Page 15 of Four Weddings to Fall in Love
Leo, on my left, merely grunts.
“Ooh, who’s that?”Jon inclines his head toward a white woman in a pale blue dress.
“Dylan’s cousin, I believe,” says Evan, who’s always been better at keeping track of names and faces than the rest of us.“She was at the engagement party last summer.”
Honestly, it’s incredible he remembers that.
I study the program before glancing up at Mom and Gladys again, just as Dad joins them, having finished his conversation with some other relative.
“Sorry, I’ve got to steal my wife away for a moment,” he says jovially, taking my mother’s arm.I suspect he has no immediate need of my mother, just wants to give her an excuse to get out of that conversation.
As I look around at the people milling about the lavender fields, the back of a woman in a peach dress catches my eyes.She turns slightly, and for a split second, I think it’s Kim.
Nah, I must be imagining things.Why would Kim be at my cousin’s wedding?
“Looking for someone?”Evan asks.
“Just Aaron and Rory,” I lie.Auntie Doreen’s sons aren’t terribly good at punctuality.I’m not surprised I haven’t seen them yet.
As four o’clock approaches, everyone takes their seats.The groom and groomsmen are already standing at the front as the bridesmaids begin walking in.One is Isobel, Mirabel’s sister, and another is Dylan’s sister; the remaining three are friends.
Then everyone rises in preparation for the bride’s entrance.Unlike at Malcolm and Tessa’s wedding, I don’t get distracted by a pretty bridesmaid, and I stand at the same time as everyone else.
Mirabel enters on the arm of her father.As she walks down the aisle, I keep thinking about how much her dress cost.Perhaps it’s unkind of me, but Auntie Gladys has mentioned it alot.It really is a pretty dress, though—not that I know a great deal about such things, but it does look good, and it has an impressive train.I’m sure the pictures, surrounded by fields of lavender, will be stunning.
There’s a bit of rustling as everyone sits down, followed by some louder noises.I glance back to see Aaron and Rory strolling in, unbothered by the fact that they’re late to their cousin’s nuptials, and my gaze lingers on the woman in the peach dress again.She’s sitting two rows from the back and…
I turn to face the front as the minister begins speaking.This is Mirabel’s wedding, after all; I should pay attention.But I swear…
I can’t resist sneaking another look.
Yep, that’s definitely Kim.
Chapter 8
Kim
Forfuck’ssake.
What is Max doing at Mirabel’s wedding?
After he snuck out of my room, I figured I’d never see him again, yet here he is, less than a month later, at another wedding.When he notices me, he looks slightly stricken, which is rather satisfying.
Of course, I won’t tell him that.
The ceremony isn’t long.Once it’s over, the newlyweds make their way up the aisle, and I get to my feet.
“Who are they?”I ask my mother casually.
“Who are you talking about?Kim, you have to be clearer.”
I don’t want to point.“The four men three rows from the front.Are they brothers?”
“Ah.Gilbert’s brother’s sons.Why?Are you—”
“No,” I say shortly.“Just wondering.”
I realize, in horror, what this means.Max is MaxMok.If he’s Mirabel’s cousin, then he’s also Isobel and Carl’s cousin, and he’ll almost certainly be at the other two weddings I have to attend this summer.With my parents.
