Stitches and Scars (44 page)

In her desperation to see Ethan, she more than willingly complied. “No seeing each other, I promise.”

With a pleased nod of her head, Sophie turned her attention to Elle. “You grab the dress; I’ll get the accessories. And you,” she said, turning back to Kate. “Get all of that vomit taste out of your mouth and get out of the bathroom. Enough nerves for you.”

Kate nodded, again agreeing to her command, and watched as they left the bathroom. The two of them hurried around the bridal suite, gathering what they needed, and Kate looked on with a smile. Gratitude for her two best friends filled her heart. Two people who meant the world to her and who had been by her side through everything. She knew that without them her life would be completely different. It would be less full and definitely less fun.

After a minute, Sophie paused and noticed her friend’s smile. “Are you ready to become Mrs. Montgomery?”

Excitement bubbled up inside her. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” She walked to the center of the room where Elle now stood with her dress.

“Be careful with that rock of yours. You don’t want to snag the material,” Elle said, motioning to Kate’s ring as she helped slip the dress over her hips. “I still can’t believe you didn’t go for the four-carat Tiffany,” she mumbled.

“For the last time, Elle, I can’t wear a four-carat diamond.”

After Ethan proposed, he pulled out three rings. He’d said after seeing her reaction to the emerald earrings he almost purchased at the auction, he wanted to play it safe and give her the option to choose. Staring at the three boxes in front of her, Kate had asked him to pick his first choice, the one he thought she’d like. He hesitated for only a moment, then pushed the black box forward.

As it turned out, he was right; the ring was perfect. It wasn’t the smallest one and it definitely wasn’t the biggest, but it was the one meant for her. The one-carat solitaire with a thin, delicate band woven gently around her finger.

“Tell me again why the four-carat diamond was so bad?” Elle asked, still not completely convinced.

“It just wasn’t me. Plus, it was way too big. It looked ridiculous on my finger. You would agree with me if you’d seen it,” Kate assured her.

“Heaven knows I’m not turning down a big rock.”

“Considering Trent is a firm believer in ‘bigger is always better,’ something tells me the ring he gives you will be plenty big.”

12:00 P.M.

“So, you have a ring?” Ethan asked in shock.

“Yep, got it a few weeks ago,” Trent said with a casual shrug.

Logan leaned forward across the pool table. “Then what are you waiting for?”

“The right moment. It’s been so crazy with all the wedding stuff, that we haven’t had time to ourselves. But I’m thinking once things settle down, I’ll take her away for the weekend.”

There was a glint in his eye, and Ethan held back a laugh. He was used to Trent being happy, but his expression was almost blissful and … romantic? That was something entirely new.

“Do it. I can’t wait to see the look on my mom’s face when we tell her she has a wedding this year.” Logan laughed to himself and set up for another round of pool.

Just as they were getting ready to break, the door swung open and in walked Ethan’s dad, Doug, and Henry.

“Where have you guys been?”

“Getting pictures taken. I think your mother has found her second calling in life and it has to do with planning weddings. It’s a good thing you were a boy or you’d probably be going crazy right about now. Is it really necessary to have five hundred pictures of the groom’s parents and the bride’s parents?” Oliver gave a long sigh of relief and sat down on the couch next to Doug, who looked just as exhausted.

“He’s being serious. You should see them. Annie is just as bad,” Doug said, shaking his head.

Ethan looked to Henry and half expected him to be just as shocked as Ethan’s dad and Doug, but he wasn’t. “Lori has always been this way,” Henry said, as if reading his mind. “She may not plan weddings, but you’ve been to our parties.” He laughed.

The groom and the two groomsmen joined the dads in front of the TV. After all, there was nothing like a good old basketball game to waste some time and help them relax.

12:20 P.M.

Elle and Sophie stood at Kate’s side, smoothing away imaginary wrinkles on her gown when the door opened.

“Oh my! You didn’t tell us you were getting dressed already. You know we wanted to be here for this!” Kate’s mother squawked as she ran towards her with arms flittering about.

“Surely you want the photographer here so you can capture this moment,” Sabrina added, walking in after her, one arm linked with Lori’s.

“Pictures are one of the most important aspects of any large event, weddings especially. But, of course, you already know that.” Lori winked and escorted the photographer into the room.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I decided to get dressed early so I have time to talk to Ethan before I walk down the aisle.” The three mothers gasped in unison, but Kate cut them off before they could talk. “Soph already warned me. It will be just talking. I won’t let him see me. I promise.”

“Well, in that case, we’d better hurry and get you ready.” Sabrina stepped forward and motioned for her soon-to-be daughter-in-law to spin around. Her two best friends stepped aside for the time being and let both Annie and Sabrina pour over her while Lori directed the photographer.

When Kate was finished with the dress, Sophie and Elle sat her in front of the mirror and took over, pulling all the bobby pins out of her hair. Soft curls fell gently down her back, and the sides were pinned up loosely, showing off her grandmother’s antique sapphire earrings.

Sophie insisted Kate follow all the bridal traditions and that included the ‘something old, something new’ rule. The earrings were the ‘something old.’ Her ‘something new’ was the lingerie she wore under her dress, which was, of course, a gift from her two best friends. Her ‘something blue’ was the delicate sapphire and diamond bracelet that was a gift from Lori and Henry. Apparently marrying Ethan didn’t make just Sabrina and Oliver her in-laws, but the Williamses as well. The only thing she didn’t have to finish out the tradition was the ‘something borrowed,’ which Sophie assured her not to worry about.

Just as the last pieces of hair were pinned into place, Sabrina walked up behind the bride. She smiled down at Kate’s reflection and handed her a dark blue velvet box. Curiously running her fingers over the smooth surface, she almost asked what it was when her mother cut in.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, just open it,” she said eagerly.

