Della’s sob was followed by several others. My gaze moved back to Bethy, and I watched as she wiped away her own tears. Fate had given Woods another chance. I sure as hell hoped fate gave me one, too.
The crowd roared, and I turned back to see Woods dip Della back as he held her in his arms and kissed her. When he was finally done making out with his wife in public, he took her arm, and they walked back down the aisle as Mr. and Mrs. Woods Kerrington.
Thad stepped forward from behind me and took Braden’s arm as they followed the couple out. I waited for Bethy’s move. When she walked forward, I met her in the middle of the aisle and held out my arm for her to take. She slipped hers through mine, and I tucked it close to my body. It wasn’t the way the drill sergeant had told us to do it, but I didn’t give a shit. I’d just spent the last thirty minutes wanting to touch Bethy and not being able to. This was my excuse to get close to her, and I was taking it. She didn’t fight me; she let me keep her against me as we followed the others.
“You smell good,” I said as I bent my head down to inhale her sweet perfume.
She tensed but only for a moment. “Thank you,” she whispered.
I watched as Thad dropped his arm and Braden moved forward, looking around for her husband with a bright smile on her face. We were all supposed to go to the large tent set up for the reception in the center of the island. But unless Bethy pulled away from me, I wasn’t letting go.
Woods had stopped up ahead and was cradling Della’s face in his hands and kissing her. Again.
“Damn, man. Stop sucking her face off. You got the rest of your life for that. Let’s go party!” Thad called out.
Woods ignored him.
“I’m so happy for them,” Bethy said.
I was, too. “Yeah,” I agreed.
“Honeymoon starts after the reception. Brides are funny about that shit!” Rush called out.
This time, Della broke the kiss and looked back at us with laughter in her eyes. “You’re right. I want to dance with my husband,” she said.
The look of possessiveness on Woods’s face as she called him her husband didn’t go unnoticed by anyone.
“Wait until she realizes what happens every time she refers to him as her husband,” Blaire said as she and Rush stopped beside us.
Bethy laughed, but it wasn’t a full laugh. There was a sadness there. I fucking hated that. I didn’t want her sad. She’d been sad for so long.
“Let’s go party,” I said, stopping the blissful married sex talk and tightening my hold on Bethy as I led her toward the reception.
Once we reached the tent, Bethy pulled away and gave me a small, embarrassed smile. She hadn’t realized I was still holding on to her until that moment—it was obvious from the look on her face. She’d been comfortable with me holding her, and damn, I liked that. “You’ll be at the bride and groom’s table over there.” She pointed to the table closest to the dance floor, with the most elaborate centerpiece.
I hadn’t realized I wouldn’t be able to sit by her again. Did this mean I had to sit next to Charity? Shit.
“We’re here, Bethy,” Blaire called out to her from across the dance floor. They were also close to the dance floor but on the other side of the room.
“Enjoy the dinner,” she said before turning and walking away from me. I watched as her hips swayed and her satin dress moved over her ass. God, she was gorgeous. But then, she always had been.
“I believe you’re my dinner partner again tonight,” an unwelcomed female voice said, interrupting my thoughts.
I glanced over at Charity. She was beaming a little too brightly. Almost as if she was forcing her joy. This probably hadn’t been easy on her, either. She’d thought she would have a happily-ever-after once, too. It hadn’t turned out that way.
“Yeah, I’m sure we are,” I replied with a halfhearted smile, and motioned for her to lead the way.
Bethy
The tinkling sound of the spoon hitting the champagne glass quieted the room, and I turned around, knowing who had caught everyone’s attention. It was time for the maid of honor and the best man to make their speeches. I had tried to keep my eyes off that table since I sat down. I wasn’t a fan of the beautiful blonde, Charity.
Was I jealous?
Yes. Yes, I was.
Tripp grinned, and I was sure every single female guest melted a little. “It appears I’m going first,” he said, then cocked a teasing eyebrow at Braden. Laughter filled the tent.
“First of all, I’d like to take all the credit for this,” he said, waving a hand at Woods and Della. “I was the one who sent Della to Rosemary Beach, or back to Rosemary Beach. I had no idea she’d passed through months earlier. But regardless, she came back because of me.”
More laughter. It was no surprise Tripp was good at this. He had always been able to charm a crowd.
“I didn’t realize the infamous Woods Kerrington was in deep until the night he walked into my apartment for my welcome-home party. It’s a wonder I’m standing here today. The man had staked his claim, and he was prepared to take down anyone in his way.” He paused again while everyone laughed. They all knew exactly what he was referring to.
“Della’s special. I knew it the moment I met her. But I could see in her eyes the same lost soul I saw in my own mirror every day. We were kindred spirits. All I knew was that if I could go back to Rosemary Beach, then maybe I’d have a chance of finding myself. But I wasn’t ready. So I did the next best thing. I sent Della. If I wasn’t ready to help myself, I wanted to at least help her.” He stopped and looked down at Woods. “And I was right. When I look at Della now, that lost look is completely gone. There’s joy and love shining in her eyes.