Chapter 8

• “How are you doing?” Rhonda leaned against the doorframe and looked at the woman slumped on the couch.
• Rachel smiled. “I think we’re going to be okay now.” She looked down at the towel she had wrapped around her. “Good thing baby didn’t make me sick after I was in my gown.” She smiled at the other woman. “Those crackers were a miracle, thank you.”
• Rhonda nodded. “One of my friends, before she moved away on me, went through it with all three of her pregnancies.” She smirked. “At least it chose now and not when you were in the middle of the ceremony.”
• Rachel stood up slowly. “Wouldn’t that be something, throwing up on Dillan as he’s marrying us?” She grinned. “I think we’re good now. Whew.”
• Kasey came flying around the corner in a silk slip. She stopped and looked at Rachel. “You’re okay now?” Rachel nodded. “Oh, good. It’s time to get dressed.” She put her hand on her stomach and took a deep breath. “We’re getting married!” She bounced, turned and ran out of the room.
• Rhonda looked at Rachel and shook her head. “She makes me dizzy.”
• Rachel laughed and fixed her towel. “You get used to it.” She took a deep breath. “I’d be bouncing around too if I didn’t think I might throw up.”
• Rhonda ran her hand down her arm. “The baby wouldn’t dare.” She smirked. “Let’s go get dressed.”
• Patrick stood back and looked at the four men. “Well aren’t you going to shock some ladies?”
• Chris grinned and adjusted the collar of his short black jacket and glanced down at the dark blue kilt he wore. “At least it’s fairly warm out today. Owen was afraid it would snow and we’d have frozen knees.”
• Patrick smirked. “Or other parts.”
• Dade walked in laughing. “Doc’s about to pass out soon. Who would have thought he’d be the nervous one?” He stopped and looked in the mirror. The brown pants he wore seemed to make the white kaftan shirt brighter. Then he glanced at Owen walking in wearing a green kilt. “At least my bare ass isn’t hanging out.”
• Owen looked behind him. “Neither is mine.” He motioned to the door behind him. “Doc thinks he needs some Ativan or something.”
• Chris shook his head. “Yes, because Rachel would be real pleased if we showed up with a half unconscious groom for her.”
• “I don’t want to be unconscious,” Steven mumbled as he walked in. “Just would like my damn knees to stop shaking.” He stood back and placed a hand on his stomach and breathed slowly as he looked in the mirror. The dark gray kilt stood out against the black jacket he wore. “At least I look good.” He turned to see Patrick shaking his head at him.
• “I think I’ll do the driving if it’s all the same to you.”
• Steven nodded and took another deep breath.
• Patrick glanced at his watch. “We should get going, the brides can be late, not the three of you.”
• Owen grinned. “Yeah, that wouldn’t be a good start.”
• Chris winced. “No, would definitely put a damper on the honeymoon.”
• They all stopped and watched as Steven bent over, placing his hands on his knees. He took a few deep breaths then straightened. “Let’s go.”
• Steven picked at the vines covering the arbor. He glanced quickly to Chris. “Aunt Godzilla keeps looking at me like I’m an infection.”
• Chris smirked into his hand. “Did you see her hat?”
• “Yeah, it looks like a bird bath.”
• Owen looked around at all the faces he didn’t recognize. “Shouldn’t they be here by now?” He put his head down and exhaled. “Does anyone else feel like a window display?”
• Dade grinned and watched the minister that he vaguely recognized from a few gatherings walk towards them, Dillan…something. “I was told to put the chairs in a circle around the arbor, so I did.”
• Owen smoothed his hands down his jacket again. “Yeah, well standing here waiting is making me feel a little exposed.”
• Dade smirked. “Wind picks up and you will be more than a little exposed.”
• “Rhonda’s here.” Chris said quietly.
• Patrick leaned forward in his seat, when he saw her he stood and began walking toward her. Rhonda walked down the path. She wore a turquoise dress that hugged her tiny body, displaying that she was not as young as her face led you to believe. The sleeves were long and loose and hung past her hands; she wore no gloves this time.
• He smiled and kept walking to her. The fabric dipped down in the front to reveal those freckles. With his eyes wandering lower he saw the curve of her hip and wished for a moment he was walking behind her instead.
• Rhonda stopped in front of him and grinned. “Don’t you look handsome all cleaned up, Mr. Blaine.” She reached up and adjusted his tie.
• He smiled down at her. “You’re the prettiest sight I’ve ever seen. I’m glad I didn’t see your dress beforehand.” He leaned down and kissed her exposed neck. “With your hair up like this you make me think naughty things.”
• She smiled and put her arm through his as he turned to go back to the seats. “Wait until the men see their brides then. You have to get pictures of their faces for me.” She held out her wrist, a camera hanging from a strap. “I promised them I’d capture the initial expressions.”
• He took the camera as they reached the seat. “They can’t look any different than when the women approach the fire to dance.”
• Cora was the first to come down the path. She walked with that slow, long stride of hers and smiled at everyone. When she reached the edge of the circle at the west position, she looked to Dade.
• His eyes moved over her slowly, noting how the front of her gown dipped low. He sighed. He was willing to bet that there was nothing between that gown and her warm skin. A long slender leg wrapped in black was showing out of the slit in the gold skirt. Placing his hand over his heart, he smiled at her. His witch was actually a goddess. He walked slowly to stand beside her. “You are gorgeous,” he said quietly taking her hand and turning to glance at the path.
• “You’re looking pretty gorgeous yourself.” She glanced up at his ponytail. “I’ll be taking that out later.”
• He smirked and squeezed her hand.