Soft violin music filled the Whitmore garden as Brianna Carter stood at the start of the aisle, clutching her bouquet. Her heart beat so hard she could hardly hear the music.
Guests were now turned to watch her, as she looked every bit a bride straight from a magazine. The garden and it's set up looked perfect too, but not to Bri. This was a day she had dreaded for the last three months. She took a deep breath, blinking fast so she wouldn't cry.
Her eyes found Jake sitting near the front. He gave her a small, worried smile, his eyes suggesting that it wasn't too late...that she could still change her mind. Yes, his stare made her chest tighten, but there was no changing her mind. Not now. It was already too late. The guests were already seated, and although it was a private ceremony that the media was unaware of, she just couldn't walk away. She owed it to her grandmother Margaret who singlehandedly raised her up after her Mom's sudden passing.
Beside her, Anna, her best friend and Best maid, adjusted the edge of her veil and whispered, "It's okay, Bri. Just breathe."
Bri nodded, though she wasn't sure she believed it.
Anna stepped forward, beginning the short walk down the aisle, and when she reached the front, she turned and gave Bri a small nod. It was her turn.
Bri took a step forward as her heels pressed softly into the grass and tried to focus on the flowers, the faces.. anything but what was waiting for her at the end of the aisle. But when her eyes lifted, she saw him. William Whitmore was already watching her. Their eyes met across the distance, and for a moment, the world went quiet. His beautiful but sharp eyes held her there, caught between fear and something else she couldn't name.
Bri tried to look away, but she couldn't, his stare too intense as if he was studying her. He didn't move or smile. He simply stood there, tall and composed, his black suit fitting him perfectly, posture easy but commanding, and painfully handsome. Even from a distance, he looked like the kind of man who didn't have to try to be noticed.
Still, she lifted her chin and kept walking. Bri refused to shrink because of him . She might not belong in his world, but she wouldn't let his family and friends see how nervous she felt.
When she reached the front, she finally stopped. Up close, he was even taller than she remembered, his shoulders broad, his expression calm. He surprisingly smiled as he took her hand.
"Ready?" he asked quietly, his voice smooth.
"Do I have a choice?" she asked before she could stop herself.