32. Daddy Wilson

Baby Girl: You always manage to be perfect, especially when I don’t expect it. Today didn’t need to be about me.

Me: For me, every day will be about you.

Baby Girl: Again with the too sweet.

Me: How’s it going?

Baby Girl: Avery seems happy.

I stared at the message, annoyed. As much as I wanted my daughter to be happy today, it shouldn’t be at the expense of the woman I loved. Dammit. I shouldn’t have had to dance such a fine line. I wanted them both to be happy.

The idea of walking away from Wren was inconceivable, and yet I didn’t want to trade my relationship with my daughter. Worse, I didn’t want to ruin the girls’ relationship, and I had. Making them both unhappy was a knife in my chest.

I understood why Avery was upset. In my ideal world, I would have talked to her first. When it didn’t work out that way, I should have forced her to talk to me. But I hadn’t wanted to push. Now I was questioning myself and messing things up with Wren. It felt like I was losing the two most important people in my life, and I didn’t know how to fix it.

Lunch had been easy. Chris was on cloud nine, without even a hint of any cold feet. I hadn’t expected any issues, but it was a comfort to know my daughter was in good hands.

Pacing outside the bridal suite, I checked my watch, then finally knocked on the door.

Jana answered, her eyes bright and her smile wide. “Hey, Mr. Wilson,” she chirped. “Welcome to the party.” She tilted her head, and her red curls brushed her bare shoulders.

“Everyone decent?” I asked.

“Yeah, Dave’s been in here for a while.”

“Perfect.” I forced a smile and stepped inside. I never let myself get jealous of Avery’s stepfather, and I wouldn’t start now.

“You look beautiful Avy.” I swallowed. All grown up and ready to start her new life.

“Thanks.” She beamed and then held out her hand to me. “You got the perfect something blue.”

I smiled. “It seemed like you.”

“And it matches the earrings Chris got me.” She tucked her hair over her shoulder.

“He has good taste.” I assured her. “And not just in jewelry.”

She rolled her blue eyes.

“I just want to say I’m sorry.” I stepped closer.

“No.” She shook her head. “We’re going to pretend like none of it happened. Just move on.”

That was a hard statement to swallow. I was willing to give her the happy wedding day. I wanted it for her. But I couldn’t pretend Wren and I had never happened.

Avery turned back to her mother, and my attention got snagged on a head of dark hair in the corner.

Wren.

My heart clenched painfully at the sight. She was stunning, with her dark hair curled and wearing a red dress that matched her lipstick. My breaths came quicker as my entire focus shifted to my girl. Despite how gorgeous she was, it hurt to look at her like this, with hunched shoulders and dull eyes.

“You take my breath away, baby girl.”

A smile lifted her lips, and she gave me a thorough once-over. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Chest swelling, I squatted in front of her. “I think it’s the red tie. It’d make anyone look good.”

“No.” She reached up and straightened it, then rested her palms on my chest. “It’s not the tie. It’s the man wearing it.” The soft words settled deep in my bones.

“We need to get pictures with the father of the bride,” the photographer called.

“You better go.” She brushed a lock of hair off my forehead.

Startled by the flash of a camera nearby, I studied her. “You’re not coming?”

She shook her head.

“You’re in the wedding party too.”

She sighed. “Avery’s not happy about us. And although I should.” She reached out and linked our hands together. “I can’t care enough to walk away from you. But I can care enough to give her space. Especially today. It’s her day, and its better if I stay out of the way.”

She blinked hard. I turned over my shoulder to see Avery frowning at us.

“Wren.”

Expression going stormy, she shook her head. “I might never have dreamed of a wedding, but Avery always has. Today is her day. I won’t do anything else to mess it up.”

Anger and hurt made my muscles tense. Wren was being a good friend. The problem was that my daughter wasn’t.

With a light tap over my heart, she said, “Go be her dad. I’m fine.”

Resigned, I pushed to my feet and strode across the room. I obediently posed for pictures, but all the while, my eyes drifted to Wren, who didn’t move from the corner. Years from now, Avery would regret that her pre-wedding pictures didn’t include her best friend .

Kristine met my eye and gave me a small, helpless shrug. She’d texted me earlier saying Avery didn’t even want to talk to her about it.

I’d promised Wren I’d get everyone on board with our relationship, and so far, I’d failed.

I understood Wren not wanting to upset Avery. I wanted my daughter to be happy, to have a wedding day that was magical. But excluding her best friend wasn’t the answer. And I hated seeing both of my girls upset.

By the time we lined up to walk down the aisle, the air was uncomfortable with the weight of all the unspoken words hanging between us, and it was clear that ignoring the issue wasn’t working.

Stepping up beside my daughter, I took her arm, eyeing the cage where her Atlantic puffin—who was, of course, part of the ceremony—was hanging out.

“You good?”

“So good.” She didn’t look at me.

I figured that neither Avery nor Chris would have doubts, but it was still a relief to see them both so calm.

“Well, if I were you, I’d be nervous about the damn bird,” I joked. At this point, I was desperate to lighten things up.

“Ha ha.” She rolled her eyes, but she was wearing a small smile. “Puff has been practicing. We went over it multiple times yesterday.”

“He’s totally ready,” Jana agreed.

“I can’t believe we’re letting a bird fly the rings down the aisle.” I shook my head.

“Don’t worry, Wren’s got it.” Jana took the puffin out of the cage and handed his lead over to Wren. “Right?”

Wren nodded, but her focus was only on the black-and-white clownlike bird. “Hey, little man. You ready to steal the show?” Her voice was soft, like she was trying not to be heard.

The wedding coordinator clapped, and Puff jumped, flapping his wings.

“Hey now. None of that.” Wren resettled the bird, stroking his back softly, her tone soothing even my nerves.

I angled down to whisper to Avery as Gianna started down the aisle. “Do you know how lucky you are to have a friend willing to deal with that damn bird on your wedding day?”

Avery’s throat bobbed, and she blinked twice, but she kept her focus averted. “It was her idea.”

“Because she knew you and Chris would want him here.”

She nodded.

“Wren’s always been good to you.”

She tensed next to me. Maybe that was overstepping the line she’d drawn about talking, but it was true.

Jana was halfway down the aisle before she swallowed and then turned to me. “You really like her?”

“I love her.”

Avery looked down at the bouquet of red roses and white lilies in her hand. It might not have been what she wanted to hear, but it was the truth. I wasn’t trying to push the idea on her, but she asked, and I wouldn’t lie.

“I know you’re mad at us. And I’m sorry you found out before we could tell you. I really wanted to be the one to explain. But I love her.”

Avery didn’t answer. As much as I wanted to push her, now wasn’t the time.

Her eyes stayed locked on Wren as she walked to the door, unclipped Puff from his lead, and set him on the ground. She spoke softly to him, and then Puff took off in a half jump, half flight down the aisle.

Aw s and giggles filled the air as the puffin made his way to Chris, with two rings tied around his neck.

Once he’d landed on Chris’s arm, he nuzzled against his head.

“I told you he’d do it,” Avery beamed, but she still hadn’t looked at me. It was my fault. I’d made the day uncomfortable for her, and I felt awful about that. So I tried to force the smile.

“And now it’s your turn. Ready to get married, Avy?”