Pacific Northwest Werebears(102)

“Good luck!” Conner called out.

The rest of the evening went smoothly. Conner finally had enough alcohol in him to be brave enough to look for Mackenzie. She was standing near his mother and some of his aunts. They were all talking and laughing. She was wearing a butter yellow sundress that made her glow in the setting sun. Twilight was falling and she looked like the setting sun herself.

Feeling Conner’s gaze, Mackenzie smiled at his mother and turned in the direction she knew he was. She knew where he was every second of the evening. Her cat had set up an insistent whine the minute he’d showed up. But his clear attempts to ignore her stung. So she put on her happy face and acted like her mate wasn’t just yards away from her. But now, the pull of his gaze was too strong.

Her eyes met his, they were just like she remembered, and damn he looked handsome tonight. She tried to smile at him, show him that she was happy, that she was okay. Her attempt failed as her smile started to quiver the moment she let her lips move. Pursing her lips together tight, she offered him a head nod, which he returned with a chin lift. She turned her back to him before he could see the tears welling in her eyes. She looked to his mom knowingly and made her excuses to go inside.

She didn’t come out for the rest of the evening.

* * * * *

The morning of the wedding was unusually bright and sunny. Even in July the weather in Washington was unpredictable. But the fates were shining down their approval of this union  . Everyone could feel it.

Conner was riding in his brother’s truck as they made their way to the little chapel in the woods. His tux collar scratched at his neck and he kept tugging on it.

“We’re loggers; couldn’t you have talked her into flannels and beanie caps? I heard that’s very trendy right now,” Conner griped.

“Oh what do you know of trendy, asshole,” Wyatt shot back.

“More than you, dipshit,” Conner barked.

“Really? I’m on my way to my wedding and you two girls are pulling at each other’s pigtails? I will pound you both into the dirt if you don’t grow up,” Cage growled.

For some reason, this sent both brothers into laughing fits. Cage just shook his head and kept driving. He didn’t trust either of them to get him to the church on time so he forced them into his own truck.

As they approached, the sun was shining through the trees directly onto the little white building. It was so small only immediate family was invited to the ceremony. In their family it meant their clan and Sophie’s parents who hadn’t quit sniffing at the air since they got there. It was like they found the smell of nature an affront to their senses. Luckily the boys’ mom was the one to deal with them most of the time, and the ever gracious hostess was reserving all her snarky comments about them until they left. She was classy like that.

Stepping out of the truck, the three brothers strode into the almost empty church. The minister had already arrived and Cage went up front to talk to him.

The pews were decorated with evergreen trimmings and burlap ribbons. Very rustic and very Rochon family. Conner and Wyatt started adjusting each other’s bow ties in some attempt to look serious when an SUV pulled up. Out spilled Connie and Edward, followed by Mackenzie and Jinger.

Sophie was following in a town car with her parents. They had been totally aghast at the idea of just showing up for the wedding with everyone else. They insisted the bride needed to make an entrance.

The boys’ parents came through the doors first. Connie kissing both her boys and telling them how handsome they were. Conner’s dad looked just as uncomfortable in his tux as the boys did. Mackenzie followed behind him and gave Wyatt a big hug, asking him how he’d been. Conner took in the midnight blue halter dress she was wearing. It was gorgeous on her. She’d done her hair in victory rolls on the front and curled the rest to fall down her back.

He broke his perusal as she turned to him and offered her hand. He took it out of reflex and sucked in his breath as the tingle of awareness washed over him. Breathing her in, he managed a quiet, “Kenzi.”

“Conner, how are you,” she asked politely, pulling her hand from his grasp.

Clearing his throat he said, “I’m good, you?”

“Fine, thank you,”

“Listen, Kenzi, after the wedding can we talk,” he asked slightly pleading. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say, but he knew he needed to say something.

“Conner, I….” She was cut short as Jinger stepped through the doorway.

Conner turned and took in his brother’s mate. She was wearing a sweet pink dress and she smelled different, not like she did last night. Something had changed. Looking to Wyatt who was grinning like an idiot, the bulb finally flashed.