"You look exquisite, Isobel," Sam said as she smiled at the young woman. Sam stood behind the young girl, adjusting her veil as they stood before the floor-length mirror in Sam's spare bedroom.
Rosemary had insisted on making Isobel's wedding dress, gifting her the fabric and her time. Isobel had tried to protest, but, as Lee had pointed out, arguing with Rosemary was a waste of time. Eventually, Isobel accepted the generous gift, vowing to find a way to pay back her kindness. She wondered how she could repay all the kindness she had been shown, it hadn't just been Rosemary who insisted on helping.
To complement her dress, Fiona had given her a pair of beautiful cream-beaded heels, Faith had loaned her the veil she wore at her wedding, and Quinn had presented her with a pair of silver hair combs set with Topaz stones that matched the flowers in her bouquet, and the men's boutonnieres.
"Thank you for being here with me today and through everything. You cannot know how much your support has meant to me." Isobel said as she took a deep breath and glanced in the mirror, catching Sam's eye.
"It's been my pleasure. I can't tell you how happy I am for you and how proud I am of the life you have made for yourself here." Sam grinned and said, "Speaking of your life here, we are running late, and we don't want to keep Riley waiting too much longer."
"No, I don't. I'm ready."
Sam followed Isobel downstairs, letting the young woman make her entrance without her distracting from Bill's first sight of her in her wedding gown. Isobel was a beautiful bride. She looked at Bill, saw the pride and love for Isobel on his face and knew she wasn't biased.
"You are stunning, Isobel," Bill said, his voice wavering with emotion. Bill had been a substitute father figure to many Hope Valley women, including Elizabeth, Clara, and Quinn. Isobel was special to him too. Working on her case and watching the toll it had taken made Bill very protective of the young lady. He was overjoyed when Isobel shyly asked him to walk her down the aisle.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"No tears, Isobel, I promised Rosemary," Sam called out, attempting to lighten the mood, glad when Bill and Isobel laughed. Sam reached the two of them standing at the bottom of the stairs and straightened a crease on Isobel's sleeve before glancing at Bill.
"You look very handsome, Bill," Sam said with a smile. Bill did look good in his charcoal suit, waistcoat, and handkerchief, mirroring the colours in Isobel and Sam's bouquets. Sam blushed and hoped Bill didn't realise that she meant those words as more than a passing comment. Sam did everything she could to hide her feelings for Bill. They had known each other for years and were colleagues and good friends. He was a little older than her, but she never considered that an issue. Why did she have to go and develop feelings for him?
"Shall we go? I have the car waiting outside," Bill asked Isobel, including Sam in the conversation. The others had already gone in Lee's car, wanting to be at the Church for her arrival. Isobel had been torn about who to ask to stand with her on her special day, wishing to have those special to her beside her. No one would be left to sit in the pews if she had all the women she wanted to ask. Ultimately, the women made it easy for her; Rosemary offered to watch her daughter Lily and Jack Thornton on the day, as they were flower girl and page boy. Elizabeth Bouchard declined, too; she was pregnant with her second, long-awaited child and was nauseous and ill most days; she wasn't sure she could even make the wedding. Quinn volunteered to mind the children, so Fiona and Faith could be part of the bridal party.
Riley had similar problems to his Fiancé and was having difficulty choosing the best man and groomsmen from the men in Town. Once Isobel had chosen her attendants, it became more straightforward, and he could select Joshua and Adam to stand with him. At his bachelor party, he tried to explain his reasons to Lee, Nathan, Lucas, Mike, and Bill, who waved him away. They all understood and found ways to be involved in the couple's special day.
As Riley stood at the altar, waiting for his bride, his eyes scanned the crowd, looking for someone else. He knew it was a long way for people to travel and hadn't expected his family to come, except for his sister. His younger sister had promised she would be there but hadn't arrived as expected on the train the previous day. She had sent a message advising she had missed her connecting train and would be there on the wedding day. Mike had offered to collect her; they should have been at the Church already. He hoped nothing else had gone wrong; his sister was notorious for being late, and it wouldn't be unheard of for her to miss the train again.
Mike Hickam stood waiting anxiously at the station for Sarah Langdon, Riley's sister. He had given Mike a description, but it was very vague, and he could imagine a train full of women who were "blonde, kind of short and a bit annoying." He had followed Minnie's suggestion and written her name on a piece of paper and held it up as the passengers disembarked.
He watched one young woman step off the train and look around the platform, her eyes searching, trying to find someone. It couldn't be Riley's sister, though; she wasn't pretty; she was stunning. He stared at her as she continued to look around until her eyes rested on him and the note he held. Her face broke into a smile, and she hurried toward him.
Mike felt his stomach flip, this had to be Sarah Langford, and she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. As she got closer, he could see her more clearly, her bright green eyes, her full lips, and when she stopped in front of him, a light dusting of freckles across her nose.
"Good morning, I'm Sarah Langford," she said, her voice happy and bright as she extended her hand to him.
