The Dance Read Online Free

my new life.
    “Wow! You look beautiful, just like your mother did on our wedding day.” Dad gushed as he blinked away tears.
    “Daddy, if you cry, I’m going to cry, and my makeup will be a mess. Today is happy, happy.”
    Taking the handkerchief from his pocket, he wiped a stray tear off his cheek. “I know and it is. You think I’m bad, you should see your mother. We were over at the reception site making sure everything was set. The second she laid eyes on those tiny pies . . .
    “You mean quiches?”
    “I suppose. She became a blubbering mess. So any uncontrollable wailing during the ceremony is her fault.”
    “Daddy, I love you.”
    “I love you too, darlin’. Will is one lucky young man.”
    Dad leaned in, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. “I’m going to go pull myself together. I’ll be right outside the door when you’re ready.”
    “Oh, the feels.” Sophie squeaked.
    With blurry eyes, I watched my dad slip from the room before his emotions kicked into overdrive.
    Frantically fanning one hand in front of my face and the other hand in front of her own, Sophie attempted to dry our tears before they fell, causing a makeup slide down our faces.
    “I’m good. You can stop.” I sniffled.
    Sophie ignored me. “Dry. Dry. Dry. Dry.”
    Popping her hand away, I cleared my throat and said, “Sophie, knock it off. I’ve got to finish getting ready.”
    “Okay, okay. Let’s finish.”
    Sophie brought over the black shoe box that held a special surprise for Will, a pair of four-inch red heels with crisscrossing ankle straps. I couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he saw these babies.
    “Here you go, hot momma.”
    As I slipped into the shoes, another wave of nerves hit my stomach and swirled around my head. I grabbed on to Sophie’s arm to steady myself.
    “Whoa, are you okay, Bryson?”
    “Yeah, I think it’s just all the excitement of the day and having to face the big crowd.”
    “Just picture everyone naked.”
    “There’s some pretty old people out there. Not sure I want that visual on the way down the aisle.”
    “True. Scratch that. Just picture Will naked.”
    “You’re not helping me.”
    “Sorry.”
    “I’ll be fine once I see Will.”
    “I’m going to give your dad a headsup. You got three seconds to pull it together and then its show time.”
    I nodded.
    Sophie walked toward the door then turned to me. “You’ve got this. You look perfect. I love you.”
    “I love you, too. Thank you for being my best friend.”
    I stood alone in the dressing room located in the small building next door to the church, looking at my reflection one last time. Sophie was right, my dress, my makeup, and my hair all looked perfect. I took a few more cleansing breaths. Once I saw Will, my nerves would disappear. He’s the love of my life, my rock, and my future.
    I picked up the red rose bouquet, opened the door, and stepped into the mid-fall evening. Goosebumps formed as the cool air hit my skin. Dad was waiting for me with a bittersweet smile across his face.
    “Ready to give me away?” I asked.
    “I’ll never be ready for that.”
    Taking Dad’s arm, he led me between the white marbled columns and through the large ornately carved wooden doors.
    The inside of the cathedral was majestic and magical. Rows of intricate stained-glass windows decorated the walls. Two rows of dark wood pews flanked either side of the white marble center aisle, which flowed into the brilliant pristine altar at the front of the church. Above the altar hung local Charleston artist John S. Cogdell’s painting from the 1800s of the Crucifixion.
    As the large pipe organ rumbled to life with Pachelbel’s Canon in D, I gave Sophie a slight nod, letting her know it was time. She looked stunning in her black strapless dress with a deep red ribbon around her waist that matched the rose bouquets that we both carried. Since we kept the wedding party small, I was able to splurge on her maid of honor gift, a