Face-Off at the Altar
Page 75

“Thanks.” He headed down the side of the rows to the stairs at the back of the building. He knew where the dressing rooms were since he had brought beer back earlier for the guys. But before he could even get there, he saw Lucy standing outside with Mark and Autumn. While he was curious as to what was going on, he was stunned by her beauty. Her dress was fitted, a beautiful ivory color and was made almost entirely of lace. The top was off the shoulder, framing her cleavage perfectly and hugging her in all the right ways. Her hair was up in a bun with braids, and her veil was attached at the back and draping down her shoulders. As she looked up, relief filling her face, he smiled at her soft makeup choices overall which were offset by her bright red lips.
It was so Lucy, stunning.
“Hey, Hottie McHot!” he called, and she rolled her eyes.
“Oh, thank God,” she said, coming to him, the dress whooshing with each step.
“I didn’t get the car for a getaway,” he said, and she smacked him.
“Shut up,” she laughed. “I need a favor.”
“What?”
“Can you walk Mom down the aisle, so that I can have River and Dad walk me down?”
There was no hesitation. “Duh, I’d love to.”
“You rock, thank you,” she said before turning and nodding her head. “Mom, get River.”
Her mother beamed back at Markus, and he smiled as she opened the door, calling River’s name. When he came out, his brows were pulled together as Lucy came toward him. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, reaching for him and wrapping her arms around one of his as he looked around, confused. “I need to ask you something.”
“Okay?”
“You’ve been a big part of my life, a wonderful stepfather to me and stepgrandpa to Angie, and I want nothing more than to have you walk me down the aisle.”
It took a moment, but then River’s lips curved as his eyes dusted with tears. Looking to Mark, he cleared his throat. “And you’re okay with this?”
“You were there when I wasn’t. Figure we both deserve the honor of giving this beautiful woman away.”
Mark held out his hand, and River glanced down at it before looking back up at Mark. Nodding his head, he took it. “Couldn’t agree more.” He turned to Lucy, wrapping her up in his arms. “I would be honored.”
When Autumn wrapped her arms around Markus, he smiled over his shoulder at her as she leaned her head into his. “I’m so happy.”
“Me too,” he agreed as Lucy hugged and kissed her two father figures. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mekena shooting away, getting every image of the special moment between Lucy, Mark, and River. When she glanced over at him, a sneaky and sexy grin on her face, his heart stopped. Her hair was up in a braid and out of her face. She wore a black dress that was modest, covering every inch of her, yet he still found her so damn sexy.
Holding Markus tight, Autumn fought back the tears. “This is going to be a beautiful day.”
“It sure as hell is,” he agreed, hugging her tightly to him before kissing her forehead.
She stole his attention as she smiled. “You good, Markus?”
His gaze went back to Mekena as she smiled, holding her camera up and snapping a picture of them together. Lowering her camera, she smiled as she blew him a kiss that he swore he felt in his soul. He nodded as his gaze held his girl’s and he whispered, “I am, Mom. I really am.”
Mekena never cried at weddings.
She did really well holding back her tears, but she was starting to think that was a thing of the past. Or maybe she had never experienced a Sinclair wedding.
Mekena stood to the left of Lucy as she fought back the tears and snapped pictures left and right as Jace, Jude, and Jayden stood around their big sister, all of them with all the love in the world for her.
“You’re sure? I can go get the car,” Jayden said, and Lucy laughed.
“I’m already married to him!”
“So? We can draw papers up in a jiffy,” Jace said, and everyone chuckled as she rolled her eyes.
“I can have him killed,” Jude offered, and Lucy snorted.
“Please, you can’t even kill a spider.”
“Um, they have billions of babies,” he protested, and she giggled before wrapping her arms around her brothers. Snapping the photos, Mekena moved around them, hoping to catch each of their faces as they hugged each other, their eyes closed, the love radiating off them.
Clearing her throat, Lucy whispered, “I love you guys. So much.”
“I love you,” all three said before they pulled apart and she kissed each of them.
“Okay, let’s do this. Everyone is waiting,” she said, ushering them out. But when she got to the door, she paused as Angie came to her, wrapping her arms around her waist.
“Mommy, you’re so pretty.”
Grasping her baby’s face, Lucy beamed. “Me? I can’t get over how gorgeous you are!”
And she was. Angie wore a pale purple dress that looked more like a frothy cupcake than a dress. She looked like a sweet little young lady with her hair down in curls and wearing a crown to boot. She was beautiful.
“Daddy is excited. He’s cried twice!”
Lucy grinned. “Really? Well, you just watch. I bet you five bucks he’ll cry again.”
“Duh! You’re so beautiful!” she said before wrapping her arms around her mother and kissing her on her cheek as Lucy leaned down. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, baby. Now go on, Jace is waiting for you.”
Lucy let Angie go, and she ran to Jace as Lucy came to the doors, holding on to the doorframe as she took in a bracing breath. “I guess I need to get out there, huh, Mekena?”
“Yup, everyone’s waiting.”
Lucy nodded before gathering her skirt in her hand and heading out, Mekena snapping photos along the way. The hall they walked down was so long that she waited until Lucy was almost to the end before she took the picture, already seeing it in a black-and-white hue. As Mekena ran down the hall to catch up, she found Lucy with a grin on her face as she met River and Mark, who were waiting for her at the door. Everyone had already started down the stairs, Libby shooting those images since Mekena’s main responsibility was Lucy and everything she did. The doors were closed as Lucy took her bouquet from Grace and laced her arms with the two men.