Page 25 of Stay With Me

“What was that about, Ems?” Shayna asks.

Confusion radiates off her and I don’t blame her. I never told her about my kiss with Charlie… or just how strong my one-sided juvenile crush on him was. She may have guessed at it, but she’ll never know the extent I felt it. Or that I waited over a year after that Thanksgiving kiss hoping Charlie might change his mind.

“Nothing. He’s probably just being protective on behalf of Trina. I don’t think either of them has forgiven Teddy for what he did.”

“Well, screw everyone else. If you’re happy, then that’s all that matters. Now let’s get you back out there so I can buy you a congratulatory shot.”

I smile at my best friend, my ride or die, and let her lead me back out to the main barroom.

And if I had any question about whether Charlie Fitzgerald cares about me as anything more than a friend, I get my answer—no—as I watch him say something to Trina, then grab his jacket and leave, without so much as a glance back at me.

CHAPTER11

EMILY

I can’t believe I managed to plan this day in record time—just four and a half months. As I sit in a chair off to the side of the room, I slowly peruse the scene as it unfolds before me. Shayna sits as still as she can while the makeup artist completes her look, and the hairdresser who’s just finished styling Trina’s hair is showing her the back of it with a mirror. Shayna’s five-year-old son, Tommy, is sitting in a corner of the room coloring. And the photographer is flitting around as she snaps candid photographs of the day.

In forty-three minutes, I’ll walk down the aisle to get married. I’ve known Teddy for eleven of my twenty-six years and dated him for most of those years. Jesus, that’s almost half of my life. So, I know this queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach isn’t me getting cold feet about marrying him. Yeah, we’ve been through a lot with his mental health struggles, but we’ve also had many amazing times.

I glance down at my phone and expect to see a text from my parents saying they got stuck in traffic and will be here any minute. There isn’t one. My hands shake and my intuition tells me this is bad.

“Hey. What’s wrong, honey? Why are you shaking?” Shayna asks me. “You nervous?”

Her words break my staring contest with my phone, as I will it to ring. I peer up at her. “Shay, my parents aren’t here yet. Something bad is happening. I can feel it.”

My voice is practically a whisper, and I can see in Shayna’s eyes she’s worried, too. To her credit, she tries to hide it.

“I’m sure they’re just running late. Why don’t we call them?”

“C-can you clear the room out first? I want to call them in private. I just want you and Trina with me. In case I get upset.”

“Sure, babe. Gimme a minute. Okay?”

I nod in response.

Our wedding party is small, just Shayna and Trina in mine and Teddy’s best friend, Jack, and another friend of his from work standing up on his side. I watch as Shayna clears the room of the hairdressers, our make-up artist, and the photographer. The photographer balks for a second until Shayna gives her a look that would frighten just about anyone, and she leaves, huffing as she goes. It leaves just Shayna and Trina with me, and my ring bearer, Tommy.

Trina stands from the chair she was in as her hair was being finished and walks over. I can read the concern in her expression as she eyes me.

“What wrong, Em?” she asks.

My big sister—my only sibling—is pretty much my hero.

Our parents didn’t abuse us growing up, they just always made us feel like we were in the way or like we were an afterthought. We always had what we needed. If money could buy it, that is.

However, when it came to love and an emotional connection, they just didn’t have it in them to bond with us that way. But Trina, she never let me go one day without making sure I knew how much she loved me. I grew up with the coolest, toughest, most loving sister a girl could ask for.

“Mom and Dad aren’t here yet, Tri. I don’t think they’re coming…” The trembling in my voice fills the air and I notice Shayna pass Trina a worried look.

“They promised you. Even they wouldn’t break that promise,” Shayna adds. She’s trying to sound convincing, but none of us buys it.

“I’m calling them,” I say.

My sister and my best friend are two of the most badass, strong women I know, so I decide to borrow some of their energy and face my fears.

I call my mother’s number. It rings four times before she picks up.

“Hello?” Mom’s voice sounds as calm as normal. Maybe I’m wrong and they’re just late.

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