Page 101 of The Wedding Run
But she doesn’t answer. Then I call Charlie.
I can barely get the words out through my hiccupping sobs. But before we disconnect, she’s on her way.
I wait outside the church, not wanting to run into any guests or the wedding party. If the minister is wise, he’ll jump right to the vows and declare them husband and wife before anything else happens.
It doesn’t take long before Charlie arrives in her Jeep with the top down. Bailey sits in the passenger seat but moves to the back to make room for me.
“PTSD of weddings?” Charlie asks as I climb in. She shifts gears and takes off while I scramble to fasten my seatbelt.
“Luke showed up,” I explain, “to stop the wedding. He thought I was marrying Derek.”
She slams on the brakes, jolting us all forward, then stares at me. “You better wait to tell me more. Elle is meeting us at your apartment. This has gotta be good.”
CHAPTER 53
Libby
It rains before we reach my apartment, and Charlie, Bailey, and I get soaked. We dry off Bailey, then I change into sweatpants and lend Charlie some dry clothes that don't quite fit her, as the arms and legs are too short.
With my sisters on the sofa and Bailey at Charlie’s feet, I regale them amidst tears about Luke crashing the wedding and the groom slugging Derek. They cheer and snort with laughter at Derek’s expense.
“And you said nothing?” Elle finally asks.
“I was in shock.”
“But you could have said you love him too,” she argues.
“Don’t make her start crying again,” Charlie warns, eyeing me like Mount Vesuvius ready to erupt.
I start trembling, my lower lip quivering. “You don’t know how… what he… He bared his soul. In front of hundreds of people. And I stood there. He’ll think I’m like his ex-fiancée who dumped him after his sister died.”
Elle’s eyes go wide. “That’s awful.”
I sink onto the floor. “So, it’s over.”
Lightning flashes outside the sliding glass door.
“What are you talking about?” Elle asks sharply.
I shrug my shoulders. I have no answers, only more tears.
“Better luck next time,” Charlie mutters.
“No!” Elle jumps to her feet, sidestepping Bailey, who begins wagging his tail. “Get up. Now!”
“Didn’t you hear what she said?” Charlie asks.
She tugs at my arm, helping me to my feet. “Call him!”
“By him, you mean Luke?” Charlie asks.
“Yes!” Elle claps her hands.
“That doesn’t seem very..." But I pause, unsure of the right word for a situation like this.
“Romantic?” Elle supplies. “He crashed a wedding to stop you from marrying the wrong guy. If that isn’t romantic, I don’t know what is! It’s a Mr. Darcy moment.”
Charlie props a fist on her hip. “How do you figure that?”
