Not Pippa.Phew. She didn’t actuallywant to rip that band-aid off just yet, but found she was proud ofher courageous attempt. Instead of a flabbergasted bride, Deniserushed in the doorway as soon as it was open.
Throwing her arms around Sophie, Denisestarted talking a mile a minute, her voice shaking with fury. “I amso sorry that woman got in. Are you okay? What a nightmare for you.Oh, I just hate that bitch.”
Nowthe waterworks started with anannoying combination of relief and irritation. She hated crying,but the release was welcome. Wishing she hadn’t already retouchedher makeup, Sophie gave up her last shred of control and let it allout. Between sobs, she managed, “I’m fine. Really.” Denise heldher, letting her cry out the last fifteen years of humiliation andfear.
Finally, the tears started to slow, andDenise stepped back. Smoothing Sophie’s hair maternally, the sideof her mouth rose in a kindhearted smile when she saw the darkmascara smudges. Linking arms with Sophie, she guided her back intothe bathroom. “I’m so proud of how you stood up to her. Now, you’dbetter get cleaned up and back out there before you’re missed.”
Asher stood back and watched, face pinched inindecision and concern. Tugging at his tie, he finally ditched theexcessive swath of fabric and tossed it across the room. LeavingSophie to clean up her now irretrievably destroyed makeup, Denisegrabbed her son and pulled him in for a squeezing bear hug.
“You did good out there,” Sophie heard Denisecomplimenting her son. “I’m glad Sophie has you to stand up forher.” She added, “And vice versa.”
A long pause. Sophie almost had the inkyblack scrubbed away from under her eyes but wasn’t sure theI’ve-been-crying red and puffy appearance was going anywhere.
Denise continued as she embraced her son,“I’m really happy for you both. Don’t worry about your sister. Idon’t blame you for waiting until after the wedding to tell her.She’s a bit high strung as it is. It may take a while for her tocome around, but she will.”
After another moment, Sophie heard the doorshut, and Asher popped into the bathroom and leaned back againstthe counter. “Don’t you have to give a toast pretty soon?”
Nodding bravely, Sophie checked herreflection one more time. Not quite as put together as she’d been afew hours ago, but she looked halfway decent.
Shoring up her courage, Sophie led the way,Asher following right behind. At the door, she dropped his hand.Tomorrow would be much better, when they didn’t have to hide. Thiswas stupidly stressful.
As they entered the crowded barn, dusk wasimminent, and the twinkling lights cast an enchanting glow on theroom. Clinking his glass, Grady cleared his throat and began histoast. The room immediately stopped their reveries to listen. Nowonder he was already a popular attorney in town despite being inpractice little more than a year; his words, spoken in the richtambour of his voice, were mesmerizing.
Sophie wasn’t sure she could come close tomatching that toast. A few fun lawyerly jokes, childhood stories,and hopes for the future. Damn, he was good. She’d had severaltoasts written and rewritten, stuffed in her coat pocket in thebridal suite. In the chaos, she’d forgotten her notes. She didn’tlike any of them now anyway.
Cheers rang out and glasses clankedtogether.
Okay, here goes nothing.
Walking up to the dessert table where thebride and groom waited, Grady flashed her an encouraging wink andhanded her the glass he’d reserved for her. For all their issues afew days ago, he’d sure turned out to be a good friend now that theair was clear.
The room went silent, waiting to hear herspeak. Sophie had never had the ability to speak easily in front ofa crowd, but she’d never feared public speaking either.
“As Grady just described, we are allincredibly lucky to be in the presence of such a beautiful union. Idon’t have quite the oratory skills he has, so don’t mind me whileI gulp down my champagne for courage,” she joked and took a bigswig. She didn’t need it, but it bought her a second to collect herthoughts.
Worked every time. The crowd chuckled rightalong with her, boosting her confidence the shred it needed so shecould continue. “Alright. Ready now.”
Sophie would like to think that she wowedthem with her oratory prowess. Maybe, maybe not. She got a fewlaughs talking about the oddity of Washingtonians and theirdistaste for umbrellas. A few tears when she talked about howLincoln and Pippa reunited and had fallen even more in love afterthe years spent apart.
She’d seen Pippa and Lincoln take things sopainfully slowly in their meticulous planning, she wouldn’t havebeen able to stand it. She’d been the result of a rushed, butdevoted relationship, her parents marrying and having her when theywere still children themselves. Although she hadn’t been old enoughto notice, she’d heard stories of how the first year or two ofsettling in were rough on the young couple.
Things between her and Asher had become sopowerful, so quickly. But she was certain their love for each otherwas so very real. Perhaps the truth to a successful marriage wassomewhere in between?
Her gaze wandered to Asher standing a fewfeet away as she wrapped up her toast. “Falling in love is easy.Fostering a relationship that survives time and hardship… that’s asign of a special bond.” Raising her glass, she saluted herfriends, “To an enduring, loving marriage.”
Pippa was watery eyed by the time shefinished. Politely, they cut the cake, not smearing too muchfrosting on each other. Just enough to tenderly kiss away the strayfrosting bits. Sophie had little doubt the adorable andnon-messiness had been premeditated.
Joining her as she backed away from thedessert table, Asher pulled her to stand with him for cake cuttingand dancing. He whispered in her ear, distancing himself just farenough to avoid looking intimate. “Nicely done. But you forgot togive a special announcement to Pippa, ‘and please don’t kill mewhen I tell you I’ve completely fallen in love with your brotherand plan to ride him like the stallion he is. All night long.’”
Taking another sip of champagne to hide thelusty blush heating her cheeks, she laughed, “Actually, Iconsidered threatening all the women here to stop giving you theirnumbers. Announce that you’re off the market.”
He grabbed her glass and set it on the tablenext to her. Pulling her over for a dance as the music started, hewhispered again, “None of them hold a candle to you. It’s a smalltown; word travels fast. I’ll tell five people here that I’m madlyin love with you and the whole town will know within a week.”
Grinning, she twirled into his arms andglided with him across the dance floor.
21
All Night Long