"Mike Hickam," he responded, pleased his voice had come out normally. Lowering the sign, he shook her hand, ignoring the jolt of electricity he felt at her touch. He watched as her eyes dropped to their joined hands and wondered and hoped she felt it too.
"Thank you so much for coming to collect me; I'm sure Riley told you all about my disorganisation, assuming it was my fault I missed the train," she said, laughing.
Riley had said a great deal about his little sister and her disorganisation, but Mike wasn't going to reveal that to her. "He might have mentioned something," he said, trying to be vague.
Sarah laughed again, "Please don't try and protect Riley or my feelings, it's a running joke in my family, and I wouldn't expect anything less. Is it far to the Church?"
Mike blushed; how had he forgotten the time? "It's not far, but we will need to hurry if we want to make it on time," he stammered. "Where are your bags?"
"This is it," she announced, lifting her small floral bag. "I have arranged for the others to be sent along later. It was Sarah's turn to blush; she wasn't lying; she had arranged that; what she wasn't telling Mike was that the baggage she was sending on was everything she owned. Her brother didn't know what had happened at home; she had deliberately kept it from him, not wanting to spoil his wedding day. They could talk once she found a place to live and he returned from his honeymoon. For now, she would smile and celebrate her brother finding the love of his life.
Bill heard the sound of a racing engine and turned to see who and what it was. He frowned as he recognised Mike Hickam speeding up behind him. He went to say something to Sam but stopped, his eyes widening as Mike overtook him and continued to the Church.
"Sorry, Bill," Mike called, not sorry at all as he left him behind. Mike was determined to get Sarah to the Church before Isobel arrived. He told himself the sound of her delighted laughter as she held on to the door as they sped toward the Church had nothing to do with his reckless speed and leaving the Town Mayor and Judge in his wake. At least Nathan wasn't around to see him.
Mike parked the car and hurriedly escorted Sarah into the Church, pleased to be inside, before facing Bill. As they entered the Church, he saw Riley look up with a smile of delight. Many of those assembled noticed Riley looking and craned their necks excitedly following his gaze, expecting Isobel to be standing in the doorway. There were confused looks and whispered questions as the curious crowd tried to determine who Mike's companion was.
Mike heard Bill's car approaching and quickly ushered Sarah into a seat; as they sat, he looked to see who they were sitting with and was pleased to see it was Quinn and Nathan Grant sitting in the last pew, ready to make a hasty exit if one of the children were disturbing the service.
Taking a deep breath, Mike took a moment to collect himself. From the moment he spotted Sarah at the Train station, it felt like his heart was racing, and he couldn't take a deep breath. He told himself it was just the adrenaline of the frantic trip to the Church; it was not the beautiful woman beside him. As he nodded his head, pleased with the decision he had reached, she moved in her seat, and her thigh brushed his. That slight touch sent his heart racing again, and he knew it was everything to do with Sarah Langford and nothing to do with the drive.
Allie sat beside Cody in the pew in front of her parents. She was mesmerised by the ceremony unfolding before her. At the last wedding she had attended, she had been distracted by thoughts of her first date with Cody, and now, today, she was distracted by him again. This time her thoughts were on their wedding day and how it would feel to be in Isobel's place, walking toward the man who would be her husband.
Allie closed her eyes and imagined Cody in Riley's place, and a happy smile flitted across her face. There was a long time to wait until it was her wedding, but until then, she could dream.
Mike heard a soft snort and looked at Sarah Langford, wondering what had caused her to react that way. Looking over, he realised Bill and Isobel were there, ready to walk down the aisle. Catching Bill's eye, he saw him glaring at him and knew he wasn't forgiven. He made eye contact with Sarah and could see she was trying to maintain her composure and not laugh aloud. Mike pressed his lips together to contain his laughter and gently nudged Sarah with his shoulder. He heard a soft giggle escape her lips before Quinn "shushed" them both, giving him a wink to make sure he knew she was joking.
Bill straightened his jacket as he glared at Mike before looking around for Sam, who was straightening Isobel's skirt and veil, ensuring they were arranged correctly for her walk down the aisle. As Sam focused on Isobel, Bill admired her, trying not to be obvious about his appraisal. He knew his eyes followed her far too often than was appropriate for work colleagues, and he found himself seeking her out after hours more often than was wise if he didn't want to give away his feelings. Bill had known Sam for so many years; he wondered why he hadn't realised his feelings for her until recently. He didn't want to spoil their working relationship or jeopardise their friendship with his deepening sentiments; the fact that he was too old for her hadn't escaped him either; he wouldn't appear a fool.
"I'll skirt around the edges of the seat and meet you upfront." Sam whispered to Bill, "I'll save you a seat." Smiling at the glowing bride, Sam squeezed Bill's arm and moved away, looking over her shoulder at the pair. Sam knew she should curb her fantasies, but a small part of her could easily imagine Isobel as her daughter and Bill as her husband, escorting their child down the aisle. Sam felt heat rise in her cheeks and willed the thoughts away. Maybe now Quinn and Isobel were settled into their lives here in Hope Valley; it was time she moved away. She could live near her sister Bethany if she wanted to move far away, or maybe Brookfield would be far enough away to allow her to get over her feelings for Bill Avery.