Both Elle and Sophie stood off to the side, looking on with eager expressions. It was then that Kate realized she must be the only one left out of knowing what was in the box. Shaking her head, she smiled and opened the lid.

As soon as she saw the radiant contents, her hand went to her throat and she gasped. There, lying perfectly nestled in the navy velvet, was the most beautiful diamond necklace she’d ever seen. There must have been hundreds of diamonds, some pear shaped and others brilliant, but all of them brilliantly sparkling. It was impossible to speak, so she continued to sit and gape with wide eyes. “Kate, I’d like for you to wear this as your ‘something borrowed,’” Sabrina finally said, breaking her out of the diamond induced haze.

“I … I’d …” Kate stammered.

“I think what she trying to say is ‘she’d be honored to,’” Elle finished, while leaning forward and closing her friend’s open mouth.

Without saying a word, Sabrina slipped the necklace from the box and hooked it around Kate’s neck while she looked back at her reflection in awe. The necklace was intricate in its detail but still looked delicate. It paired perfectly with the simple style of her strapless gown.

“It’s beautiful,” Kate said with a sigh, running her fingers over it.

“Then it’s perfect for you.”

“Thank you, Sabrina.” She stood up and gave her a hug. “And thank you, Mom, for Grandma’s earrings.”

Her mother smiled back lovingly. “She would have liked for you to have them.” Standing back, Annie gazed at her daughter, now completely ready. “Your father is going to have a heart attack when he sees you. You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.” Her eyes welled up with tears as she wrapped her arms around Kate. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. Ethan is a wonderful man, and I know he makes you happy,” she whispered into her ear before pulling away.

They both looked at each other for a minute, silently communicating in the way mothers and daughters sometimes do, before she took a step back.

“All right, let’s get this show started,” Sophie said, rubbing her hands together excitedly. “I’ll go get Ethan and tell him to come to the door, and we’ll be waiting for you downstairs.”

Kate nodded and gave everyone one last smile as they left the room.

12:45 P.M.

About a half hour later, Trent cleared his throat and stood up from the couch, motioning for Ethan to follow him. Both he and Logan turned away from the game and walked to the bar where he was standing.

“Since Logan and I are your best men, we wanted to get you something,” Trent said, looking at Logan with a smile. “Something that had sentimental value and would make you smile every time you saw it. We thought this over long and hard, and eventually chose something.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small envelope.

“You guys didn’t have to get me anything,” Ethan protested.

“We know, but we wanted to.” Both he and Logan looked at him sincerely and gave a warm smile before handing over the envelope. Flipping it over, Ethan slid his finger under the seal and read the slip of paper inside.

A gift of health just for you.

Your one-year membership in our Harvest Club brings our

orchard fresh fruit right to your home every month!

Every piece of fruit is picked at its peak of flavor and delivered

to your door in our exclusive Watercolor Art Boxes.

Make this year a healthy year.

As soon as he finished reading, he began to laugh, shortly joined by his two friends. Ethan was fairly certain that now it was official. He had the two best friends any guy could ask for. It was a minute before any of them was calm enough to speak.

“Kate is going to love this,” Ethan said, holding up the paper. “Thank you.”

“Speaking of the bride, how do you think she’s holding up?” Trent asked.

“Hopefully she’s all right. Hey, what do you think my chances are of seeing her before we start?”

Logan looked at Ethan with raised eyebrows. “Are you kidding? Soph would eat you alive if you tried to see her. You know how she is about all this.”

Ethan groaned. “I know. I just really want to see her.”

“Dude, all you have to do is flash Soph the JB and you’re in.”

“Excuse me? The JB?”

“Yeah, what?” Logan asked, joining in his friend’s confusion.

“The JB, you know … Junk Bulge. It’s the one thing that can break through their defenses. Women are weak when faced with the JB,” he said with confidence.

Biting back his laugh, Ethan was truly intrigued. “And you know this because?”

“Because it works. I even got out of a speeding ticket once. Just a little shift and roll and you’re good.” He circled his hips around in a movie reminiscent of Elvis.

Ethan chuckled. “As much as I believe you, I’m not sure I can do that to Sophie.”

“Whatever, I’m just telling you it works. Remember it when you want something from Kate. If she’s anything like Elle, she’ll—”

“Trent,” Logan warned for at least the third time today.

At that moment, the door opened and in walked Elle, followed closely by Sophie. Both were dressed in their champagne-colored bridesmaids’ dresses and looked stunning.

“You can talk to her,” Sophie said, walking directly to Ethan. “Talk, that’s it.”

“And if we find out that you saw her, we will pull every last one of your perfect white teeth out of your mouth with our bare hands,” Elle threatened with a friendly smile and wink.

Their words sunk in and Ethan smiled. “I love you guys, thanks.” He kissed them both on the cheek and headed out the door.

“We mean it! No looking, just talking!” He heard them yell, but he was already halfway down the hall, his heart pounding in anticipation of just hearing her voice.

12:48 P.M.

Now that Kate was finally alone, she took a moment to simply breathe, to take in her surroundings and to feel the excitement of the day. She’d been so busy and nervous the past few days and weeks that she hadn’t even had a chance to just enjoy the moment.

Walking over to the large window, she looked outside and her mind automatically thought of Ethan. She thought about the first time she saw him, the first time she touched him. She remembered their first kiss and the way her heart raced. The same way it still did whenever she got close to him. She thought about the day he asked her to be his and all the days after. She thought about the nights that they stayed up talking just because they couldn’t get enough of each other, and those nights where they did anything
but
talk. She thought about the days they spent out on the boat with his parents. And she remembered the first time they talked about babies and how many they wanted to have.