19. Brandy

19

Brandy

A s soon as I pulled up to the ranch the next day, emotion clogged my throat. Oakley and Charlotte had done so well decorating the red barn to make it everything Lettie had dreamed of. She wanted to recite their vows in the barn she and Bailey refurbished shortly after Lettie returned from Boise last year.

White streamers hung from the rafters, and the large double doors were open wide to showcase the setup. Strings of lights weaved with the streamers, hanging low above the chairs lining the aisle. They had moved the family horses into the stalls for tonight specifically. Avery, who was also the flower girl for the wedding, had brought up that they should be able to watch, too, and Lettie agreed, so Bailey followed through on the request.

“You gonna keep gawking or come inside to get ready?” Lettie called from the porch as Rouge, her and Bailey's Australian Shepherd, came darting out to greet me. After a quick pet, he ran off toward the barn, disappearing from sight.

I adjusted the bag in my hand so I could turn away and wipe underneath my eyes just in case a tear had slipped free.

“Are you crying?” she asked in disbelief.

“No,” I said with a sniffle, crossing the driveway to meet her on the porch. She was already wearing her white “bride” robe, and by the looks of it, she had mine in her hands. “Just got some dust in my eyes.”

Lettie walked beside me as we headed inside her parents’ house. “My mom spent all night cleaning that barn top to bottom, so I know that’s a lie.”

“There’s still dirt on the ground, you know.” I looked around at the setup they’d put together in the living room—a giant mirror with little stations to do our makeup at. There was water, champagne, whiskey, and a delicious looking charcuterie board on the coffee table.

Lettie led me down the hall rather than to the living room. “You make a valid point.”

The way her words dropped off indicated she wished I’d continue. Tell her I was crying over my best friend getting married tonight. To her brother’s best friend, of all people.

But I wasn’t sure if I was emotional over today in general, or everything all at once. I still hadn’t recovered from the trip to Utah, given my one day to do so involved finding out my father was back after disappearing for years. Now my mind was just a complicated mess of thoughts, the pressure getting to be too much, like a soda being shaken up with the cap still on.

But I wouldn’t blow. Especially not today.

Today was for Lettie and Bailey, for love and happiness and big feelings.

“What’s wrong?” Lettie asked, stopping me in the hallway outside her old room.

I tried my best to look confused. “Why would something be wrong?”

She frowned. “You’re my best friend. I can tell when something is up.”

I shrugged. “Where’s Sage and Oakley?”

“In the backyard spraying glitter in Avery’s hair.” She pinned me with her eyes. “Now talk.”

“It’s your wedding day—”

“And you’re my best friend. Nothing comes before us.”

I chewed on my bottom lip, hating that she used the best friend card on me. “Lettie—”

Her glare only intensified. “If I have to pry it out of you, I’m going to be real upset.”

“My dad is in town.”

Instantly, her face softened, then contorted in confusion. “I’m sorry. What?”

I nodded.

“For how long?” she asked.

I glanced down the hallway to be sure no one was coming. “I’m not sure. I didn’t really say much to him.”

“You saw him?”

I nodded again, pasting on a smile this time, though it was clearly fake. “In the flesh.”

“Did he say anything to you?” Her underlying question of if he touched me hung in the air, not needing to be spoken aloud. I hadn’t told her when it first started happening as a kid, but over the years, I confided in her. We didn’t talk about it much, but her knowing brought a small comfort.

I shook my head in silent response, then said, “Just the same old bullshit I’m used to.” I set my hands on her shoulders, gripping her gently. “I’m fine, Lettie. I promise. But seriously, the last thing I want to do on your wedding day is talk about my dad. Let’s get fucking wasted and have the best day.”

The corners of her mouth inched up the slightest, proving I did my job of deflecting well. “We can get wasted after the vows. I want to remember that, at least.”

“Oh, I’m sure after tonight, you’ll remember all of it, regardless of how drunk we get.”

“Brandy will forget after one glass of champagne. We all know it,” Oakley teased, coming around the corner at the end of the hallway.

My smile lit up as Sage popped up behind her, Avery with her glittering hair on her heels. They each wore their own “bridesmaid” robes, while Avery wore one that said “flower girl” in the top right.

Avery ran in my direction, throwing herself at me. I caught her under the armpits, lifting her above my head before plopping her back on the ground. After Callan and Sage got pregnant and started hanging around the house more, Avery had become my mini best friend, always wanting to help with the horses I was working with. She never failed to come up with the best ideas for desensitizing the more skittish ones.

“I’m the flower girl!” Avery reminded me for the hundredth time.

“I see that. I like the added touch of sparkles, too. Never seen another flower girl with that,” I said, looking down at her.

“Really?” she asked.

I nodded. “Make sure to take lots of pictures today so all of this goes down in history, alright?”

“History?” she questioned. “Like, old stuff?”

Behind her, Sage laughed with a hand on her belly.

Oakley pressed her lips together to hide her smile as Lettie said, “Great. Me getting married means I’m old.”

I gave her the side eye. “Please don’t get all emotional now.”

“Better now than after her makeup is done,” Sage said. She had a point.

“I won’t,” Lettie declared a little too confidently.

Oakley cocked a brow at her. “Oh, really? No, am I making a mistake sob sessions?”

Lettie shrugged. “I avoided him for so long and he never gave up. I don’t think me saying yes to him could ever be considered a mistake.”

“True,” I agreed. “He really is a lost puppy around you.”

“A puppy?” Avery piped in.

“Oh, no,” Oakley muttered. “You did it now.”

“Not an actual puppy,” Sage told her.

“Speaking of, how’d that fish tank fiasco go?” I asked.

“A little love goes a long way, if you know what I mean,” Lettie answered with a wink.

Oakley let out a snort, shaking her head.

Bailey was down bad for my best friend. So much so that he’d let her keep her horse inside if she really wanted to.

“Are there going to be puppies today?” Avery asked, jumping back to the puppy situation with so much hope in her tiny voice.

Sage gave me a did you have to say that word look. I nearly laughed. The last thing she needed with a baby on the way was another pet. Callan had already gotten Avery her dream animal, and while that was going well in itself, they certainly didn’t need more on their plate at the moment.

I set a hand on Lettie’s arm. “Come on, ladies. Let’s go get ready to watch Lettie and Bailey kiss.”

“As if we don’t see that every day,” Oakley muttered as we headed down the hall toward the living room.

“They’re going to kiss?” Avery questioned.

Sage sent another glance in my direction. I really needed to stop bringing shit up in front of the kid. Soon, she’d know all about the birds and the bees. Then Callan would have a real problem on his hands.

Charlotte joined us to get ready in the living room as we all shared stories about Lettie’s years-long avoidance of Bailey, and for those couple hours of laughing, snacking, and drinking, I almost forgot about all the bad things.

Almost.