Page 25 of Wild Ever After
“No,” I say, my resolve firming under their scrutiny, “I’m doing this. I know it isn’t the perfect love story you both have, but I’m not you. I never wanted to get married anyway, so what does it matter if it’s Sam or Declan?” It isn’t that simple, but maybe it should be. “You can either support me or not, but I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to get married tomorrow.”
Piper squeezes my arm. “We’re just worried. This is a big deal.”
“I know.”
They share a worried look, but then Scarlett nods. “Okay. I think you’re making a mistake, but I love you.”
I get hugged from both sides. If I weren’t keeping myself together by burying every emotion threatening to bubble up to the surface, I’d be teary at their willingness to love me through all the chaos. They’re good friends. The best. I know they don’t get it, but Ihaveto do this.
“But if at any point you change your mind, I’ll have a car on standby,” Scarlett says.
The actual rehearsal goes by in a whirlwind. I feel like I’m in someone else’s body as I walk down the aisle toward Declan. He has Leo and Tyler standing up with him, and Scarlett and Piper are on my side. My mother watches from a chair in the front row with a tissue in her hand, dabbing at her eyes as we recite our vows. How she can still feel emotional about weddings after three of her own is beyond me.
If my stand-in groom is nervous, he has the coolest poker face I’ve ever seen. As he holds my hands in front of the officiant, his confidence slowly steadies the shake of my fingers and the racing of my heart. It’s all over in minutes and then the guys are loosening their ties and heading for the door.
Declan lingers with me at the front of the room under the floral archway. “I know it’s traditional to have a rehearsal dinner, but the guys want to take me out, and I overheard that Scarlett is hosting a girls-only sleepover.”
I can’t imagine eating right now. I also wonder if his friends wanting to take him out is an intervention like the one Scarlett and Piper obviously had planned for me earlier. “It’s fine. I didn’t expect you to put one together.”
“All right. So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“What about Melody and the prenup and everything?”
“I’ll drop it by Leo’s before we go out, so you can look it over. Have your lawyer read it and if you have any issues with it, just note them and I’ll get it updated.”
I love that he thinks I’m the kind of person who has a lawyer on standby.
He must read my hesitation.
“It’s a pretty standard prenup.”
“And what about Melody’s condition of one year instead of six months?”
“One year is fine. My agent actually suggested the same thing. That puts us in the off-season and the marriage will have lasted long enough that there won’t be any speculation on why it ended so quickly.”
“Oh.” I bite the inside of my cheek as I nod.
He steps forward until I can feel the warmth radiating off him. “You keep asking me, but are you sure thatyouwant to do this?”
I stare up at him, leaning into him the tiniest bit, just to feel how strong and steady he is. I need a little of that to make it through the next twenty-four hours. “Yeah. One year isn’t that long, right?”
He chuckles. “What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?”
“I’ll get a ride with Scarlett. You aren’t supposed to see me until I walk down the aisle.”
“Right. Okay, then. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at the wedding.”
“I’ll be the one in white, trying not to trip up the aisle.”
“If you trip, I’ll catch you.” One side of his mouth quirks up as he walks off.
10
TRUTH SERUM
DECLAN
After repeatedattempts to get me to the strip club, we end up at Wild’s at our usual table.