Sarah felt tears well in her eyes as she watched her brother's face as he saw his bride for the first time. It was clear Riley was deeply in love. She couldn't see Isobel's face, being so far in the back of the Church, but once she reached the altar and turned, her expression matched Riley's. Sarah was so happy for him; he deserved to find love and happiness. Didn't everyone?
Sarah hoped he wouldn't be angry with her for leaving home and moving away from their parents. The pressure they put on her to marry had become intolerable, especially since Riley announced his engagement. Her parents paraded her around at parties and dinners they organised with friends with eligible sons. It was humiliating, and she couldn't stand it any longer. She wanted what Riley had, true love and a best friend. She would not settle for a 'partnership' mutually beneficial for her parents and their business associates.
After the ceremony, Riley and Isobel walked down the aisle hand in hand to the cheers and clapping of their friends. Sarah was happy to wait until the Church emptied pew by pew, following Mike as everyone streamed outside. She was happy to mingle with the other guests as Mike introduced her, allowing Riley and Isobel to accept the congratulations of their guests. When Riley finally broke away from everyone and made a beeline for her, she stepped away from Mike and was engulfed in a bear hug from her older brother. Tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked them away, determined not to allow anything to spoil this day for her brother.
"You have to come and meet Isobel; you have to come and meet everyone!" Riley exclaimed, so excited to see his younger sister. It was far too long since he had seen her or any of his family. He grasped her by the hand, dragging her toward Isobel, forging a path toward his beautiful bride.
Sarah looked over her shoulder at Mike, wanting to thank him for all his assistance, but he was lost in the crowd. Sarah gave up looking for him, knowing if she lost him now, she would see him soon and could thank him then. Her focus shifted from Mike to working hard not to be overwhelmed by the number of people her brother seemed determined to introduce her to.
"Would you like a ride to the reception?"
"That would be lovely, Mike. Thank you so much," Sarah said after spinning to face him. "You have given me a taste for speed; walking to Town would have been very boring in comparison," she teased.
Mike laughed and ducked his head, blushing at her words, before holding his arm out to escort her to his car. Sarah captivated Mike's attention to the point he didn't see Bill as he passed him or notice him open his mouth to scold him about his driving.
"No offence, but I don't think he has seen you yet," Lee teased Bill. "He appears to be a little distracted."
"More than a little, I would guess," Nathan chipped in. "I don't think he would notice if a hole opened up in front of him, he would keep walking right into it."
"Of course, he is distracted; she is beautiful," Quinn commented. "She is sweet too, and I can't wait to learn more about her."
You might need to get in line behind, Mike," Lee joked. "I don't think I have ever seen him so taken with a woman."
"Don't tease him about this, please, Lee or any of you," implored Quinn before giving them a stern look. Lee and Nathan had the good grace to look apologetic, but the grin on Bill's face told Quinn he was not going to do anything like she asked. Quinn opened her mouth to scold Bill when Sam approached them. Quinn closed her mouth, and her eyes narrowed as she watched Bill's smile grow wide in response to Sam's arrival. Continuing to watch the two of them, she noticed how solicitous Bill was toward her friend, and when Sam looked away from him to talk to the group, Bill's eyes remained on her face.
Bill sensed someone looking at him, and he realised he had been caught staring at Sam. He looked at Quinn and saw her smirking, one eyebrow raised. He blushed and shook his head at her, begging her not to say anything.
"So are we agreed? No one says anything about...Mike,' Quinn asked, pausing just long enough for Bill to realise her intent.
Nathan frowned at his wife, wondering what was happening, but nodded anyway. He noticed Lee did the same but hadn't seemed to notice the odd tone of her voice, a warning, a threat, he wasn't sure, but there was definitely something he had missed.
"Ready to go, Sam?" Bill asked gruffly, earning him a confused smile from her.
"Yes, of course. Is everything okay," she asked kindly, concern for him evident in the way she stepped toward him, placing a hand on his forearm.
"It's fine; I just want to be there and make sure everything is organised; you know if I am not there, things won't get done." Bill was scowling as he answered, taking her arm and leading her away, not giving her a chance to say goodbye.
"See you two later," Quinn called after them, laughing loudly enough to make Bill stiffen, even though he didn't turn around.
Nathan stepped toward his wife and whispered, "Are you going to tell me what that is all about?"
"Oh yes," she said with a broad smile. "I can't wait to tell you what that was about. I can't believe we've missed seeing it for so long."
Quinn gathered the children in her care together and, taking Nathan's arm, managed to corral them together in an orderly manner, heading to their car. She couldn't wait to get to the reception; it would be an interesting evening.