Chapter 466: The Bouquet’s Attracted To Me
The hearty laughter made Elsie turn around, eager to know who the bouquet was fated to be. She gasped in surprise once she saw it was Ruediger.
"Rudy?" she blinked in disbelief, "Hey! You weren’t even standing with the ladies!"
Ruediger stared at the bouquet, then at Elsie, before he caught a laughing Lariette among the crowd. He said deadpan, "Well, seems like your bouquet wanted to land in my hands, so."
The entire garden burst into another wave of laughter. A few shouted, teasing the young man.
Nathaniel bent over, clutching his stomach. He pointed at Ruediger, "Guess we’ll be attending your wedding with Lari soon. Don’t you think so?"
Madeline exclaimed between giggles, "Yeah! You guys have been married longer than they! Better start planning your wedding now."
Ruediger stood frozen for a second, the bouquet still in his grasp. His cheeks flushed as Nathaniel and Madeline mentioned his wedding to Lariette. Some guests chorused the same sentiment.
Hey, that didn’t sound too bad. He couldn’t help but imagine her in a wedding dress, walking down the aisle with him by her side.
Elsie was beaming, "What are you doing just standing there? You should hand the bouquet to your wife."
Ruediger lightly shook the bouquet, "I’ll gladly do so."
Lariette was unable to suppress her smile when Ruediger strode forward and presented her with the lovely bouquet. Her bridesmaid dress fluttered softly in the coastal wind as he reached for her hand.
"For you," he added cheekily with a grin, "Just take it that I caught it on your behalf."
"Oh, well~ Seems like I have to thank you."
Lariette lifted the bouquet to her nose, smelling the sweet fragrance. Standing before her, Ruediger’s gaze softened.
"Can I be your flower girl too, Aunt Lari and Uncle Rudy?"
Lorianne’s voice suddenly rang. She trotted over the pair, her dusty rose dress swaying around her knees. She eyed them with expectation.
"Of course, you’re the best flower girl," Ruediger said warmly, kneeling down to pat her head, "You can pick a pretty dress yourself."
Lorianne giggled, clutching her skirt, "That’s a promise!"
More warmth radiated from Lariette’s cheeks. She shyly pinched Ruediger’s arm, earning a cocky smile from him.
The moment passed with laughter and applause. Soon, the ceremony drew to a beautiful close. Everyone left to rest for a bit before joining the celebration two hours later at the beach.
Around two in the afternoon, the shoreline was already transformed into a coastal paradise.
Tables draped in ivory linen stood beneath swaying white canopies, and crystal glasses sparkled under the sunlight. Waiters moved around, carrying trays of drinks and food.
The sea breeze carried the soft scent of salt and flowers, mingling with music and laughter. Children ran barefoot near the waves, and the adults mingled freely with plates of food in hand.
Elsie and Nathaniel had already changed into another outfit. After their first dance, they moved through the crowd together, radiant with happiness.
Lorianne ran about collecting seashells with other children. Her laughter blended with the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.
The sun gradually went down, casting hues of amber, amethyst and gold over the horizon. The reception was scheduled to end at seven. Most of the older guests had already left.
Ruediger stood with a drink in hand as he stood near the edge of the stand, chatting with a few guests. He had already loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt.
Then, Ruediger’s eyes drifted to one side, watching Lariette laughing with Madeline and others. He excused himself before approaching the group.
Madeline was the first to notice Ruediger. She nudged Lariette, who turned to look in that direction. The pair exchanged a soft smile.
"Go now," Madeline took the empty glass from Lariette’s hand, pushing him toward Ruediger, "The reception ends soon anyway."
Ruediger gladly took Lariette away, their fingers interlocking. Madeline rolled her eyes but smiled knowingly. She continued chatting with the group.
The waves lapped against the shore in gentle rhythm. The string quartet under the canopy shifted to a slower melody, perfect for the setting sun.
Ruediger turned to Lariette, his voice soft, "Dance with me? We didn’t get a chance before."
She chuckled, "Someone’s too busy. Sure."
As Elsie and Nathaniel danced at the beginning of the reception, Ruediger was preoccupied with other tasks. He regretfully had let go of the opportunity to dance with Lariette.
They moved closer to where the music carried more clearly, near the open space lit with swaying hanging lanterns. At this hour, the sea shimmered in shades of gold and amber.
Ruediger rested his hand lightly at Lariette’s waist as they swayed. Instead of waltzing, they only danced slowly.
The world seemed to quiet around them, save for the notes of the musical equipment and the murmur of the waves.
"You know," Lariette chuckled, her eyes sparkling under the setting sun as she looked at him, "I think you caught that bouquet on purpose, right?"
Ruediger huffed a laugh, "More like, the bouquet’s attracted to me. You know, like a supernatural force?"
She laughed softly, her fingers tightening around his neck. The sunlight caught in her hair, the soft fabric of her dress fluttering in the wind.
From a distance, Elsie grinned as she looked at the pair. Her eyes glimmered with mischief, "See? Maybe we’ll attend their wedding soon."
Nathaniel nodded in amusement. Knowing Ruediger’s personality, he believed that his friend wouldn’t simply let the coincidence of catching the bouquet go.
The music continued, flowing from one melody to another. The dance stretched on as the pair simply followed the quiet and natural rhythm shared between them.
When the song finally ended, they didn’t step apart right away. Ruediger brushed a strand of hair from Lariette’s cheek, his touch tender. She tiptoed, lightly kissing his lips.
"Sweetheart," he breathed, "I love you."
She whispered, eyes twinkling like stars, "I love you too, my dear honey."
Their journey was still far, but no obstacles could stop them.