The Best for Last by Maria Geraci Page B

sit in.
    â€œYoo-hoo!” Betty Jean cried, not bothering to lower her voice despite the fact that they were in a church. “Sit here, handsome!”
    No one else, not Shea or Pilar or any of her other friends, offered to make room in their pews, so he reluctantly took the seat next to Betty Jean, who looked absolutely thrilled.
    Steve glanced her way again and this time they both couldn’t help but smile. Just a little. And in that moment they were completely in sync, as though they were sharing a private joke, and it was as if the past week had never happened.
    She could feel her eyes begin to well up. She ducked back in the vestibule.
    â€œKitten!”
    She jumped, startled to see her dad walking toward her. He’d gone off to speak to Reverend Donalan about the vows, but now it was just the two of them, waiting for their cue to take their places at the front of the church.
    â€œAll you crying?” he asked with concern. He took a handkerchief from the breast pocket of his jacket and offered it to her.
    â€œI’m just so happy for you, Daddy.” She carefully blotted her cheeks so that she didn’t mess up her makeup (or smear off the hemorrhoid cream beneath it, because who knew how puffy those bags would be without it?). Mallory had done everyone’s faces this morning while Frank had made pancakes and Ginny and Greg had squeezed a whole bag of oranges to make the fresh juice for their mimosas. It had been a lovely wedding breakfast, except that no one had mentioned Steve’s absence. It seemed as if the entire family had written him off already.
    â€œI’m so nervous,” Dad admitted. “You’d think I was a kid.”
    Kitty smiled and straightened his tie for him. “You look very handsome. Sharon is going to swoon when she comes down the aisle and gets a look at you.”
    He grew somber. “You look beautiful today, Kitten.” For a second there, Kitty thought he was going to cry. But then he coughed to cover up the emotion behind the moment. He reached into his pocket once again and handed her a piece of paper. “I know this is a last minute thing, but Sharon and I would like you to read this during the ceremony.”
    Kitty quickly scanned the sheet in her hands. “It’s a scripture reading?”
    â€œSt. Paul to the Corinthians. You’ve heard it before I’m sure. Very popular at weddings,” he added with a wink.
    â€œI’d be happy to. Let me just read this over a couple of times so I don’t flub it up.”
    She went off into the corner of the room and read the scripture. Once quickly to make sure there weren’t any unfamiliar words, then again slowly to get the rhythm of the piece. Dad was right, she’d heard this countless times before. It was a beautiful piece and she was honored that they’d asked her to read it.
    Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous …
    It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things .
    Love never fails .
    She read it again. And then again.
    The words seemed to clang through her brain. Over and over until she could feel those blasted tears again and the sound of Steve’s voice saying, “ Listen, baby, you know me. Don’t you ?”
    He had to love her. Didn’t he? She felt it more strongly than anything she’d felt before. Just because he hadn’t said it last night didn’t mean it wasn’t true. Maybe he didn’t even know it himself. How could a man who’d spent the past week trying to make her father’s wedding day the most special day it could be not love her?
    The only time she’d ever doubted it was when someone else had planted an insecurity. Not because they were being cruel or mean but because they loved her, and they didn’t know him. Not like she did.
    â€œ Baby, you know me. Don’t you ?”
    Yes. She knew him. And she loved him. Maybe it was as simple as