Dizzy

Chapter 28

~ Ziah ~

I catch Dylan's eyes as I step slowly down the stairs, and he's smiling at me, which makes my heart stutter, which I'm terrified will make my feet stumble. Miraculously I make it to the bottom. Now I'm following my sister, whose short, lace train flows out behind her, and it hits me again what a big deal this is for her. For all of us, really.

Derrick's it. My brother-in-law. My grin spreads as it hits me again that Dylan will be sort of my brother-in-law, too. Now that I'm thinking about him, I glance his way, and his eyes are still on me, making me blush. I have got to hold it together or I'm going to fall on my face.

Dad gives Lora a kiss on the cheek before putting her hand in Derrick's, and I'm amazed he remembered to do that.

In what feels like seconds, but also hours because of my shoes, I'm holding Lora's bouquet and looking at all our friends and family—Mom wiping her eyes and Dad looking both proud and stunned.

Then I turn toward Dylan's dad and the very well-dressed group sitting on the Gibson side of the room. And I think about Dylan and his mom and what a big deal it is for him to like me enough to move forward. I think about how Lora's going to laugh and love the donuts because after losing the perfect wedding cakes, it's the only way to make it better.

And Dylan did it.

I catch his eyes only once as Derrick leans over to put the ring on Lora's finger, and the way he's looking at me makes me feel like we'll be okay.

After they kiss and we cheer, it's time to touch Dylan again. I get to touch Dylan again.

"Hey," I say as I slide my arm through his for him to lead me back up the aisle. I'm an idiot. Hey?

The photographer kneels down to take pictures of us, so I plaster on the smile I know Lora would want to see.

"I'm sorry, Ziah. I shouldn't have bailed like that, I—"

"And I should have told you that James and I are talking as friends again."

It sucks that we're walking arm in arm and not talking somewhere private, but after being interrupted over and over, I can't wait.

"I just freaked. It was me."

"If you would have stayed on the phone, Dylan. I would have helped you. Gone with you, or..."

"I had to do this on my own."

I finally laugh. "Let's just say we both screwed up, is that cool?"

"Start over?" he asks as he tips his head toward mine. "Do you still want to?"

"Yeah. I want to. But no more disappearing. Talk first, okay?"

"Deal." His breath hits my neck and shoulder sending shivers through me. "I'm totally falling for you, Hanes."

I stumble, nearly fall, but he grabs my waist, holding me up. I can hear the photographer clicking away, and my face gets hot. So much for playing it cool.

Dylan's eyes meet mine. "Don't worry, Ziah. I got you."

And he does.

Right there, a few feet off the end of the aisle, I drop my bouquet to throw my arms around Dylan's neck and give him a kiss that makes Derrick and Lora look like amateurs. We'll definitely be okay.