Folding Hearts (Mitchell Family #2)(58)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I met my mother in the kitchen and started pulling a cup of coffee.

“Are Ty and Bella still asleep?”

I turned around with the guiltiest smile on my face. “Guess you heard him come in?”

She ignored me. “Are you hungry?”

“No. I feel sick. Did you ever hear from Conner?”

I felt arms wrap around me and almost spilled my hot coffee. “Morning.”

Little footsteps followed behind Ty and a very grumpy little girl emerged. She got one look at Ty hugging me and smacked him in the leg. “No Daddy.”

My mother put her hand over her mouth and started to giggle. “Somebody is jealous.”

Of course Ty had to make it worse. He started kissing me all over my face. “I love mommy. Oh, mommy gives good kisses. I love her so much.”

My daughter literally sat down on the kitchen floor and started crying her eyes out. After we all got a good laugh at her, Ty reached down and grabbed her. “Daddy was just teasing you. Mommy is a terrible kisser.”

I smacked him on his butt and started laughing. “Don’t tell her that.”

“Give daddy kisses Iz, I have to go get ready.”

“Izzy bye bye.” She held her hands up.

He crouched down in front of her. “Today you and mommy are going to be princesses. Do you want to be a princess for Daddy?”

Her face got all pouty. “No!”

He let out a laugh. “Please be a good girl. Get dressed and you can come see Daddy.”

It took Bella twenty minutes before she stopped screaming for her father. I was half tempted to send her dress with him and let him get the child ready. She finally calmed down when she saw her dress. It was fancy which meant it was a real princess dress.

My aunt had agreed to go pick up Ty’s parents since he still didn’t know they were coming. Van showed up and started taking a million pictures of me and Bella. At first Bella liked it, but it got old really fast.

We hadn’t invited anyone else but Ty’s parents, so there were no guest coming. The minister told my aunt that he could only come at lunch time. At quarter of we all started to head to the barn.

When I climbed off of that golf cart and saw my brother standing there in a tux, I started to ball.

“Stop cryin’. You’ll mess up your face and I will never hear the end of it.”

Van led Bella in front of me and music started from somewhere inside of the barn.

“What are you doin’ here?” I said as I put my arm under my brothers.

“Ask your husband.”

I didn’t know what Ty had said to my brother, but here he was, walking me down the aisle. Bella was in front of me the whole time. All she had to do was see her father and she went running. I tried not to cry, but I just couldn’t help it. My brother was a hard head, but I loved him and he was the only person in my life to understand what we went through when we lost our father.

Thank goodness for waterproof makeup and tan skin. I didn’t wear foundation and the mascara I put on didn’t even come off during my showers, so I knew that was intact. When I got up to that makeshift altar and saw Ty standing there, more handsome than I had ever seen, with tears in his eyes, I freaking lost it.

Chapter 30

Tyler

I knew that this little service was all for show, but it felt so real. Especially when I walked into the church and saw my parents there. I had no idea they even knew this was happening. Colt had called the tuxedo place and arranged for us to get our wedding attire early, so all of us guys were all decked out. It was weird seeing Van walk up that isle first. Her eyes were fixed on Colt’s and I couldn’t have been more happy for them.

They had spent the entire afternoon helping me decorate enough for our small group of family. Flowers covered either side of the aisle and there were balloons everywhere. I have no idea how my aunt did it, but there was even a two tier cake sitting on a table. It was all so surreal.

I know Miranda would have liked Izzy to walk slow and drop pretty little petals with every step, but she saw me and came running. Her little head full of blonde curls was bobbing up and down causing me to laugh as she ran. She looked so pretty in her little dress, especially when she jumped right into my arms. “There is my princess”

She pointed to the barn doors. “Mommy.”

Nothing could have prepared me for when I first saw her walking in. A huge lump formed in my throat as I watched her taking each step toward me. I had never in my life seen anything more beautiful than Miranda in her wedding dress, with a bouquet of flowers and her arm wrapped around Conner’s. I never cared about weddings or dresses, but damn she could have been on the cover of Bridal Magazine. Her head was completely full of curls and her makeup looked beautiful, even with all the tears she had in her eyes. I don’t know what kind of shit she had on her lips, but they were super shiny and it was hard not to just reach over and start kissing her.

Conner gave me a friendly nod as he kissed his sister and walked to his seat. Finding him last night was hard enough, but then in the middle of our talk, Miranda started texting. She thought I was in bed, but I was actually sitting out back of her house, begging her brother to get over himself and let us be happy. After spending the better part of the day pouting, he was in a calmer mood. I was still a little apprehensive until I saw him walking in the church with Miranda. He had finally come to terms with everything, well the best that Conner could do at least.

I would have liked to take both of her hands into mine, but with Izzy in my arms, I was only able to hold one. I tried to look up into her eyes, but I felt the burning in my eyes and knew the tears were coming. I stroked Miranda’s fingers and took deep breaths. For some reason I felt like we weren’t married yet, like this was the real thing.

“Mommy no cwy.” Izzy reached over and tried to wipe her mother’s face. We both started laughing.

I clenched my jaw and looked at Miranda. Her smile was so perfect. I mouthed the words ‘I love you’ while the reverend was speaking. I honestly have no idea what he was saying. I was too captivated by my wife. Never in my life had I wanted to fall to the ground and cry, but the more I stood there in front of everyone that we loved, the more in awe I became.

Our ceremony wasn’t like a normal wedding. Since we were already married we only had to repeat our promises. We already had our rings on our fingers. I don’t know what came over me, but right before he was about to declare us, I interrupted him by turning to face our family. “I just need to say something real quick.”