She spotted her uncle Elijah dancing with Diane. The deejay was playing a slow song, and the two of them were bundled up so tightly together that it was like they were one body.
Oh, there was definitely something romantic going on between the two of them.
“I think my mama might be in love with your uncle.”
She turned to see Harmony standing next to her. “I think you might be right. Isn’t it great?”
Harmony’s lips curved. “It sure is. Your uncle is an amazing man. He’s flown out to Tampa a few times and stayed at Mama’s house. They get along well and Mama deserves to be happy. She’s been focused on work and on me and hasn’t taken the time to do anything for herself for as long as I can remember. It’s time she has some romance—some love—in her life.”
Mia draped an arm around Harmony’s shoulders. “I agree. They seem happy together.”
“I think so, too. Mama said Elijah would be willing to move to Tampa. Mama really doesn’t want to leave there. It’s home. And he likes it out there.”
“That’s awesome, Harmony. So maybe before long we’ll have another wedding in the family.”
Mia saw tears glisten in Harmony’s eyes. “Nothing would make me happier.”
She saw Barrett approach and put his arm around Harmony, then glare at Mia.
“Did you make my wife cry?”
Mia rolled her eyes. “I did not.”
“These are happy tears,” Harmony said. “I’ve been crying them all day, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“I understand why you’d cry. It’s pretty magical, being married to me.”
Mia made a gagging motion. “I might throw up.”
Harmony laughed.
“Suzanne said we have to do the flower and garter thing,” Barrett said.
“Oh, okay.” Harmony squeezed her hand. “You’d better be there to catch the bouquet.”
Not a chance. “Definitely.”
She watched them head off, Barrett taking Harmony’s hand. She pivoted and started back to her table, then spotted Nathan standing alone by the front of the barn.
Changing direction, she went to where he was leaning against the double-wide doors. He looked magnificent in his dark gray suit and his burgundy tie, his crisp white shirt making a nice contrast.
Of course, when didn’t he look amazing? Whether he was in jeans or dressed up like he was tonight, Nathan always made her catch her breath.
She shook her head, realizing she had it so bad for that man.
The doors were closed to keep the air conditioning in, but they’d put up clear doors to let in what light was left of the day.
“Pondering great things?” she asked.
He pushed off the wall and turned to face her, offering up a smile. “Nah, just taking a breather. You look beautiful.”
She looked down at her coral dress. She’d been a bridesmaid on more than one occasion. Some dresses she loved. Some she’d hated. This one she loved. It was comfortable and pretty and she could move in it. Both the color and the cut were flattering and she’d wanted to kiss Harmony right on the mouth after she’d chosen them. Every one of the bridesmaids looked like a million bucks in their dresses. What bridesmaid could complain about that?
“Thank you. You look pretty hot yourself.”
So hot, in fact, she wanted to touch him. But she was also mindful of the fact there were over a hundred people nearby, so she kept her hands to herself.
“How goes the wedding festivities and your duties as bridesmaid?”
“Duties are complete.”
Just then, the deejay announced that Barrett and Harmony would be tossing out the bouquet and garter.
“Shouldn’t you be up there fighting for the bouquet?” Nathan asked.
Mia twirled her olives on a stick around her martini. “Not on your life. What about you? Anxious to grab that garter?”
“Only if you’re wearing one.”
Her nipples tightened at the thought of him lifting her dress in search of a garter. “Now I might have to go steal it from the winner.”
“Yeah? And what if it’s one of your brothers?”
“Well, three of my brothers are now married and therefore ineligible. And if it’s Flynn . . . well, dammit.”
He laughed, then turned his head to the front of the barn when squeals of laughter and applause were heard.
Mia looked, too, as one of the wedding guests caught the bouquet. It was Harmony’s best friend, Alyssa.
Mia smiled. “That should make Harmony happy.”
“Here. Hold my beer.”
“Changed your mind about the garter?”
“You could say that.”
He shrugged out of his suit jacket and slung it over a nearby chair, then headed into the crowd of anxious men waiting for the garter.
Mia made her way to the front of the barn to watch.
Nathan had taken up position toward the back. Not a good sign. The garter didn’t weigh much, and wouldn’t fly like the heavier bouquet. But she mentally crossed her fingers for him anyway.
If anything, it would be fun to watch. She took a sip of her martini and got in closer.
“My money is on Flynn,” Amelia said, coming up to stand next to her. “I told him if he caught the garter I’d set a date for our wedding.”
Mia smiled. “Is that a point of contention?”
She shrugged. “He’s in a hurry. I’m not.”
Mia laughed.
Barrett took the garter off Harmony. She knew that wasn’t Harmony’s keeper garter, it was a spare for the throwaway.
Barrett stood with his back to the crowd of men, who all jostled each other out of the way. Nathan and Flynn elbowed each other, then a few other guys got into the mix.
“It’s a good thing Aubry’s a doctor,” Mia said. “We might need her after this.”
Amelia snickered.
And when Barrett threw it, the damn garter sailed like it had a football attached to it.
That’s when Nathan pushed his way into the crowd.
“Oh, my God,” Mia said.
Nathan caught the garter. And then he was tackled to the ground like he actually had a football in his hand.
Amelia took a sip of her wine. “This is even more entertaining than a football game.”
Mia laughed. “Right?”
Everyone laughed and applauded when Nathan stood, holding the garter up in his right hand.
“Guess I don’t have to pick a wedding date yet,” Amelia said. “Flynn will be so disappointed.”
“You’re so mean, Amelia.”
“Aren’t I? Now I’m going to refill my wineglass.”
Amelia wandered off, and Mia watched as Nathan and Alyssa had their photos taken with the newlyweds. When they were finished, Nathan made his way back to her. She handed his beer to him.
“Nicely done.”
“Thanks. I do like to win.”
“And you can take that winning attitude into this season with the Sabers.”
He took a long swallow of his beer. “Now you sound like my coach.”
She laughed.
“Okay, now come with me.”
She arched a brow. “Where are we going?”
“Someplace where we can be alone.”
She looked around. No one was watching them, so she laid her martini down on the table and followed Nathan outside. He took her to the barn where the wedding ceremony had been held. It was dark in there. The lights had been turned out, but all the chairs were still set up.
Nathan turned on the light switch and the room was bathed in all the beautiful lights from earlier.
He took her hand and led her to the back row of chairs.
“Take a seat.”
She did, and he knelt in front of her.
“You aren’t going to propose to me, are you?”
He laughed. “No.”
Instead, he pulled out the pretty beige-and-white garter. “This belongs on you.”
She inhaled a deep breath as he swept her dress up over her knees, then smoothed his hands over her legs.
“You know, as soon as we started talking about it, I had a visual in my head of you wearing this.” He slipped it over her right shoe then up along her calf, her knee, and slid it just above her knee, his fingers dancing along her skin.