Page 80 of Live Like There's No Tomorrow
“Nothing’s up. I just wanted to remind you about dinner with Nate and Lily tonight.”
“That’s okay, I hadn’t forgotten. We’re supposed to be there at seven, right?”
“Yep, that’s right.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be ready to go.”
He laughed. “Good. I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t forgotten. See you later. I love you.”
“I love you. Bye.”
April smiled at her as she hung up. “You sound as though the two of you have been together forever.”
Charlotte shrugged. “In a way, we have. And in other ways, we’re starting all over from the beginning."
~ ~ ~
Ben caught his breath at the sight of Charlotte coming downstairs. She was wearing a cornflower blue dress that hugged her figure in all the right places and brought out the color of her eyes. “You look amazing, Charlie.”
She smiled. “So do you. I don’t know about going to this wedding, I think I’d rather stay here and get you out of that suit.”
He laughed. “I’m sure we’ll get around to that when we get home tonight.”
“Oh, we will, mister. Have no doubts about that.”
“We’d better get going. I don’t want to be late.”
On the drive to the little church down by the lake Ben couldn’t stop his mind from wandering. He and Charlie were supposed to have been the first of all their friends to get married. Now here they were helping Gabe and Renée celebrate their happy day. Most of their friends were already married, and now some of them had children of their own, too.
“What are you thinking?” asked Charlotte. “You look like you’re a million miles away.” She looked concerned.
He shook his head. “I’m right here. I guess maybe I’m just a little envious of Gabe and Renée getting married today.”
She reached across to touch his hand as he pulled up in the parking lot. She didn’t speak, just squeezed his hand. He had a feeling that she too, was envious of them, but she could hardly say so, could she? It was up to him to make things happen. He leaned across and pecked her cheek, then smiled, his mind made up.
They made their way inside the church, smiling and waving at all the familiar faces. Lizzie Morgan waved at him from her place up at the front where she was sitting with Megan and baby William. Missy beckoned them over to come and sit with her and Dan. Ben smiled as he slid in beside them. He loved that most of the gang was sitting on the bride’s side of the aisle. They’d been friends with both Gabe and Renée all their lives, but Gabe had family, friends and acquaintances from all around town and from New York. Renée had no blood family left, but she had plenty of friends who were as good as family.
Emma leaned forward in her seat at the end of the pew and waved to them. “I’m staying down here in case Isabel makes a fuss, so I can sit outside and not disturb things. I’ll catch up with you later.” She grinned. “And you can tell me when it’s going to be your turn.”
Ben caught Charlotte’s eye and she smiled. He couldn’t wait for it to be their turn. The look on her face told him she couldn’t either.
Gabe and Michael took their places up at the front. Ben swallowed; he needed to get a grip. It seemed that happy or sad, the tears were never far away for him these days. Right now, he was happy for Gabe, and happy for him and Michael that they got to stand shoulder to shoulder on Gabe’s big day. Ben had a feeling that Michael and Megan would announce their wedding soon, too. She hadn’t wanted to get married while she was pregnant, but now baby William was here, and there was nothing like a wedding to make a girl want to get married herself. He closed his eyes for a moment. Who was he kidding? There was nothing like a wedding to make a guy want to get married either—at least in his case. He scanned the crowd while they waited for Renée. Nate and Lily sat in the row behind them. From the conversation at dinner the other night, he had a feeling that they would be married soon, too. Pete and Holly and Smoke and Laura sat with them. Ben knew that smoke was probably feeling the same way he was. Smoke had been getting impatient for a while now to name a date. Behind them sat Kenzie and Chase with April and Eddie. Looking at them, Ben realized that half the gang was married and the other half was in a hurry to join them. He smiled; he was including himself in that other half.
Everyone turned to look at the doors when the music started. Charlotte slid her hand into his as they got to their feet. Renée looked beautiful. Her dress was simple and understated. She looked radiant, with her wild red hair framing her face and curling around her shoulders. Ben nodded to himself. She finally looked like the old Renée—the Renée he’d known as a kid. She looked confident and relaxed, and most of all she looked as though she had no cares or worries. She was happy and she was free.
Ben was surprised, and at the same time not surprised to see Chance standing by her side. He had to blink the sting of tears away again. It seemed fitting—right somehow—that Chance should give her away. But at the same time, he knew how much Chance must be hurting. Like Ben and Charlotte, Chance and Chloe were supposed to have been married all those years ago, too. However, unlike Ben and Charlotte, Chance would never get a second chance. Chloe was gone.
He tried to catch Chance’s eye as they passed on their way down the aisle, but Chance’s gaze was fixed ahead, eyes narrow, lips pressed into a thin line. Ben determined to catch up with him later; this had to be tough for him.
When they reached the front, Gabe shook Chance’s hand and pulled him in for a hug. Ben’s focus was split between the two men and what they each must be feeling in this moment. Gabe’s joy, and Chance’s pain. He’d spent too much time where Chance was right now. It was time for him to experience the joy.
Charlotte rested her head on his shoulder when they sat back down. “The last time we were at a wedding, I wasn’t even sure you’d ever speak to me again.”
Ben nodded and smiled down at her. “Neither was I,” he whispered. “And next time we’re at a wedding we’re going to be the ones standing at the front.”
Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to reply, but she didn’t get a chance as the pastor began to speak.
Ben wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side as they watched Gabe and Renée take their vows. As he listened to them repeat the traditional vows, Ben knew he wanted to promise Charlie so much more than that. When the time came, he’d write his own.
