“You look gorgeous, Jena,” he said, looking me up and down.
“And ridiculous,” I replied, spreading out my hands to display the dress and bursting out into laughter.
“Alyssa does have her taste in fashion.” He laughed along with me.
“Yes, she has a slightly different taste than me, but she is a great person,” I reassured my dad.
“She really is.”
“I’m so happy for you, Dad. I honestly mean it. Now you can get out of my hair and have your own life,” I said, hitting his chest playfully.
“Doesn’t mean I won’t still ask you about that boy.”
That boy was Josh, a sore topic between us. I had been dating him for over a year, and Dad totally disliked him for reasons I didn’t really care too much to know.
“So, how’s he, Josh, right?”
Dad always referred to him like someone he didn’t know, but that had ceased to annoy me. Instead I found it amusing and played along with Dad by defending Josh. These days, though, I was beginning to question my relationship with him, but I wasn’t going to tell Dad that. At least not today. I knew a break up was in the future for us, but today wasn’t the right time to discuss breakups. I’d save that story for a different time. I could imagine my dad’s elation when I explain that Josh was too conceited for his own good and I was breaking up with him. Maybe I’d save that news as a wedding present to him.
“Josh’s fine. He’s out of town for his senior-year internship, but he sends his love and well wishes. He’s sorry he’s missing the wedding and cruise.”
Dad nodded but made no comment. We both knew that Josh would not have felt comfortable at the wedding; I hadn’t even bothered inviting him to the wedding even though everyone claimed they wanted to meet him. It wasn’t like he was the kind of man I wanted to bring home to my family, so his not coming to the wedding worked out okay. Besides, now I wouldn’t have to explain to everyone who had met him at the wedding that we were no longer together the next time they asked about him.
“Sweetheart, you know I’m not the best person to give relationship advice. But your old man just wants to see you happy.”
“I know, Dad. I am very happy, being here with you and seeing you so in love.”
“I’m very happy. Alyssa is really for keeps.” He gave me a wink.
“Yes, she is Dad. We have to treat her right so she stays,” I joked.
Even though I hadn’t spent too much time with Alyssa, I found her warm and approachable. I knew we’d get along really well. When we had spent together, she treated me like a little sister instead of a child, and I was grateful for that. I already had a mother and didn’t need a new one. I bet she knew that was a better way to win me over to her side, not that I need to be enticed to like her. As long as my dad was happy with her, I was satisfied.
Dad checked his appearance in the mirror again and nodded his approval. I smiled at him and reached up to give him a peck on the cheek. He held me in a warm embrace for a brief moment, and for that brief moment, I felt very loved.
“I love you, sweetheart,” he said.
“Love you too, Dad. Come on, time to get you married,” I said, breaking the embrace. I didn’t want to start crying, as I was already on the verge of tears. “Shall we?”
“Yes. Let’s not keep my bride waiting,” he said. He held my hand as we walked out of the cabin towards the main deck where the ceremony was to take place.
I was elected to walk my dad out to the wedding instead of walking in as a bridesmaid. It was Alyssa’s idea and I didn’t mind. It did feel special walking with Dad, and I imagined that in a few years, he would be walking me down the aisle.
CHAPTER 3
The deck was decorated with cream tulle and fresh calla lilies. Several chairs were arranged in a row, and a red carpet trailed from one end of the deck to the gazebo. Everything was elegant and tasteful. I wondered for a moment if Alyssa had picked out the flowers by herself or someone else had suggested them to her. This thought caused me to chuckle, and Dad looked at me like I was weird.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered. “Alyssa does have some good taste in things other than men.”
He laughed as we both made our way up to the makeshift gazebo that had been set up for the wedding, waving at some family members and friends who had made it on the cruise and were seated in the rows.
Alyssa soon appeared. She was walked down the aisle by Nick and Todd. In the sunlight and under the magic of the moment, the boys looked so handsome, and for a brief moment, I was happy that they were going to be my brothers. Heck, if I was going to inherit some brothers, I might as well get drop-dead gorgeous ones. At least I could have girls envying me whenever we went out together.