Chapter 28

twenty-eight

BEN

I held up a dark gray suit jacket and studied the shape of the lapels and the hand stitching across the pockets. Searching "for the perfect suit for Dylan's wedding wasn't as easy as I'd imagined. "What do you think about this one?"

Dylan frowned, shaking his head. "It's too formal. I want something more relaxed, something that feels like me."

Paul, always on the lookout for the perfect fit, disappeared into the back of the store. "I think I saw something that might work. Give me a second."

As Paul rummaged through the racks, I glanced around the store, feeling a bit out of place. "I hope Mrs. Bray doesn't mind us going through her suits like this."

Just as I said it, Mrs. Bray, the store owner, rushed past us with a determined look on her face. "I know exactly the suit Paul's talking about. Don't worry, I'm on it!"

Dylan smiled, his nerves easing a little. "It's just as well Mrs. Bray's used to us by now. It's a shame Jonathon isn't here—it would've felt like old times."

I nodded, remembering how just a few months ago, we were helping Paul find a suit, and now, here we were, getting Dylan ready for his big day.

I absentmindedly ran my hand along a rack of suits, letting the fabric slip through my fingers. "Have your brothers had their final suit fitting yet?"

Dylan let out a deep sigh. "Almost. Steve's happy with what he chose, but Luke's making everyone stressed. If he hadn't called off his own wedding, maybe he wouldn't be so obsessed with mine."

With the wedding just two weeks away, I was amazed Dylan was holding it together. Luke had been relentless, calling daily to go over every minute detail of the wedding. I admired Dylan's patience, but I could see the strain it was putting on him.

"I don't know what's going on with Luke," Dylan admitted, shaking his head. "Did I tell you he's thinking of moving to Sunrise Bay?"

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? I thought he liked living in Boulder."

"So did I," Dylan said, a little exasperated. "But after visiting me last month, he's decided that Willow Lake is the change he needs."

"How do you feel about him moving here?"

Dylan's expression said it all. "I'm not sure. Luke's great when he has a project to focus on, but right now, he's bored and seems to think I need rescuing."

"Give him a project then. Put him in charge of the church decorations or something. It'll keep him busy and out of your hair."

Dylan's face brightened. "That's actually a good idea. I'll give him a list of things to fix. That should keep him occupied for a while."

Before we could delve any deeper into the Luke situation, Paul's voice echoed from across the store. "Found it! And it's even better than I remembered!" He reappeared with a light gray suit, complete with subtle pinstripes.

Dylan's eyes lit up. "I love it," he said, already reaching for the suit. "I'll try it on and see how it looks."

Mrs. Bray, always one step ahead, was already holding open the dressing room curtain. "Let me know if you need any help."

While Dylan disappeared into the changing room and Paul got busy inspecting more ties and shirts, I wandered over to the display of wedding rings and let my mind drift. I never imagined myself getting married. When my friends were dating, I was more interested in sketching jewelry designs. Even now, the thought of marriage felt foreign to me, like something other people did.

"Ben, what do you think?" Dylan's voice brought me back to the present.

Dylan was standing in front of the mirror, wearing the suit. Paul stood beside him, beaming with approval.

"It's perfect," Mrs. Bray said, stepping back to admire the fit.

I had to agree. The suit hugged Dylan's frame perfectly, giving him an air of effortless elegance. "You look fantastic."

Paul nodded in agreement. "All we need now is to find a shirt and tie and we're done."

I reached into my bag and pulled out a small velvet box. "A few months ago you said you wanted to give your mom something special on your wedding day. I made a necklace I think she'll like. I won't be offended if you don't want to give it to her."

Dylan sighed. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I wanted to."

Dylan took the box from me and opened it. "Ben… this is beautiful."

Paul peered over his shoulder. "It's stunning."

Seeing Dylan's reaction made every moment I'd spent creating the necklace worth it. The delicate gold chain cradled a teardrop-shaped pendant. Within it, I'd carefully woven three gemstones—each one set in gold—representing Dylan and his two brothers. Above everything else, I wanted the necklace to represent the unbreakable connection between Dylan's mom and her children.

Dylan turned to me, his eyes shining with gratitude. "Mom will love it, but I have to pay you for it."

My throat tightened. "No you don't. Your mom's a special person. I wanted to make something for her."

Dylan hugged me. "In that case, thank you. Each time she wears it, she'll remember this day and how much we love her."

Before everyone started crying, Paul cleared his throat. "Speaking of love… I have some news too. Liam, Amy, and I are expecting a new addition to our family."

I frowned, confused. "You're getting a puppy?"

Paul laughed. "No, we're adopting. Joseph is six months old. We can't bring him home just yet, but it won't be long."

Dylan rushed over to hug Paul. "I don't know how you managed to find a baby so quickly, but congratulations."

"It was a surprise for us, too," Paul said with a smile. "But we couldn't be happier."

I opened my arms and pulled Paul into a hug. "I'm so happy for you both."

Paul sighed. "I should be saying the same thing to you. Please tell me you've reconsidered accepting the jewelry award."

I shook my head. "I can't do it. It would've been great to have the support of Wilson Enterprises, but I'm fine. New customers are finding me, and thanks to the website, each collection is getting noticed more and more."

Paul looked at me closely, his gaze softening. "You seemed to enjoy Daniel's company while he was here. Do you miss him?"

I hesitated, not ready to admit the truth. "He was only here for a week."

"That doesn't matter," Paul said gently. "Your heart knows when you've found the right person."

A knot tightened in my chest. I missed Daniel more than I wanted to admit. But he was gone, and there was no point in dwelling on what could never be. "Daniel sees the world differently from me. A relationship between us wouldn't work. The sooner I move on, the better my life will be."

"Are you sure?"

I forced a smile. "Of course, I am. All I need are my friends, my studio, and a few clients to make me happy." And as long as I kept repeating those words, I might start believing them.