Page 115 of The Encounter
Maddie found out later that Jace had approached Kailynn and told her he wanted to pay for all the material, and the sky was the limit. He didn’t want Kailynn to worry about making mistakes and having to order more fabric. He wanted to make sure Maddie got exactly what she wanted.
After that, Kailynn made bold choices on her fabric, and got to work designing what she thought would be exactly what Maddie wanted.
And she was right.
Maddie cried at the first sight of the dress and thus began a new line of wedding dresses for Kailynn’s business.
Kailynn smiled. “I’m honored you let me make it.”
They hugged tightly before a knock sounded on the door.
Kayla yelled through the door. “Jace! Stop coming around here. You can’t see Maddie in her dress!”
Jackie’s laugh sounded on the other end. “It’s just me!”
Kayla pulled the door open just enough to shove her head out to make sure Jackie was alone. Once she was satisfied, she opened the door wider to let Jackie in before locking it behind her.
Jackie’s mouth dropped open as soon as she saw Maddie and put a hand to her mouth, tears immediately streaming down her face.
“Maddie, you look incredible!”
Maddie began crying too, and Kayla stepped forward.
“No! Stop those tears! We don’t want to mess up your makeup!”
Maddie laughed, and Jackie immediately began blinking and fanning her face.
“Oh gosh. I’m so sorry,” Jackie said. After she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, she stepped toward Maddie and put her hands on either side of her arms. “You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen, and I’m so happy Jace chose you. I could not have asked for a more perfect woman for my son.”
“Thank you so much, Jackie,” Maddie whispered, before pulling her into a hug.
They embraced for a minute before Jackie pulled back. “I know I didn’t know your parents, but I want you to know that they would be so proud of you. I know this because I’m so proud of you. One day, I hope you can lean on me like you would your mom. I could never take her place, but I would be more than honored to take on that role for you should you ever need it.”
Maddie sobbed, and Jackie pulled her back into her arms. Over the last year, Maddie had grown close to Jackie and called her for advice occasionally. They would go to lunch together, just the two of them, and Jackie spoiled Maddie like she was her own daughter.
“You have already been the mom I haven’t had for so many years. Thank you so much. It means the world to me that you would say that.”
When they finally pulled apart, Haley stepped forward and offered them both tissues.
“Oh my goodness, we need to get your makeup cleaned up,” Jackie stated, while dabbing at her own eyes. “It’s about time for you to walk down the aisle.”
* * *
Jace stoodin front of the double doors as the last of the guests filed into their seats. He had been greeting their few guests as they arrived. The wedding was small and intimate, with only their friends and family in attendance. Both Jace and Maddie had decided they didn’t want the press involved after everything they had both been through once they met.
The music played, and the double doors opened. Jace escorted his mother down the aisle and to her seat, giving her a kiss on the cheek before taking his place at the end of the aisle.
Kailynn walked down next, wearing a light blue chiffon dress she had designed for herself, Haley, and Kayla. On her arm was Chase, who had become one of Jace’s close friends over the last year.
Next came Haley and Seth. Haley shot daggers at him as he tried to skip to the music, yanking him back and whispering something into his ear. He only laughed in response. Jace shook his head with a smile on his face. He would expect nothing less from the two of them.
Last came Kayla and Robert. Despite Robert being an employee, the two of them had become fast friends when they hung out together nearly every weekend over the last year. He had discovered that most of his staff were people he got along great with. Several of them would hang out together on their days off, and he stopped fighting the fact that they could all just be friends, especially now that he had stepped back from running the bar so closely, leaving a lot of it to Seth and Haley.
When everyone reached the end of the aisle, they rearranged so Kayla was the maid of honor and Seth was the best man. Maddie and Jace had both decided that they didn’t care who walked down the aisle with whom, as long as everyone was happy rearranging once the ceremony started. No one complained, except Haley and Seth, who couldn’t seem to get along for the life of them. In the end, the two of them agreed to walk down together, but Haley made it clear she was less than impressed with the idea.
At last, the double doors opened for a second time, and Jace’s breath caught. Maddie stood next to Jace’s father, her eyes locking with Jace’s.
After he had proposed, and as the wedding grew near, Maddie had become close to his parents. She had asked Jace one night if he’d mind if she asked his dad to walk her down the aisle, since he was the closest person she had to a father. He thought it was the best idea he had ever heard.
