Read Online Slider by Stacy Borel - Free Book Online Page A

Passing several doors that were marked Men, Women, and the pastoral office, my nose tickled from all the floral scents in the air. We were a few miles outside of Athens, in the country, in a chapel that apparently had been named one of the top venues to get married in Georgia in 2015. My mother and Keegan worked like a well oiled machine ensuring that every single detail of this wedding was covered. My mother had impatiently been waiting for one of her boys to get hitched. Granted, none of us ever suspected Camden would have been the first, but Keegan was a good match for him. She was nothing like the other girls he used to chase after, thank God, and she fit in our family as if she’d always been a part of it.
    Getting to the end of the hall I saw a door that had a small plaque reading, “bridal suite.” I heard female voices on the other side. This must be it. Reaching my hand up, I knocked loudly. The door was cracked open and an eye appeared on the other side. It looked around then opened the rest of the way. Macie stood front and center in a short black dress looking stunning.
    “He’s not out there, is he?” Keegan called from a back room.
    “No, it’s just Turner,” Macie replied.
    I snickered. “Gee thanks.”
    She winked at me and shifted out of the way so I could move past her. “Welcome, cupcake. Boy, you clean up nice.”
    Stepping forward, I came inside and looked around. There were clothes, make-up, hair pins, brushes, and any other female product you could imagine strung all over the counters that lined the far wall. Two girls that I vaguely remember from the bar were dressed the same. Must be bridesmaids. To the right, my mother was opening a door and out stepped Keegan. She was decked out head to toe in white and looked beautiful. If she wasn’t marrying my brother, I’d probably consider dating her. But she was his match, and he deserved happiness.
    “Ladies,” I said in greeting.
    They all smiled at me as I made my way further into the room. Approaching the bride, I leaned forward and kissed Keegan on the cheek.
    “If all you boys look like this, I’m in for a treat,” she cooed sweetly.
    “Careful, I’ll steal you away from my brother. And speaking of, he sent me down here to give you something.” I lifted my hand, the gift bag dangling on my index finger.
    A sweet little gasp came from her mouth, and she tentatively took it from me. “That sneaky little . . . I told him no gifts.” I couldn’t wipe the smile off her face right now even if I tried. She was beaming.
    “I raised my boy’s right,” my mom replied.
    Keegan leaned into her and kissed her cheek. “Yes, ma’am, you did.”
    “Don’t speak too soon, momma, Camden is the only one putting a ring on it today,” I taunted her.
    She beamed at me and slapped at my chest. “Oh you, hush.”
    Keegan, set the bag atop a sofa and started pulling out pieces of tissue paper. Every female in the room, took a step forward to try and get a better look at the prize inside, while I took a step back. This was their moment. Girls lived for this stuff. When she got to the bottom, she pulled out a little black box. Lifting the lid, she immediately brought her hand to her mouth and tears welled in her eyes. My mother pulled out the item and held it so everyone could see.
    “Awe.” Was the collective sound throughout the room.
    “Oh my gosh, I didn’t even realize that he knew . . .” Keegan’s stunned words trailed off.
    It was a delicate silver bracelet that had two pearls on either side of a small charm. The charm was an infinity symbol. My mom wrapped it around Keegan’s small wrist and clasped it. The girls started asking questions about the meaning.
    “Every night when we go to sleep, I rub Camden’s back.” She paused to wipe at a tear on her cheek. “I always thought he was already passed out when I’d start drawing infinity symbols on him. It was just a thing I did, I guess. He never even indicated that he knew what I