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Jack and Doug’s backyard was beautiful. White chairs were lined up in perfect rows, spaced out in the middle to create an aisle and a white wooden arch stood tall in front of them with blue, purple, yellow, and white flowers laced through it. The same flowers were in several stands around the chairs and wrapped around the poles of the tent where the reception would be held. The sun was shining brightly, and there was a lovely breeze that was strong enough to be felt but not so strong as to knock anything over. The grass and trees were vibrant shades of green and the water was a shimmering blue. Everything about the day was lovely and perfect.
Joey scowled at it all, unmoved by the stunning display. “This wedding shouldn’t be happening.”
Pacey, standing on the patio next to her and looking distractingly good in his suit, let out of a soft snort of laughter. “Maybe don’t include that in your toast.”
“Amy’s too young.”
“She’s not that young.” Joey gave her husband an unimpressed look and he relented. “Okay, she’s pretty young, but we weren’t that much older when we got married.”
“But we’d known each other most of our lives and dated each other for, what, four and half years total by then?”
“Yes, compared to the four years Amy’s been dating Matt. Four consecutive years, might I add; we hadn't even been back together for two when I proposed.”
“Okay, well, none of that makes me feel better.” Joey narrowed her eyes and turned on her heel. “I’m gonna go talk to her.”
Pacey managed to get in front of her, blocking her way into the house. “Nope, no, can’t let you do that.”
“I have to -“
“Say what? You’ve already told her you thought she was rushing into this in a nice, measured way when she first got engaged, and she’s still going through with it. I don’t think she’s going to ditch her fiancé at the alter just because you say same thing but less tactfully.”
She crossed her arms. “How are you so calm? You were the one who drove all the way out to Capeside to glare menacingly at her prom date when he came to pick her up.”
“Because she’s not sixteen anymore, and because she gave me a very long Jen-like lecture about how sexist and patronizing I was being."
“What would Jen say?” It was the question that had been haunting Joey ever since Amy had surprised them with her engagement on their regular movie night last summer, and it was a relief to finally say it out loud.
Pacey softened, reaching out to smooth his hands up and down Joey’s arms. “First, I think she would say something about marriage and the patriarchy, which she'd probably be right about even though I personally like the institution. And second, I think she’d say that this is Amy’s decision and she supports her.”
“Even if it’s a mistake?”
“We all made mistakes, Jo. Amy has a right to find out for herself if this is a mistake or not. And frankly, she’s got a better track record than either of us did at her age.”
Joey sighed. “Fine. But if our daughter tries to get married before at least twenty-seven, I get to try to talk her out of it.”
“Deal. Now come with me."
He took her hand, pulling her away from the house and out into the backyard.
“Where are you taking me?” Joey asked as he led her past the chairs.
“I think you need to relax, and I know one surefire way to help you do that.”
“Pacey,” she hissed, coming to an abrupt stop, making him turn to look at her. “We’re not doing that here. Our kids are in the house!”
He stared at her quizzically for a moment, then broke out in a delighted smirk. “You have such a dirty mind, Josephine. What happened to the innocent girl I fell in love with?”
Joey rolled her eyes, trying not to blush. “I was never that innocent. Besides, what else was I supposed to think?"
“Follow me and you’ll find out,” Pacey said, tugging insistently on her hand until she relented and started walking again. He led her past the reception tent and out onto the rented dance floor.
She raised her eyebrows as he grinned down at her proudly. “Really? This is what you think relaxes me? There isn’t even any music.”
“Easily fixed. They already set up the speakers.” He took out his phone and played with a couple cords before finding the one that would connect to his iPhone. Then he held out a hand. “Care to take a spin around the dance floor with your husband?”
She smiled in spite of herself and took his hand. He pulled her into his arms as the sound of a piano began to play from the speakers, and in spite of what she’d said, the feeling of Pacey's hand on her back and his chest pressed against hers, and the familiar of smell of Pacey’s cologne, did start to ease the tension in her shoulders.
“We’ve gotten good at this,” Pacey said as they made their way across the floor.
“Mm-hmm, now that you don’t step on my feet.”
“And you let me lead.”
“Because you don’t step on my feet anymore.”
Pacey huffed out a laugh. “Fair enough. Feeling better?”
“A little,” she admitted. “Might be even better if you could still dip me.”
“You don’t think I can?”
“Well, you’re not exactly twenty-five anymore, so -“
She didn’t get to finish teasing him; as smoothly as he had the first time all those years ago, he cradled the back of her neck in his hand and kissed her, sweet and sure. Just like before, she barely registered the fact that she was moving, was being dipped so far that the ends of her hair just brushed the floor, because all she could feel was Pacey's lips, his stubble, his warmth, and the giddy swoop of her stomach.
When he set her back on her feet and pulled away, she couldn’t help but stare up at him, starry-eyed. It took her a few moments to find her voice. “Not bad, Witter.”
“Only the best for you,” Pacey said, kissing her cheek softly. “But I think my back only has one of those in me, so that better have made you very relaxed.”
“It made me something,” Joey whispered, pressing closer, wishing that it was the end of their day instead of the start, that they could go home to their empty house. Jack and Doug had volunteered to keep their kids for the weekend, probably feeling some amount of empty nest syndrome even though Amy had fully moved out over two years ago, and Joey had already planned to make use of a night to themselves.
“Mom! Mom, where’d you go?”
She sighed and called out, “I’m in the back, honey!”
Their daughter waved at her from the patio and yelled back, "Amy wants to talk to you!"
"Be there in a second, Bree!"
Pacey kept his grip on her hand so she couldn't leave. "Now, remember -"
"I'll keep my worries to myself, I know. I don't want to ruin this for her."
"Thank you," he said, letting out a gusty breath.
"No, thank you." She reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand. "Save me a dance for later?"
"As many as you want, sweetheart."
*
Amy Lindley-McPhee was beautiful. Her blonde hair was woven in a long thick braid with a few of the blue and purple and yellow and white flowers adorning it. She was wearing a lacy light blue jumpsuit, a pair of her mother's earrings, and Joey's mother's bracelet. She'd said wanted to wear something from the two most important women in her life when she'd asked to borrow it, and Joey heart ached in the best way seeing her wearing it now.
As Joey helped her put the finishing touches on her makeup, Amy looked at her with her big blue eyes and asked, "What do you think my mom would say if she was here? I can't ask my dad, he's already cried like three times today, but I really need to know. Do you ... do you think she'd be proud of me?"
Joey smiled, giving herself a moment to blink back her own tears and swallow down the lump in her throat. "Well, first of all, she'd love that you aren't wearing white or promising to obey your husband in your vows."
"Dad said the same thing," Amy said with a laugh. "I'm glad she'd approve."
"And I think ... I know that she wanted you to be happy. More than anything else in the whole world, she wanted you to be happy and loved. You are so, so loved, Amy, and all that any of us want is for you to be happy."
"I am happy, Aunt Joey," Amy said, beaming at her. "I can't wait to be his wife."
She nodded. "I felt the exact same way on my wedding day."
Joey knew that Pacey had been right. It was Amy's choice to make, and her only job was to be there for her, no matter how things turned out.
Today, all she could do was support and love her. And maybe have a few more dances with her husband.