As they made their way back to the hotel, Roger kept going over his conversation with Bryce. Should he make his feelings known to Celeste, or would it ruin everything?
He stole a glance at her and felt his heart quicken at the view of her holding his sleeping son. The care she gave them both melted Roger’s jaded heart. He wondered if Celeste had done the inconceivable and managed to get past all his defenses. If that was the case, what did he intend to do about it?
Celeste’s best friend looked breathtaking in her cream wedding gown. There was lace over the shoulders that fluttered with movement. The heart shaped neckline drew attention to the form-fitting mermaid bodice, and a skirt which cascaded out in a cathedral train.
Lana’s hair was curled and pinned around a thin, golden crown. She had opted for no veil, allowing the dress to make its full magical statement.
The music was playing inside the building as Celeste finished fluffing out the bottom of Lana’s train before standing up to smooth out her own pale pink knee-length dress.
“You look perfect,” said Lana’s sister, Claire, giving them both a smile as she handed Lana her pink peony bouquet. “I can’t believe my big sister is getting married.”
“I know, who would have thought our little Lana was going to not only become a big TV star, but also land herself a billionaire,” Lana’s older cousin, Joyce, said with tears in her eyes. “She looks like a fairy-tale princess in this dress.”
“Thank you, guys, for being here with me,” Lana stated with gratitude. “This day is perfect because I have all the people I love beside me.”
“We have to start down the aisle now,” Joyce informed everyone, the music change signaling the time for the processional to begin.
Joyce reached out and squeezed Lana’s shoulder before turning around and heading through the door. Next, Claire made her way down the aisle, leaving Celeste just a moment to hug her best friend and whisper, “You got this, Lana. See you on the other side,” before making her way down the aisle.
The massive venue was filled with peonies in various shades of pink. More were placed strategically along the rows of chairs that lined the walkway leading to the far side of the room where Bryce, Roger, and the other two groomsmen were waiting.
Roger looked good in his custom-tailored black tuxedo. It enhanced his chiseled physique
and made his slicked-back blond hair stand out in all the right ways.
Celeste’s eyes locked with Roger’s for a moment, right before she reached the end of the aisle. He gave her a small wink before she took her position on the other side, in front of Claire.
Marcus came up the aisle with the rings next. His chest was puffed out and it was easy to tell he was proud of his new job. He took a position right in front of Roger.
Carrie pranced down the walkway in her white satin gown with her white wicker basket in hand. She tossed the soft pink peony petals onto the floor. When she reached the end of the aisle, she blurted out, “Hi, Marcus,” as she blew him a kiss.
Laughter filled the room as the assembled guests enjoyed the adorable display of affection. Marcus, on the other hand, didn’t seem at all amused. His face was red with anger and a scowl covered it.
The music changed a final time and Wagner’s Bridal Chorus filled the room. Lana came into view, and paused for a moment at the back of the room. All the guests stood to their feet and watched as the gorgeous beauty glided down the aisle.
As soon as Lana reached Bryce’s side, he reached out and gripped her hands with his own. He whispered, “I love you,” and she echoed it back.
Pastor Greg greeted the guests, then talked about love for a few minutes before Lana and Bryce exchanged vows and rings. Before Celeste knew it, he was pronouncing the couple as “husband and wife.”
The crowd cheered and clapped as the newlyweds rushed down the aisle and through the door.
There were appetizers and drinks in the adjoining room while the main area was quickly converted to host the reception, and to allow the bride and groom to have pictures taken.
People were talking in various groups around the room, but before Celeste could join any of them, they were asked to join the wedding couple for photos.
Roger came beside her as they made their way onto the patio. “You look amazing in that dress. I know weddings are supposed to be all about the bride, but you have to be the prettiest maid of honor ever.”
“Like you’ve been to enough weddings to make that determination,” Celeste stated with a roll of her eyes. “You don’t strike me as the type that spent a lot of time at them.”
“Hey, now, I will have you know that I’ve had to go to my fair share of weddings over the years. Us richies get married just like everyone else—although we might have a higher turnover rate than most.”
Celeste blushed as she said, “Richies? So, you heard about that, did you?”
Roger shrugged and let out a chuckle. “I did, but it doesn’t bother me anymore. Now that I’ve had some separation from the people in my social circle, I can understand why you feel the way you do.”
“Get over here, you two,” Lana ordered playfully. “Let’s get these photos done so we can get inside and have some fun.”
The bridal party spent the next half hour in various poses needed to complete the happy couple’s wedding album. Celeste made sure to concentrate and take it seriously, knowing that each snapshot was a memory of their friend’s most special day.
Once the pictures were done, the group went inside to eat, but they only got a short window of time before it was time for toasts.
Roger was up first and he moved to the center of the dance floor where the band leader handed him a microphone.
“Hello, everyone, for those of you who don’t know me, Bryce is my best friend. I haven’t always deserved his friendship, but that’s the great thing about this guy, he’s always willing to give someone a second chance—or in my case, five or six.”
The joke garnered laughter from the crowd. Roger rested a few beats before he continued.
“I think that’s why Bryce and Lana are so great together. They both see not only the best in those around them, but in each other. They never give up on someone they care about, and that is going to be what makes their marriage last.” He raised his glass in the air and finished with, “To the bride and groom.”
