My father walked up to me and smiled. “Whitley,” he barely said. “My God…you are the most stunning creature I’ve ever seen. That bastard better know how lucky he is.”

I smiled as my father held out his arm. I took it and turned to where the love of my life was waiting. I watched as Kate took off down the sidewalk, skipping and dropping white and red rose petals along the way. Jen went next, trying to quietly tell Kate to slow down.

Oh my God. I’m getting married. I think I’m going to puke.

My father placed his hand on top of mine. “Breathe, Whit. Just take deep breaths.”

Courtney was up last, and she started to walk, but then she stopped and turned to look at me. “I love you, Whitley. Layton is one lucky son of a bitch.”

“That’s what I said!” my father said with a laugh.

When Courtney went up and over the hill, they changed the music to the wedding march.

I looked at my father. “Dad…I can’t move.”

“Do you love him, Whitley?”

I closed my eyes and pictured Layton’s face with his beautiful blue eyes and smile that melted my heart every time. I could hear him whispering in my ear how much he loved me as we made love. I snapped my eyes open and looked at my father.

“More than anything. I love him so much, Daddy. It scares me.”

“Then, are you ready to marry him?”

I smiled and nodded. I started down the path that would lead me to Layton. As we turned the corner, I saw all of the chairs filled with people.

Oh shit. Who in the hell are all of these people? I don’t remember inviting all of them.

I started to slow down.

My father whispered, “Whit, look at him. Look at Layton.”

I snapped my eyes up, and immediately, I was looking at Layton. I sucked in a breath of air. “Oh…God…” I whispered.

He had the biggest smile on his face. He looked so handsome, and I instantly felt that familiar ping between my legs. He was dressed in a black tux with a silver vest and light silver–blue tie.

As we drew closer, I felt my stomach twisting and turning. Layton walked up, and my father leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Layton pulled back and just stared at my father in horror as everyone started laughing. I turned and tilted my head as my father kissed me on the cheek.

“Take care of my little girl. She’s my whole world,” my father said.

“She’s my whole world, too, sir.” Layton looked into my eyes.

As soon as his hands touched mine, I was suddenly calm.

We turned and walked up to the preacher.

Layton just stared at me. “My God, you’re the most stunning, breathtakingly beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

I was just about to say something when Kate piped up and said, “Thank you, Uncle Layton!”

We all looked down toward Kate and laughed.

Layton squatted down and used his finger to call Kate over to him. “I was talking to Whit, baby girl, but you…my goodness. You look like a princess. You take my breath away, too.”

Kate wrapped her arms around Layton’s neck as I fought to hold back tears from watching the display. As Layton stood, I was hit with the notion that I wanted to have a baby. I wanted to start a family right away. Layton turned back toward the preacher.

I held up my hand. “Um, Layton…can I ask you something?” I whispered.

Layton looked between the preacher and me. “Uh, of course, sweetheart.”

I leaned in and whispered in his ear, “I want to have a baby—right away.”

He stepped back and looked at me as a smile spread across his face. He pulled me to him and kissed me with so much passion that I wanted to let out a moan.

“Um…we haven’t gotten to that part yet, y’all,” Reed said as he tapped us both on the shoulders.

Layton smiled against my lips. “I love you so damn much, Whitley.”

“I love you, too, so very much.”

Chapter Thirty-One: Layton

I sat and watched Whitley making her way around to everyone, thanking them for coming. Her smile would always be my undoing. I was still flying high from her telling me she wanted to start trying for a baby right away.

Reed walked up and slapped me on the back as he sat down. “How’s it feel?”

“Amazing, like I’m flying high, and I don’t want to ever come down.”

Reed smiled. “What did Whitley’s dad say to you?”

I shook my head and laughed. “He told me his best friend was part of the mafia in New York, and all it took was one phone call, so I’d better never hurt his baby girl.”

Reed threw his head back and laughed his ass off. “And Whit? What did she say to you?”

I looked at Reed and smiled. “She wants to try for a baby right away.”

Reed reached his hand out for mine. “That’s awesome, dude. I’m so happy for both of you.” He took a sip of Shiner Bock.

I watched him as he looked out toward the dance floor. Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman” was playing, and Courtney was dancing with Kate all over the dance floor.

“She looks stunning in that dress.” I looked at Court and then back at Reed.

“Yeah, she does. Too bad that f**ker boyfriend of hers is ignoring her while he’s over there talking to Karen Rhodes. Who talks to his ex-fiancée at a wedding where his current girlfriend is the maid of honor?” Reed asked.

I took a sip of beer and nodded. I’d already noticed how Mitch had been talking to Karen practically the whole night.

Courtney was now standing alone in the middle of the dance floor as Brad Paisley’s “I Can’t Change the World” began playing. Reed jumped up and made his way over toward her. She had started walking off the dance floor when he reached for her arm.

