“Ev,” Danni said, “you look so beautiful!”
I
chose a simple strapless silk gown that had a pink satin tie around the waist.
My dress was definitely a lot plainer than Danni or Sadie wanted me to get but
when I tried it on, it just felt right. It wasn’t the most extravagant dress in
the world but I knew the moment I put it on that it was the one for me. I would
marry Ryder Matthews wearing this dress. We’d all gotten ready at a nearby
salon and the girl that did my hair did a phenomenal job, twisting it up in an
intricate design and even adding a few rhinestones to it for a final touch. My
make up was simple with lots of light pinks and bare tones, and once I was in
my dress, I felt like I was in a fairytale. I looked and felt beautiful for the
first time in a very long time.
“See?
I told you the dress was perfect,” I said.
“Okay,
are you ready to do this?” Sadie said, smiling at me.
“More
than you could ever know,” I answered and she hugged me.
“I’m
so glad Ryder met you, Ev. You helped pull him out of the sadness he’d been in
since his parents died. He is more like his old self now because of you,” Sadie
said.
I
fanned my face with my hand and said, “Okay, girl, don’t make me cry. Let’s
save the tears for the wedding,” I said, and they all giggled.
“You
know, a few months ago I wasn’t sure if we’d ever get to have this after all
that happened. I just want to tell you before the wedding starts and we all
celebrate that I feel so blessed to be standing her with you, helping you get
ready for your wedding, Ev. You are my best friend and I love you so much,”
Danni confessed, tears glistening in her eyes.
I
pulled her into a hug and tried my best not to cry. “I love you too, Danni, and
I am blessed to have you here too. All of you,” I said, motioning for Jessie
and Sadie to join us.
After
hugging for a few moments, we broke apart and Jessie grabbed the bag that held
my dress for the reception (my sexy tight white dress that I’d be wearing when
we hit the Vegas strip later on after the ceremony) as she smiled and said,
“Okay, let’s go get you married!”
Soon
we were at the chapel and the guys were already waiting for the wedding to
start. Instead of matching everyone up and walking down the aisle in pairs, we
decided to have the guys already at the front of the chapel standing next to
Ryder. as the girls would walked in before me, leading my way. I ached to sneak
a peek at Ryder in his tuxedo but I controlled my impatience, knowing it would
only be a few more moments before our ceremony began.
As
the girls were getting ready to take their places, I took a moment and looked
at a picture I had in my hand…a picture of my dad. I held it and whispered,
“You knew I’d be here with Ryder when you met him, didn’t you, Daddy?” His
smiling face was staring at me from the photo and I grinned back as my fingers
touched the picture. “I wish you could be here with me today, but I know in
your own way you are, just like you always have been. I love you and miss you
every day, and do me a favor, will you? Keep rooting for me and being on my
side up there, old man.” I wiped a tear away and tucked the picture in my hand
with my bouquet.
Just
then, a shadow cast over my flowers and I smiled as I looked up at the big,
hulking man standing next to me, looking gorgeous in a tuxedo. “Well,” I said
to John, “you clean up nice, don’t you, big guy?”
He
smiled at me and said, “I do have my moments, Everleigh.” Holding out his arm
to me, he said, “Shall we?”
I
laced my arm through his and turned to hug him. “Thank you for giving me away,
John. This means so much to me.”
John
hugged me back and kissed the top of my head. “It means a lot to me too,
sweetheart. I am very honored that you asked me to do this for you.”
I
pulled away and looked up at him. “There was never anyone else I would have
asked. I love you, big guy.”
John
smiled
I
chose a simple strapless silk gown that had a pink satin tie around the waist.
My dress was definitely a lot plainer than Danni or Sadie wanted me to get but
when I tried it on, it just felt right. It wasn’t the most extravagant dress in
the world but I knew the moment I put it on that it was the one for me. I would
marry Ryder Matthews wearing this dress. We’d all gotten ready at a nearby
salon and the girl that did my hair did a phenomenal job, twisting it up in an
intricate design and even adding a few rhinestones to it for a final touch. My
make up was simple with lots of light pinks and bare tones, and once I was in
my dress, I felt like I was in a fairytale. I looked and felt beautiful for the
first time in a very long time.
“See?
I told you the dress was perfect,” I said.
“Okay,
are you ready to do this?” Sadie said, smiling at me.
“More
than you could ever know,” I answered and she hugged me.
“I’m
so glad Ryder met you, Ev. You helped pull him out of the sadness he’d been in
since his parents died. He is more like his old self now because of you,” Sadie
said.
I
fanned my face with my hand and said, “Okay, girl, don’t make me cry. Let’s
save the tears for the wedding,” I said, and they all giggled.
“You
know, a few months ago I wasn’t sure if we’d ever get to have this after all
that happened. I just want to tell you before the wedding starts and we all
celebrate that I feel so blessed to be standing her with you, helping you get
ready for your wedding, Ev. You are my best friend and I love you so much,”
Danni confessed, tears glistening in her eyes.
I
pulled her into a hug and tried my best not to cry. “I love you too, Danni, and
I am blessed to have you here too. All of you,” I said, motioning for Jessie
and Sadie to join us.
After
hugging for a few moments, we broke apart and Jessie grabbed the bag that held
my dress for the reception (my sexy tight white dress that I’d be wearing when
we hit the Vegas strip later on after the ceremony) as she smiled and said,
“Okay, let’s go get you married!”
Soon
we were at the chapel and the guys were already waiting for the wedding to
start. Instead of matching everyone up and walking down the aisle in pairs, we
decided to have the guys already at the front of the chapel standing next to
Ryder. as the girls would walked in before me, leading my way. I ached to sneak
a peek at Ryder in his tuxedo but I controlled my impatience, knowing it would
only be a few more moments before our ceremony began.
As
the girls were getting ready to take their places, I took a moment and looked
at a picture I had in my hand…a picture of my dad. I held it and whispered,
“You knew I’d be here with Ryder when you met him, didn’t you, Daddy?” His
smiling face was staring at me from the photo and I grinned back as my fingers
touched the picture. “I wish you could be here with me today, but I know in
your own way you are, just like you always have been. I love you and miss you
every day, and do me a favor, will you? Keep rooting for me and being on my
side up there, old man.” I wiped a tear away and tucked the picture in my hand
with my bouquet.
Just
then, a shadow cast over my flowers and I smiled as I looked up at the big,
hulking man standing next to me, looking gorgeous in a tuxedo. “Well,” I said
to John, “you clean up nice, don’t you, big guy?”
He
smiled at me and said, “I do have my moments, Everleigh.” Holding out his arm
to me, he said, “Shall we?”
I
laced my arm through his and turned to hug him. “Thank you for giving me away,
John. This means so much to me.”
John
hugged me back and kissed the top of my head. “It means a lot to me too,
sweetheart. I am very honored that you asked me to do this for you.”
I
pulled away and looked up at him. “There was never anyone else I would have
asked. I love you, big guy.”
John
smiled
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