Everyone echoed his declaration and the clinking of glasses could be heard around the room.
Celeste took a deep breath and took the spot Roger just vacated. As they passed each other, he reached out and squeezed her arm before taking his seat.
“Good evening. I’m Celeste, and I feel so privileged that Lana asked me to be her maid of honor. We’ve been friends, roommates, and co-workers for several years—well, at least until she managed to land her dream job and move out here to LA. During all the time I’ve known her, Lana has done nothing but impress me. She’s loyal, kind, brave, and has a faith that can move mountains. That’s why I never thought she would find a man good enough to deserve all those amazing qualities. When she literally bumped into Bryce, I realized there truly is someone for everyone. Not only does he deserve her, he has his own set of equally amazing qualities. Together, they make the perfect pair, and I know they are going to change this world for the better. To the bride and groom,” Celeste said, raising her own glass into the air.
Several more family members and friends made toasts before it was time for the cake cutting, followed by the bouquet and garter toss. The final part of the night was dancing. Lana and Bryce had their first dance, then Lana danced with her father, who beamed with pride the whole time. Then the band invited the entire bridal party to join the bride and groom on the dance floor, as they played their own version of “We Are Family.” Everyone was having a great time dancing when the next song came on and slowed the pace of the evening.
Roger came up to Celeste and asked, “Would you care to dance?”
“I’d like that,” she accepted, allowing him to pull her into his arms and lead her in the dance. Their bodies moved to the rhythm, swaying to the beat in perfect unison.
“Man, this night has flown by,” Roger stated as he looked down into Celeste’s eyes. “Can you believe it’s almost over?”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe we’re going to have to head back tomorrow.”
“I wish I didn’t have to be at work on Monday, but I do,” Roger apologized. “If I thought it wouldn’t affect the headway I’ve made, I would ask for a day off, but I’m switching from shadowing my father to our current COO, Daniel Maddox. I’ll be taking over his job once I know exactly what he does.”
“How does he feel about that?”
“Not great, he’s been nothing but hostile towards me, which is why I have to prove myself capable on Monday.”
“You can do it, Roger. I’ve got faith in you,” Celeste encouraged.
“Thanks, I appreciate your vote of confidence. I hope it’s well-placed.”
“I know it is,” she said, letting herself move closer to him. “You’ve changed so much over the past couple of months. I see you doing great things, Roger.”
“When you say it, I almost believe it,” he whispered, leaning down towards her. “I think I would believe anything you said.”
Celeste could feel he wanted to kiss her, and the crazy part was, she wanted him to do it. She wanted to feel his lips on her own, to have the sensation of his arms around her as she melted into his kiss.
Before it could happen though, Marcus came running up and pulled on Celeste’s dress, interrupting the tense moment.
“Make Carrie stop following me,” he demanded as he looked up at her with impatient eyes. “She buggin’ me.”
“You have to be nice to her, Marcus. She’s a girl,” Roger explained.
Celeste shook her head in disapproval as she corrected, “He doesn’t have to be nice to her just because she’s a girl. Girls can be bullies too.” She took Marcus by the hand and led him off the dance floor with Roger following behind.
At a nearby table, Celeste took a seat, making it possible to look Marcus in the eyes. “Listen, Marcus, I know it’s hard sometimes to be nice to people who don’t make it easy, but you need to be nice because that’s what God would want you to do. Do you understand?”
The little boy nodded, his lips trembling as tears formed
in his eyes. “You mad at me?”
“No, of course not,” Celeste stated adamantly. “I just want you to be the very best person you can be, Marcus. I’ll always believe in you.”
“Okay, I be nice to Carrie. I go play now,” he said, running off towards the corner of the room.
“You’re really great with him,” Roger stated with awe. “It never ceases to astonish me how you do it.”
“You’ll get there too. I already see such a bond forming between the two of you. You’re a better father than you give yourself credit for.”
“Roger, can I get your help over here?” Bryce asked, pulling his friend away. “I promise I’ll bring him back over here in a few minutes. I just need him to settle a bet.”
“That’s all right. I probably need to go check on Lana, anyway. Do you know where she is?” Celeste inquired.
“I think she said she needed to use the restroom,” Bryce told her.
“Why didn’t she come get me? I’m sure she’s going to need help with her dress.”
Bryce gestured towards his best friend. “I think Lana didn’t want to bother you while you were dancing with this one.”
Celeste wasn’t sure what to make of that, or why Lana would want to let them keep dancing. Did that mean Lana thought there was something going on between them? The more time she spent alone with Roger, the harder it got to deny that was the case.
She stood up, trying to push the thoughts of Roger away. “I’ll just go see how Lana is doing.”
As Celeste made her way out of the room and down the hall that led to the restrooms, she wondered what she was going to do about what was happening with Roger. She didn’t like being out-of-control, and Roger managed to make her feel that way every time he looked at her with his gorgeous brown eyes.
Just before she reached the restroom, she heard a voice say from behind her, “So, I finally get a chance to meet the maid of honor.”
Celeste spun around to find a tall, handsome man leaning against a wall. He slipped his cell phone into his pocket and then moved towards her. “I’m Conrad Gaines, a business associate of Bryce’s.”