Page 3 of Because You Loved Me

With the time ticking down, Sarah kicked things into overdrive and soon, Noa was not only wrapped in something that was supposed to resemble a gown made of toilet paper, but also had an elaborate headpiece attached to her head and woven through her blonde strands.

“Okay, time!” Jeannie called.

“No!” Sarah immediately began to protest, but Noa saw her chance to escape.

She shimmied away from her cousin with the roll of toilet paper trailing after her.

“Noa!” Sarah called after her. “Where are you going?”

“I have to pee.” She clenched her teeth together and shrugged apologetically.

“Now? We still have the judging and I know?—”

“When you have to go, you have to go.” She twirled dramatically. “But great job, cuz! Best dress here.” She blew Sarah a kiss and slipped out the door into the hallway.

Noa leaned against the door and huffed out a breath.

“Don’t tell me you’re a runaway bride?”

Jolted, her eyes flew open to stare directly at her grandma. “What? I…”

“It’s a very pretty dress.” Her grandma winked, and Noa shook her head.

“Sarah is…”

“Say no more.” Her grandma squeezed her arm. “Your cousin always did love everything to do with weddings. She used to beg me to wear my veil around the house when she came to visit.”

“I remember.” Noa laughed, but it was followed quickly by a groan. “If she likes all of this so much,” she waved her arm around, “maybe she should be the one getting married.”

Noa regretted the words the moment they were out of her mouth. Her cousin might drive her crazy but she loved her. And even though she was pushy and competitive to the point of totally overbearing, she was still a good person. And it wasn’t a secret that Sarah was dying to be the one who was the center of attention this week.

She’d been dating her boyfriend Brent for over two years and he’d yet to pop the question. It couldn’t be easy for her to bear witness to a huge family wedding that she herself wanted so badly.

“I didn’t mean that.” Noa shook her head and bit her lip.

Grandma Rose patted her cheek and smiled. “I know you didn’t, dear. Not everyone loves this kind of thing.”

That was an understatement.

“Your mother, on the other hand…she’s in her element.”

Noa groaned. “Is it awful of me that I don’t want anything to do with all of this silliness?”

Grandma Rose shook her head. “Not at all.” At barely five feet, she was a bundle of sweetness. She always smelled of baby powder and had a kind smile and even kinder word for everyone, especially her favorite grandchild. It was a private joke between the two of them that Noa would tease that she was the favorite, but secretly Noa knew it to be true.

Through the door, Noa heard Sarah calling her name. “I promise I’ll be back,” she told Grandma Rose. “But I just really need a few minutes. Don’t tell Sarah.”

Grandma Rose giggled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

From inside the room, Noa heard her cousin getting closer.

“Go.” Her grandma urged. “I’ll hold her off.”

Noa kissed her soft cheek. “You’re the best.”

Without a moment to spare, she took off down the hallway, no doubt leaving a trail of tissue in her wake. She heard the door to the meeting room open behind her, followed by her cousin’s high-pitched voice, as she only barely managed to slip around the corner before getting spotted.

Safe from view, at least for the minute, she took a moment to catch her breath, squeezed her eyes shut, leaned up against the wall and listened as her grandma steered Sarah back to the party.

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