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It’s to forge my own path, to stay single for the rest of my life. To let the wind carry me to wherever it sees fit.
And to never, ever be pulled down by anyone or anything.
I shift uncomfortably, the fabric of my suit clinging slightly from the heat. Marriage will change Lily. I already know this.
Gone will be the last-minute bar hopping when we happen to be in the same city at the same time. As well as the late-night video chats where we put on the same movie and watch it together. She won’t be able to do those things with a ball-and-chain husband.
But this is her day, her choice. I know that.
It just doesn’t stop the tightness in my chest as I face the bittersweet truth: life is about to change. Forever.
My buddy Enrique slides into the seat beside me, and a grin splits my face. My head’s still pounding, but the sight of him — hair disheveled, sunglasses perched atop his head — is a balm.
“Brother,” he says with a chuckle, voice rough with the remnants of too much scotch and too little sleep. “You look like you’ve been run over by the party bus and then some.”
“Feel like it, too.”
“Remember that girl from the rooftop bar?” Enrique prompts, nudging me with an elbow that feels like it’s made of lead.
“The one who danced like the floor was on fire?” I ask.
We both snort, our laughter earning us a stern glance from an older woman seated down the aisle. Her pearls clack together in silent disapproval, her eyes narrowed behind the frame of her designer spectacles.
“Exactly!” Enrique grins, unfazed by our observer’s reproach. “You owe me for wingmanning, by the way.”
“Sure, I’ll get you a coffee for the road,” I retort, my gaze drifting toward the altar.
Rick stands there, his back ramrod straight, hands clasped in front as if trying to hold himself together. I’ve never particularly liked Rick; something about him sets off alarm bells in my head. He has that look about him, the kind that says he’s more interested in the reflection in his polished shoes than the world around him.
“Rick looks sick to his stomach,” I mutter under my breath, and Enrique’s eyes follow mine.
“Wedding nerves,” Enrique says.
I nod, but my thoughts are elsewhere, weaving through the complexities of Lily’s decision. She’s always been one to play the dutiful daughter, bending to the whims of her parents. It’s a trait I can’t quite comprehend.
“Can’t say I understand Lily sometimes.” I keep my voice low enough that only Enrique can hear. “She’s always sought to please her parents. I don’t get it.”
“Maybe she finds strength in tradition.” Enrique shrugs. “Some people need those roots.”
“Maybe,” I agree, though doubt lingers like the aftertaste of last night’s bourbon. I know what it’s like to have expectations thrust upon you, the weight of parental ambition pressing down until you’re molded into their vision of perfection.
But this is her choice, isn’t it? To walk down that aisle toward a man she’s been dating for less than a year just because it’s the path laid out before her. I could never live like that, chained to someone else’s dream. I want freedom, spontaneity — the thrill of the unknown.
“Hey.” Enrique elbows me softly. “You’re here for her. That’s what counts.”
“Yeah,” I breathe out, forcing my focus back to the present. “I’m here.”
The band’s song changes, and the first bridesmaid walks down the aisle, followed by two more. Everyone smiles politely, watching the procession with perfect posture and soft gazes.
The song changes to a familiar wedding march, everyone stands and all heads turn as one towards the estate’s open back doors. Lily, gliding with a grace that defies the earth’s pull, steps into the aisle. The sunlight catches on the delicate beads of her dress, making her glow like a celestial being caught in mortal form.
“Wow,” Enrique whispers beside me, echoing the awe that tightens my chest.
But it’s not just her beauty that steals my breath — it’s the subtle bite of her lip, the almost imperceptible tremor in her fingers clutching the bouquet. Nervous tics I’ve come to know well over years of friendship, now laid bare for all to see.
And yet, I’m the only one who seems to notice them.
“Stunning, isn’t she?” Enrique nudges me, but he doesn’t understand the half of it.
