The skies were gray and ominous on Jenna and Ty’s wedding day for the entire day, the threat of snow hanging heavy in the air. Liz was certain that at any moment she’d see thick flakes come down from the sky. But so far they’d held off. Liz was going to keep her fingers crossed.
As they arrived at the church, all she could see were clouds. It was bad enough she was freezing to death in this sleeveless dress. She hoped the heat in the church was working well.
“I’ll see you at the front of the church,” Gavin said as he kissed her good-bye.
“Just like the last time.” She smiled at him, patted his chest, and they walked in opposite directions.
She made her way to the bridal suite, where Jenna’s mother and Tara were lacing up the back of Jenna’s dress.
Jenna looked stunning in a cream taffeta halter dress with a dropped waist and tiers from her hips to the floor. A bow sat at her right hip. It was luscious and elegant and her tattoos made her look beautiful.
Liz stood in the doorway and took a moment to watch Jenna looking at herself in the mirror. The look of awe on Jenna’s face was priceless.
“You look gorgeous, Jenna,” Liz said as she came into the room.
Jenna gave her a serene smile. “It’s kind of hard to believe this is happening. Me, in a wedding dress. Who’d have thought that day would ever come?”
“Me,” Jenna’s mom said, tears in her eyes.
“And me,” Tara said, dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
“Don’t you cry, Mom. I had to sit in a chair this afternoon for hours getting my makeup done. I don’t want to do it again.”
“All of you can stop with the blubbering. We all had to sit through makeup,” Alicia said.
“Southern girls never cry,” Savannah added, sniffling.
“We all look gorgeous,” Liz said, smoothing down her dress. “And no one is allowed to cry. Except maybe Jenna and her mom, but not until the ceremony.”
“You all look so beautiful,” Ty’s mother said. “And especially you, Jenna. My son is a very lucky man.”
Jenna reached over to squeeze Louise’s hand. “Thank you, Mom.”
“We should be starting shortly.” Savannah took her phone out of her clutch. “All we need now are the flowers.”
“They’re here,” Tara said, checking her phone. “I need to get the florist to bring them in here. I’ll be right back.”
Tara ran to get the florist, who came in bearing the most beautiful flowers Liz had ever seen—short of her own wedding, of course. Cream roses and purple lilies highlighted Jenna’s bouquet and were a perfect complement to her dress, and since the bridal party wore purple dresses, they had cream bouquets.
There was a knock on the door. Tara answered, then turned to them. “Five minutes. We should line up.”
Jenna laid her hand on her stomach. “I’ve never been so nervous about anything in my entire life. Even singing for the first time didn’t make my stomach flutter this much.”
Her mom came to Jenna’s side and put her arm around her. “You love Tyler. This is your moment. Be happy, and relaxed.”
Jenna nodded. “You’re right. I am happy. And excited.”
They all stopped out in the foyer. Jenna’s dad was there with a huge grin on his face. “You look beautiful, baby girl.”
Jenna blinked away tears again. “Thank you, Dad. You look pretty handsome yourself.”
“You sure you don’t want to make a run for it? I’ve been working out. We can dash out the front door and into the limo. There’s a game on. We can catch it at Riley’s.”
Jenna laughed. “As tempting as that sounds right now, I think I’m good here, Dad. But thanks for the offer.”
He took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. “Okay, then. Let’s do this.”
Liz could have kissed Jimmy for that bit of levity. It was just what Jenna needed to relax.
Everyone lined up in their positions. Gavin came and walked his mother down the aisle, then Ty’s mother was escorted to her seat.
And as the music started to play, Liz was overcome with dizziness and nausea and leaned against Savannah.
“What’s wrong?” Savannah asked, grasping her arm.
She took in a deep breath, then let it out. “Tight dress. No air. And probably too many flowers.”
“Take deep breaths,” Alicia said.
“Doing that.”
“I can ask them to wait,” Alicia said, a concerned look on her face.
Liz waved them on. “No, I’m good. Let’s get this thing moving.”
The bridesmaids moved down the aisle and Liz tried to quell the dizziness, holding the flowers as far away from her face as she could. The last thing Jenna needed was for Liz to face-plant walking down the aisle at her wedding. When it was Liz’s turn, she breathed as normally as she could, smiled, and concentrated on Gavin’s face. He smiled back at her, and she made it all the way to the altar, though she felt beads of sweat rolling down her back.