Page 14 of Because You Loved Me

She regretted it the moment the words were out of her mouth, but only because when she spun around for her grand exit, she ran straight into her mother, who, of course, was arm in arm with Ryan’s mom.

“Noa?” The bright smile that had been on her face was replaced in a flash, with the all too familiar shadow that Jeannie Little had worn since the accident.

And just like that, Noa wanted to crawl into a hole. The whole point of…well… everything was to keep those smilesontheir faces again.

“Is everything okay?”

Her own mother wore a matching look of concern, and both women glanced from Noa to Sarah, who was proving to be useless in the bridesmaid category. At least when it came to any duties that actually helped her out.

“I’m just…” Either she really had had too much alcohol, or she was about to have a panic attack. Or both.

Noa looked around frantically but found nothing to steady her.

“It’s your big party, Noa.” Her mother reached for her, but at that moment, a surge of rebellion washed through her.

She pulled her arm backward, leaving her mother’s mouth agape.

“Let’s go back to the party, Noa,” Janice tried.

That’s what she should do. She should just down another shot, and go dance like everyone expected her to.

It was the right thing and it would make everyone stop looking at her that way. But she couldn’t make her feet move. Like a petulant child, she shook her head.

“I’m not sure everything is?—”

“Ladies!”

Right on cue, Ryan appeared next to her. He slid his arm around Noa and pulled her body into his.

Everything about Ryan was familiar. His cologne, his touch, the way he gave her a little shake as he held her tight. She knew it was meant to reassure her, but it only made her want to scream.

“What’s happening?” Ryan looked to the mothers and Sarah, who shrugged and walked away before he turned his attention to her. “It looks like someone needs a drink.”

She was trapped. Like an animal in a cage, the panic that had been brewing deep inside her threatened to burst out in what was sure to be an explosive scene. Noa swallowed hard. “What Ineedis to?—”

“Darling?” Ryan squeezed her even tighter to his side. “I think what youneedis to blow off somesteam.”

“That’s why I thought a drink might?—”

“That’s not really what I was talking about.”

Noa squeezed her eyes shut as he gave her another little shake.

“Remember what we talked about earlier?”

She sure did. But if Ryan thought she was about to pick up some random guy for a hookup the night beforetheygot married, with all of their family members who were convinced they were madly in love lurking around every corner, he was crazy.

“Well, as long as the two of you have everything under control.”

“We always do.” Ryan flashed the moms his megawatt smile.

They may have been appeased, but she only wanted to scream.

“Excuse me.” She somehow managed to slide out of Ryan’s grasp and headed for the door. She needed a chance to breathe and pull herself together.

“Remember,” her fiancé called after her. “I think you should blow off…”

Thankfully for him, Noa made it to the safety of the lobby before she could hear the end of that sentence.

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