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Truthfully, she had beento Suzy, who seeet married, and a justice of the peace would have been fine to her Now her dear friends Suzy, Ely overjoyed to be part of her special day She missed Ella and wished that she could have been there

A knock sounded at the door and Emma rushed to answer it When Emma didn’t return after a few moments, Ava looked over at the door to see the other wo Brant, and for once, Ava didn’t want to shudder in horror fro out with his fiancée Actually, she’d never been happier that both of her brothers had found their forever persons Despite years of doubt, it seemed as if there was a happily-ever-after on the horizon for all the Stone siblings

Brant’s face was flushed when E that everyone was decent He stopped in his tracks, just looking at Ava for a oith a square neckline and delicate spaghetti straps Tiny seed pearls were sewn on the whitethe dress a fairy-tale look She had known it was her dreaiven her an enthusiastic high five that she’d found her wedding dress within an hour

"You look beautiful," he said as he reached her E to know that Brant wanted a moment alone with his sister He looked at her al two boxes from his jacket pocket "Iuht need before you get , thin box in front of her "You know that most of Mom’s jewelry has been in a safe-deposit box since their death" When she nodded, he continued, staring at the box he held "When you toldmarried, I remembered this one necklace Mom alore it to every party that she and Dad attended It’s the only piece of her jewelry that I can reular basis Iwell, I thought you ht like to have a part of her here today I know it’s not the sa his sentence, he popped open the box, showing her the platinum pearl and diamond necklace nestled within She choked on a sob as she too re their mother’s neck on several occasions

Brant reentlyit around her neck Her hand autoainst her skin His eyes were bright as he moved back in front of her "I, uht this could be your so old"

"Oh, Brant," she cried, "I don’t knohat to say I never kne much I needed a part of the care ofthe e up the other, smaller one

"Wait There’s another one, and I don’t want you crying more than once, so try to hold it until--" As a knock sounded on the door, Brant smiled and went to open it Ava’sequally eot tied up Oh, sis, you look beautiful" As Declan leaned over to kiss both her cheeks, he whispered in her ear, "Mac is one lucky bastard" Brushing an errant tear fro the box from Brant’s hand His eyes softened as they lit on their mother’s necklace "Looks beautiful on you, Av I know she would have wanted you to wear it today" Clearing his throat, he held up the velvet box in his hand, saying, "Ella and I wanted to give you so the box, Declan turned it for her to see a bracelet very sin to the necklace that she wore As he put it on her wrist, he continued talking "I’m sorry if I haven’t always been there when you needed me, Av, but please never doubt that I love you There is only oneto without reservation, and you’rehim today He’s always loved you, Ava, and I know that he alill"

After that, they all exchanged eetherness with their feelings unguarded As the rest of the gang filed back in, Suzy shook her head while the other wo your makeup until your last visitor coain" Then in an uncharacteristic display of e, "And you knohat, you cry as much as you need to If we can’t fix it, then screw it Mac will only see your beauty, not yourher newborn baby, Sofia Grace, and doing a aped at their soft-spoken friend when she covered the baby’s ears and said, "Noould Iout in the rooet Ella’s hs that it would bring to the that now she kne Brant had et their mother’s necklace here so quickly

"Now I believe we’re ht?" Claire asked while holding a hand behind her back When Ava agreed, the other wo Ava the pearl and diaot o perfectly with your necklace and bracelet"

Ava wanted to protest, not sure about wearing so so special to Claire, but the other woer, she found herself hugging Claire while trying to hold back her tears

Next, Suzy and Beth stepped forward, holding out a long white box Ava looked at it suspiciously, before shaking her head "Please tell ht"

Beth started laughing as Suzy winced, rubbing her lower back "Um, no, Gray buried that at the bottom of the trash can I think he ood ht?" Beth joked, holding her sides while she laughed

Suzy, never one to be eainand again God, I love pushing that e Suzy to shake her out of what appeared to be soht, so, anyway, Beth and I took care of the so blue" When Ava hesitated, Beth opened the box, showing her the light blue garter belt nestled inside it Ava sighed in relief before donning the last item