But it feels like it is.
Or that it has the potential to be.
Halfway up the cobblestone walk to her house, the wooden front door opens and Violet steps out onto the front stoop.
I stop and stare梐 dazed, automatic whisper slipping from my mouth.
揈ven better than the bunny scrubs.?
Her hair is down and finally seeing it in the flesh puts my imagination to shame. It frames her face in glossy, russet waves that fall over her shoulders and down to the middle of her back. Her bangs gently brush her eyebrows, highlighting her delicate features梑ig innocent eyes, her dainty nose, her pert chin, and perfectly rosy, high cheekbones.
A simple, strapless merlot-colored dress molds perfectly to her body梡utting the swell of full breasts, her slim waist, the rounded curve of her hips that would be fucking perfect to hold onto, and the toned length of her endless legs梠n naked display. A single, round diamond hanging from a thin silver chain rests below her clavicle, just inches above a teasing crease of cleavage.
揥hat did you say??
揘othing.?I swallow roughly. 揧ou look . . . ?
I search for a word that fits. Exquisite? Stunning? Edible? They all fall short.
? . . almost too good to be true.?
Vi抯 eyes dance and her lips curve into a bright, immediate smile.
揟hank you.?She scans me over, taking in my thick combed hair, then trailing down my torso and thighs before coming to rest on my shined dress shoes. I抳e been checked out by enough women in my life to know that Violet likes what she sees.
That knowledge melts away my nerves梐nd my heart pounds a little faster, my lungs squeeze a little tighter, with the pleasant zing of anticipation.
揧ou look pretty unbelievable too.?Her dark eyes alight on my tie. 揥e match.?
I glance down, picking up the silk fabric.
揥e do.?
She lifts a pair of maroon, open-toed sandals with beading on the front and about three-inch heels. 揑 figured it was safer to put these on once we抮e there. Didn抰 want to risk busting an ankle or a kneecap before we even make it through the door.?
揥ay to think ahead.?I move up the walk, watching how the light catches in her hair, making it shimmer like sunlit ripples on the surface of the lake.
Vi glances beyond my shoulder. 揂re your boys coming to the wedding??
揟hey are. Aaron is taking his own car梡icking up his girlfriend梥o Spence and Brayden wanted to ride with him. He抯 a lot cooler than I am.?
揜ight,?she laughs. 揝o it抣l just be us on the drive over??
I nod. And I can抰 stop looking at her.
揓ust us.?
I hold out my arm, to be sure she doesn抰 trip on the way to the truck and because it抯 the gentlemanly thing to do, and . . . because I want to be closer to her.
揜eady??
Violet takes a breath, then exhales slowly. I catch the scent of strawberry梩he mouthwatering, addictive kind條ike sweet, sugary bubble gum that never loses flavor.
And she slides her arm into mine.
揜eady.?
*
I like to think I抦 a sensitive guy.
I抦 in touch with my feelings, I go to group therapy桰 vacuum on a regular basis. Being married for a decade and a half trained me to notice things like a new hairstyle, a change of curtains, the difference between a comforter and a duvet.
But I抦 still a guy.
Unless it抯 a cool Indy stripe on a classic muscle car or a set of sweet new rims梖loofy, purely decorative touches don抰 really impress me.
Until now.
Dean wasn抰 kidding when he said Lainey practiced modern-day witchcraft梑ecause when Violet and I walk into their backyard, it抯 been transformed into a magical wedding wonderland梐nd I抦 damn impressed.
Every surface and corner are accented with bunches of pale-pink roses, swirling silver ribbons and tall glass-encased white candles. The pristine lake is a stunning backdrop for a long, rose-petal-strewn path, with a dozen rows of white wooden chairs on each side, each with an elegant pink seat cushion and a gossamer bow tied in back. The aisle ends at the mahogany-stained dock with a tall wooden wedding trellis laden with soft pink roses and twining green ivy.
A section of violin, harp, and cello players梩hat I know is comprised of students from the high school orchestra梬arm up their instruments on the emerald grass to the right of the dock. Closer to the house is a huge open-sided white tent with a square oak dance floor in the center. Surrounding the dance floor are round light-pink cloth-covered tables with tall rose-filled silver vase centerpieces, shiny silver place settings, and a long buffet table of chafing dishes that extends across the entire back. Strings of clear bulbs hang overhead and unlit, wrought-iron tiki torches and firepit basins frame in the whole area.
Even the weather is perfect梐 cloudless, robin抯-egg blue sky, with a gentle crisp breeze off the water that keeps the sun from feeling too hot.
揌oly shit,?I say to Garrett, who meets us at the end of the aisle wearing a sharp black tux. He抯 in the wedding party, an usher, because Dean ended up asking Lainey抯 teenage son, Jason, to be his best man, as Garrett thought he should be.
My brother nods, eyes scanning the yard. 揇amn skippy.?
Then he gives Violet a peck on the cheek梩he same way he抎 greet my sister-in-law or one of Timmy抯 long-term girlfriends if he ever actually has one.
揋ood to see you again, Vi. You look beautiful.?
揟hanks, Garrett. It抯 good to see you too. This place looks incredible.?
揧eah, Lainey really kicked ass and took names. She told Dean her posts on the wedding preparations are the most viewed on her blog ever, and she抯 gotten a bunch of sponsors and advertising offers.?
揥ell deserved.?
Garrett nods and points at the chairs on the groom抯 side.
揥hy don抰 you guys sit down? The show抯 going to get on the road soon.?
In the first row, in the seat of honor, wearing a purple gown and matching hat, is Grams桪ean抯 petite firecracker of a grandmother who raised him. Beside her, looking blond and too young to have a son in his thirties, is Dean抯 mom. They抮e not super close but Dean was happy when she said she was flying in from Vegas for the wedding.
I tap Garrett抯 shoulder. 揑抣l see you later.?
We find seats in the same row as my parents, Tim, Ryan, and Angy. The place fills up quick梙alf the town is here and all of the high school faculty. I keep an eye out for Aaron, his girlfriend, Mia, and Brayden and Spencer. When I spot the four of them walking into the backyard, I lift my arm, waving them over to the last of the empty chairs beside me. Once they抮e seated, I tip back in my chair, gesturing to Vi.
揋uys, this is Violet. Vi, these are my boys桝aron, Brayden, and Spencer.?
The introductions come with an unashamed ring of pride梑ecause raising good kids is hard, being a good kid can be even harder, and I抳e seen enough to know that I抦 damn lucky to have three good ones I get to call my own.
Violet leans slightly over me, sending another hit of that delicious strawberry bubblegum scent my way. It makes me want to attach my mouth to the thrumming little pulse point in her neck for a deeper taste.
揑t抯 nice to meet you,?she tells them warmly.
Early on, I set a rule for myself that my sons wouldn抰 meet a woman I was dating unless it was getting serious. Stability is important and I wouldn抰 want them getting attached to someone who may not stick around. I don抰 want them thinking it抯 normal or expected for people to fade in and out of each other抯 lives. Despite my current situation with their mother, I want them to have the chance to believe that love can last a lifetime.