I sat there and watched the two of them dancing. I glanced over toward Mitch. He was so caught up in his conversation that he hadn’t even noticed them dancing.

Whitley walked up and grabbed my beer as she sat down. “Wow. This is exhausting.” Then, she noticed Reed and Courtney dancing. She sat up and dropped her mouth open. “Oh. My. God. They’re dancing together. Where’s Mitch?”

I gestured toward him and Karen.

Whitley turned, looked at them, and then back at me. “Who is she? He’s been ignoring Court and talking to her almost all night.”

“Old fiancée.”

“Prick.” Whitley turned back toward Reed and Courtney.

I noticed when Courtney quickly wiped a tear away.

I shook my head as Whitley took my hand in hers.

“What happened today?” she asked.

I glanced over at her and tilted my head. “What do you mean?”

She smiled and shook her head. “Don’t think I didn’t notice the black eye that someone had tried to cover up with makeup.”

I laughed as I took my beer back from her. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Mitch started egging Reed on for some reason. Started saying all this shit about Courtney. Reed asked him to stop, and Mitch wouldn’t. I have no idea what’s gotten into Mitch lately. But Reed got pissed and pushed Mitch. He told him to stop talking. The next thing I knew, Mitch was on top of Reed, punching him. I jumped up and tried to pull Mitch off of him, and he punched me by mistake.”

“What? Holy shit, Layton! Are you okay?” She put her hand on the side of my face.

I guided her hand up to my lips and kissed it. “Yeah, baby, I’m fine, but Reed’s nose wouldn’t stop bleeding for the longest time. I was sure it was broken.”

“What was Mitch saying that pissed Reed off?”

“He just kept talking to Kevin about how good Courtney was in bed. Mitch has never talked about anyone like that. He was clearly trying to get Reed worked up, almost like he wanted Reed to go after him. Then, he mentioned something about being sick of this shit. I’m assuming he meant Court and Reed.”

Whitley sat back in the chair. “Huh, how weird. Courtney mentioned that Mitch has been working really late a lot and going into town all the time. She said she feels like they’re drifting apart.”

I didn’t want to say anything to Whitley until I had proof, but I was pretty sure Mitch was cheating on Courtney. Richard had mentioned how he’d thought he saw Mitch coming out of Karen’s house one night, but he wasn’t one hundred percent sure it had been Mitch.

I’ll kill that f**ker if I find out he’s cheating on Courtney.

The DJ got on the speaker and announced it was time for the bride’s and groom’s songs. Whitley and I had decided we would each pick a song. We had drawn straws to see whose would get played first. I’d won.

As we walked out to the dance floor, I glanced over toward her father, who smiled at me.

Huh, that’s a change, considering he has been giving me the evil eye all night.

We stopped in the middle of the floor, and I used my finger to pull Whitley’s chin up. I looked into her beautiful green eyes.

“I love you so much, baby. I feel like this song was written just for you. If I could write you a song, this would be it.”

As Keith Urban’s “All For You” began playing, I pulled her against my body.

The words began, and she grabbed my shirt as she buried her head into my chest. I could feel her sobbing, so I held her closer to me. As she looked up into my eyes, my heart slammed into my chest, and I felt tears building.

“Please don’t cry.”

She smiled. “They’re happy tears. I’ve never been so happy in my life, Layton. Thank you.”

We danced in silence as I held her close to me.

The song ended, and the DJ announced that we had decided to do things differently with the last song being mine to Whitley, and now, it was time for her song to me.

“My turn,” she said with a wink. “Without your love, Layton, I don’t know how I could live. You’re not only the love of my life, but you’re also my best friend.”

Tim McGraw’s “My Best Friend” began playing as I looked into her eyes. This time, it was her turn to reach up and wipe away my tears.

“God, I love you so much. I just can’t even begin to tell you how much I love you.” I leaned down and gently kissed her lips.

She pulled back slightly and smiled. “How about if you show me later?”

I laughed as I pulled her closer to me.

As the night wore on, I was getting more and more pissed at Mitch. He’d only danced with Courtney once. The rest of the time she’d been dancing with Kate.

My heart was breaking, and I was just about to make my way over to talk to him. He was talking and laughing with Richard. Whitley stepped in front of me with that drop-me-to-my-knees smile of hers.

“You ready to leave?” She wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

All thoughts of Mitch quickly disappeared. “Fuck yeah, I am!” I said with a smile and a wink.

We had already done all the traditional stuff, like throwing the bouquet and garter belt. Now, it was time to leave.

We made our way to my truck, getting pelted with birdseed while bubbles surrounded us along the way, as everyone cheered us on. I was so glad Whitley hadn’t changed out of her wedding dress. I wanted to slowly peel it off of her. It was so damn beautiful that I almost wanted to make love to her while she was wearing it.