Dark Boundaries(62)

I haven’t had a chance to talk to Kristine since the incident. She’s been busy getting Riza ready and I had to make sure the family held it together for the rest of the day.

I join Justin outside on the deck, where he’s staring at the chairs and guests slowly trickling in.

“It’s time to go greet the guests,” I say, pulling him from his deep thoughts.

“Do you think Kelly is right? Riza told me what she said, that Kelly thinks Riza is only marrying me because I brainwashed her?”

I pat him on the shoulder. I know exactly how he feels. “Nah, that woman loves you. I can see the way she looks at you. Riza is a fighter. She would’ve sent you to hell if she didn’t love you.”

Justin laughs at my comment. “Yeah, you’re right.”

We walk down to the beach together and start to greet all the guests. Afterwards Justin takes his place upfront and I go to stand next to him.

We wait another twenty minutes before Ellie Goulding’s ‘How long will I love you’ starts to fill the air. The first notes play with no sight of the women, and then Andrea comes down the steps first. A lump forms in my throat, seeing the beautiful woman my sister has become.

Then my breath seizes as Kristine makes her appearance at the top of the stairs. The wind gently catches her hair, playing with the golden strands. The dark violet of her dress shimmers in the sun. She tightens her hold on the flowers in her hands and starts to walk toward us. Up close her eyes look darker because of the dress. She’s breathtakingly beautiful.

I have to tear my eyes away from her to watch Riza walk in. Her dress isn’t white like I expected, it’s the lightest shade of violet, the opposite of Kris and Andrea’s dresses. They’re all barefoot, giving everything a whimsical feel. Canon in D replaces Ellie Goulding and Riza starts down the aisle. Her eyes brim with tears as she’s totally focused on Justin. My eyes jump to Kris. She’s in tears, watching her friend get married. So help me God, I wish it was us.

During the ceremony I can’t take my eyes off Kris. She keeps looking down at the flowers in her hand, refusing to make eye contact with me, or so it feels.

After the ceremony the photographer calls us all for photos, while the guests are treated to drinks. The next twenty minutes goes by with a thousand commands from the photographer. I’m dying of heat in this suit! I’m so ready for a drink.

“Let’s have one of the best man and bridesmaids,” the photographer calls. I walk over to Andrea and Kris joins us. “Can the best man stand between the ladies?” We do as he says and I’m treated to the smell of coconut. Fuck, I love her smell. “Ladies, lean in to him.” The photographer laughs and snaps a few hundred photos, or so it feels. “Closer!” he yells. Fuck, this man takes his job way too serious.

The girls move closer to me and I feel Kris’s arm brush against mine. “No!” We all look at the photographer wide eyed. What the hell does he want? He rushes over to us and in a flutter of hands he shoves Kris into my chest and Andrea under my other arm. Kris’s hand lands on my chest so she doesn’t fall from being shoved into me. Andrea giggles, thinking this is awesome. “There, now that’s perfect,” he says and starts to snap another hundred photos. Finally he stops. “Thank you, people. See you all at the reception.”

Andrea breaks free from my hold and runs over to Justin and Riza. She’s so happy for them.

Only when Kris starts to pull away do I realize how tightly I’m holding her. I look down at her pink cheeks. I want to talk to her, but I know now is not the right time. This is Justin and Riza’s day. I’ll talk to her after the reception. Reluctantly, I let her go. I force a smile to my lips.

We go through a few toasts after eating, and then Justin and Riza opens the dance floor to Christina Perri’s ‘A Thousand Years’. Mom and Dad follow shortly after. I look for Andrea, but see Justin’s friend David take her hand. I’m relieved as I start to look for Kris. This is perfect.

I find her at the wide open glass doors. “Dance with me?” She turns and for a second it looks like she’s going to say no, but then she holds her hand out to me. By the time we get to the floor Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud’ starts to fill the air. I pull her into my arms. I don’t care about the correct way of dancing. I want to feel her close to me. I wrap my arms around her and weaving my fingers into her hair, I press her to my body. She wraps her arm around my waist.

The music spills over us in seductive waves. A few beats into the song her hands grip tightly to the back of my shirt. Her breaths come faster and change into quick gasps. At first I think it’s because she feels the same as me, overwhelmed just to hold her, but then she suddenly yanks free and I see the tears.