Page 100 of Insincerely Yours
“Ashley’s out,” she huffs, dropping into the empty seat beside Courtney.
“What happened?” Vanessa asks. “I thought she was supposed to be back here the week before the ceremony.”
“She broke her leg waterskiing in Mexico. She’s planning on attending the wedding itself, but her doctor says she’ll still have to use crutches. Ashley isn’t exactly graceful on her feet, hence the accident. And she really doesn’t want to risk face planting in front of a packed church, especially with the event being filmed.”
“Well, at least it happened early enough that we still have time to replace her.” Vanessa unlocks her phone and starts scrolling. “How about Janice or Evelyn?”
Lauren grimaces. “I…I don’t know.”
“They’d both be good choices,” one of the younger women in the corner petitions. “They’re pretty, but nottoopretty that they’d draw attention away from the bride.”
Lauren fidgets in her seat, clearly uncomfortable with the eight sets of eyes on her, but this only invites more ladies to interject.
She doesn’t want to offend anyone, so I bite the bullet and blurt, “Does Lauren even know either of them outside of exchanging a casual hello?”
All of those eyes turn to me, and I just smile awkwardly, hoping to sound offhanded and inoffensive. “I mean, it’s Lauren’s special day. Wouldn’t it be kind of weird to have a stranger up on the altar with her?”
The original petitioner and Vanessa both cut me a glare, but I ignore them the moment my future sister-in-law looks over at me in relief.
That look quickly shifts, however, into something more pleading. “Ali, would you mind terribly being a bridesmaid?”
An abrupt choking sound comes from behind me, and I turn to see Blythe coming down the back set of stairs, wide-eyed and peeved. I’m not sure what she deems worse: my very presence or the idea of me participating in the wedding. “What’s this now?”
Lauren fills her in on what happened, giving me aPuss In Bootsface, and I swear she’s doing it without even trying. “Please, you’d really be doing me a solid.”
The Stepmonster flashes her best attempt at a “sympathetic” smile as she nods in my direction. Sadly, it’s convincing to your average outsider. She pats my shoulder so gently that you’d think I was crafted from ceramic, and it takes everything in menot to writhe away and peel off my skin where she touched. Her bullshit already feels like a taint. I don’t need her branding it to my flesh. “Surely there has to be someone else. Another friend or family member, perhaps?”
I already assumed Lauren prefers quality over quantity, and she proves me correct. “The only woman in my family around my age is my cousin, and she’s already standing in the wedding, as are all of my friends.”
I turn my back to Blythe for barely five seconds to grab a bottle from the refrigerator, and she must mouth something, because Vanessa’s and Lauren’s expressions change drastically when I turn back around. While Vanessa upgrades her annoyance to full-blown irritation, Lauren takes a newfound interest in the carpeting, evidently embarrassed that she thrust the spotlight on me.
“Sorry, Ali. I know you’re not a big fan of all this stuff. It’s just that Vanessa’s going to be too busy coordinating everything that day, and I know Derek would love to have at least one of you stand up in the ceremony.” Lauren tries waving off the topic like it was a stupid suggestion, but my brain stutters at this, so it takes me a minute to process everything she’s saying.
I’m being asked to serve in the bridal party, Blythe is clearly unhappy with this development, and never once have Ieverstated that I don’t like weddings. My eyes narrow almost imperceptibly on my stepmother, because I know damn well who planted that last seed in Lauren’s head. It also makes sense now why Lauren got so uncomfortable last week, telling me it wasn’t necessary when I mentioned Derek’s suggestion of me doing a reading. Instead of smacking Blythe over the head with the nearest frying pan, I give everybody the biggest, brightest smile I can. “I would be honored.”
The Stepmonster looks ready to crack teeth with how hard her jaw is set, and Lauren heaves out a much-needed breath, hermuscles finally relaxing. My future sister-in-law’s excitement only grows as Candace, who owns a boutique downtown, secures me the appointment for a dress fitting tomorrow afternoon.
To further add to Blythe’s displeasure, Candace mentions Wes again, telling me she has the “perfect little black number” in mind for our upcoming date. “You can try it on when you come to the shop tomorrow.”
It’s more than a little unsettling being here, and not just because I can feel Blythe’s laser vision trying to sear a hole through the side of my face. All of the other ladies from the country club are actually being friendly. More than friendly. They’re outright gushing like schoolgirls, as if I just landed a date with the hottest new A-list actor or athlete. It’s definitely a change in attitude since some of the women were suspecting me of being one of their husband’s mistresses at Derek’s engagement party.
My phone vibrates, and I pull it out, expecting a message from Wes or Maggie. To my surprise, it’s from Reed.
Got the invitations for the rave at Murdock’s tonight if you want more recon.
Thank.
God.
Lord knows I’ll need it, since I only have more questions now.
CHAPTER 23
UNHOLY
PRESENT
The warehouse doesn’t sit faroff the road, the street lights illuminating the front of the building and property just well enough to tell both had seen better days. The Murdock’s name-slash-logo printed at the top of the building has faded so much I can only make out every other letter, and the cracks in the parking lot allow more space for weeds and grass than pavement.
