It was a simple little ice blue box with a perfectly wrapped white ribbon on it. Before I lifted the lid, I knew exactly who it was from, though that didn’t lessen my shock when I saw the shiny necklace looking back at me. It was a beautiful, delicate white gold chain with a large diamond in the middle and two stones on either side.

“Wow, that’s so gorgeous.” Lauren peered over the top of the box.

“It really is,” Alexa agreed. “Are those emeralds?”

“No.” I shook my head as a small smile crossed my lips. “They’re peridots, the birthstone for August.”

“Oh my God…” Alexa took a step back, tilting her head to the side as she laughed incredulously. “Lucy and Piper’s birthstone.”

I nodded at her as a tear rolled down my cheek.

“No. No. No crying,” Lauren squeaked as she jumped up and grabbed a tissue off the desk. “Your make-up looks fantastic. No more crying.”

“Sorry.” I sniffled as she wiped my eyes.

Alexa took the box from me and set it back on the desk. “Hurry up. Get in your dress so I can put that thing around your neck.”

Lauren unzipped the bag and pulled my dress out as Alexa helped me undo my buttons. “Do you think he knew, about the birthstones?”

“He knew.” I nodded confidently. “He pays attention like that.”

“Wait.” Alexa stood up and stared me square in the eye, pulling her perfect brows in tight. “Did you get him a wedding present?”

My face grew hot as I looked toward the ground, not wanting the girls to see me.

Alexa gasped. “What did you do?”

“Nothing,” I snapped defensively. “I’m not telling you guys. It’s embarrassing.”

“Like hell you aren’t.” Lauren was practically drooling as she abandoned my wedding dress and sat on the edge of the couch. “Spill it, girl.”

Sighing, I peeked around the corner to make sure Brody’s mom wasn’t coming down the hallway. I closed the door quietly and plopped down on the bed, dropping my head into my hands. After another deep breath, I looked at Alexa and Lauren, pleading with my eyes. “You guys can’t tell anyone, promise?”

They nodded in unison, both of them leaning forward slightly.

“Okay, here goes. You know how sometimes women get those photo shoots done in like, lingerie and stuff for their boyfriends or husbands?”

Lauren sat up straight, clapping her hands like a teenager. “Oh my God, yes! Like a boudoir photo shoot?”

The back of my neck heated as I nodded. “Well, I did that. Some in lingerie and some in… hockey stuff, like his jersey and helmet. Stuff like that.”

“Holy shit, you’re the coolest wife ever! I got Derek a flask for our wedding. He was so excited I thought he was gonna hump it.” Alexa rolled her eyes.

“You are the coolest ever.” Lauren’s sparkling eyes were wide as can be. “I’m not brave enough to do something like that. Good for you.”

I shrugged. “I just wanted to step out of the box. You know how shy I can be when it comes to certain things. I wanted to shock him a little.”

Lauren stood and picked up my wedding dress again, carrying it over to me. “Put this on. We gotta move. Did you give them to him yet?”

“I was too chicken,” I admitted, glancing back and forth between the two of them, “so I left the album in a pretty box in the workshop, where the boys are hanging out right now, with a note that read Open when you’re alone.’”

“Oh, great. So if he’s hard when we walk into the barn, we’ll know why,” Alexa joked.

“Deep breath. You ready, kiddo?” Fred squeezed my hand as we stood on the side of the barn all alone, waiting for the bridesmaids to finish walking in. I would’ve given anything to see Lucy and Piper walk down the aisle, tossing their flowers as they grinned at all the attention, all while leading Diesel down with them, our rings tied around his neck. Thank God for videographers. When Brody told me he wanted Diesel in the wedding, I laughed at first. I thought he was kidding. He looked offended, whining that my babies were in the wedding; he wanted his baby to be too. So we went out and bought an ice blue leash and collar to match the tux Brody’d had made for him.

“I’m so ready. I can’t wait to see him. Them. Everyone.” My stomach twisted and churned as I listened intently for the barn doors to close. That was our cue to move to the front and wait for them to open back up.

“Did you guys decide what you were doing with your vows? Your mom mentioned you were talking about it the other day,” he asked, trying to keep me calm and distracted.

“We decided to go with traditional vows. Actually, I decided. I can’t help it. There’s something romantic about reciting the same promise that people have been saying for decades and decades.”

“I think that’s sweet.”

I reached out and straightened the collar of Fred’s tux. “I think you’re sweet, Fred. You look so handsome.”

He lifted his hand and gently rubbed my cheek with the back of his fingers. “No one’s gonna be looking at me, baby girl.”

“Stop it.” I lifted my eyes toward the sky as I waved at them to keep them dry. “No crying before the wedding. It’s a rule.”

Fred laughed as we heard the doors close. “Here we go.” He smiled.

He offered his arm to me, which I gladly accepted. My heart started beating faster with each step we took toward the barn entrance, and suddenly I was worried that I was going to pass out. The barn doors would open and people would turn to watch the bride walk, but instead they’d see me lying in a heap on the ground with Fred standing over me, not sure what the hell to do.

Maybe we should have just eloped.

Seconds before a full-blown panic attack took over my whole body, the rusty hinges of the barn door squeaked, and Big Mike’s face smiled at me as he pushed one of the barn doors open. Shea’s new husband, Ricky, opened the other one.

“Looking good, sis.” He grinned as he shifted the door all the way open and stood behind it.

The minute the doors opened a weird calm washed over me, taking my jittery nerves right along with it. I glanced over the sea of fifty or so of our family and best friends and immediately looked for Brody.

I needed to find him.

I needed to see him, but the sun was in my eyes.

The band started playing “Here Comes the Bride” softly and we started walking. Two steps into the barn and the sun shifted, allowing me a clear view of the front of the barn.

There he stood. My man. Looking sharper than I’d ever seen him in his black tuxedo with a black vest underneath, slightly different from his groomsmen, who wore ice blue vests under their jackets. Brody stood tall, calm and cool as ever, until we locked eyes. That’s when the mood shifted from light to intense. I bit my lip hard, determined to keep it together and not cry the whole way down the aisle. I recalled Fred saying something to me, but I couldn’t for the life of me remember what it was. All I could focus on was Brody.

When we finally, after what felt like twenty minutes, reached the front of the barn, I was desperate to touch Brody but needed to wait my turn. Fred turned and gave me a slow kiss on the cheek, lingering for just a second before he turned to Brody. Fred offered his hand, but Brody grabbed his shoulders and pulled him in for a bear hug as our guests chuckled. They pulled apart and Fred joined my mom in the front row, squeezing her hand as he sat down. I stepped toward Brody and reached for his hands.