At that moment my phone rings. My first thought is that it’s Charlie, but when I snatch it up, I see Josh’s photo. My heart freaking soars right out of my chest!
“Josh!”
“Hey, beautiful! God, I miss you.”
I close my eyes and let his deep, strong, masculine voice spread through my soul.
“Did you have a good time tonight?” he asks sleepily.
“Yeah. It was great—Josh, everything you’ve done, the gold envelopes—” I begin.
“Shh … let’s talk about that on our honeymoon, baby,” he says gently. “It’s so damn late, but I had to hear your voice to fall asleep. Jesus, I miss you—did I say that already?”
I smile. “A girl doesn’t get tired of it.”
“Are you all ready for tomorrow?” he asks, and I can hear the slight hitch in his voice—something between hope and fear.
“Oh yes! I’m more than ready. I may just run down that aisle to get to you.” I say it all sexy-like. “I love you, Josh.”
“I love you with all my life, Sophie.”
I take a deep breath and pull up the courage to confess, “Joshua North, you are my everything.”
I can hear him suck in a breath over the receiver.
“It’s all going to be okay, isn’t it?” I ask.
“It’s going to be more than okay,” Josh says. “It’s going to be a lifetime of incredible.”
***
“How’s your head?” Britt asks.
“Shut up,” I whisper.
Quinn tells her, “I gave her a couple Tylenol.”
“Don’t worry, Sophie,” Britt says cheerfully, “this is a good thing.”
“How is a hangover on your wedding a good thing?” I groan.
“It’s hurts too much to run.”
“Oh, you’re real funny.”
It’s about seven in the morning, and we’re sitting in the back of a luxurious white stretch limo headed toward Villa Bellezza—a classical, European-style vineyard that stretches for miles, overlooking beautiful bluffs and Lake Pepin, a twenty-six mile long lake that more resembles a scenic river. With its stone and stucco architecture, the villa really fools its guests into believing they’re attending an event in southern Italy and not Pepin, Wisconsin.
It’s perfect for our friends and family—it’s elegant and picturesque—and we didn’t need to worry about international travel along with the stress of putting a wedding together. And … we were able to keep it out of the press. That was nothing short of a minor miracle.
Once we arrive, we’re escorted through the piazza and into what the owners call “The Apartment,” which is an elegant space for the bride and her party to get prepared.
“She’s here, Mom!” Jules’s voice echoes out the open window.
My headache is gone, thankfully, and Charlie rushes out to hug me.
“I missed you, Mommy!”
“Hi, sweetheart! I missed you too!” I pick her up and set her on my hip.
“We’re going to marry Joshy-Daddy today!” she sings brightly.
I tickle her ribs to make her giggle. “Yes we are! Are you happy?”
“Very happy!” She nods.
A beautiful crowd of women, who I now call family, surround me: Josh’s mom, Suzanne, Cade’s wife (who is also the honorary Brothers of Ink and Steel mom), Debra, my sister-in-laws, Jules and Livie … I never thought I’d have this—never thought I’d have a family or a mother, let alone two. I never thought I’d have sisters or friends I could really get to know like Quinn and Britt. Josh gave all of this to me—to me and to Charlie.
“Oh shit! She’s going to cry again.” Britt’s voice breaks through the depth of my thoughts.
“Hey, no crying. Not yet! Save that until the I Do’s,” Livie says.
“Don’t even do it then.” Jules’s voice is sweet and sympathetic. “You’ll ruin your face.”
“The boys’ limo will be here soon,” Debra says as she ushers me away quickly. “Get inside.”
We walk upstairs and into the room, but before I have a chance to gaze out the window at the magical view or really get a sense of how exquisite the furnishings are in the apartment, the first thing that catches my attention, laying stately and alone on the middle of the cut marble table, is a golden envelope with my name on it.
Everything else sort of melts away—their chatter, the scenery, what’s supposed to happen next—and I take it in my fingers. I can smell Josh. I can feel him here, next to me.
And just like that, peace roots itself deep down into my soul and expels all of the remaining fear, doubt and darkness.
I’m not alone anymore.
We’re not alone anymore.
I flip the envelope over. On the back flap it reads:
Don’t open until you’re ready to leave the room and walk down the aisle.
That’s sort of hard to agree to.
Suddenly the paper is snatched away. “We can all see what that says.” Quinn hands the letter to Jules. “You’ve got to wait on that one, girlfriend.”
“She’s right! You don’t have a lot of time left—so let’s get you ready!” Livie squeaks.