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“Here,” Avery said, sliding me a small shot of something clear. “It’s vodka.”
I gratefully tossed it back. “Thanks.”
“I’ve got a flask holstered to my thigh if you need more.”
I grinned, deciding I really liked Noah’s wife. “Do you have any food on you? I’m starving.”
“You can eat after the shoot,” the photographer said, even though I hadn’t been talking to her.
“Aren’t they getting pictures of us enjoying the food?” Avery asked through a posed smile as the camera flashed.
“Apparently we’re only supposed to pretend to eat.”
We were instructed to use straws so our makeup didn’t get mussed. I wasn’t allowed to touch my hair and I was positioned in uncomfortable poses no woman would naturally occupy. All for the end result.
I thought the end result was marrying Hale but that was just a conspiracy to get me to agree to all this. The real goal, apparently, was every stranger’s enjoyment of my wedding over mine.
An hour later I was finally allowed to drink what I wanted to drink and eat the food that had been laid out, but my mouth hurt from smiling for so many photos so I had a hard time chewing.
“Now what?” I asked Seraphina and Quinn as the photographer switched cameras.
“Now, you enjoy. They’re going to take candid shots while we pamper ourselves. Just act normal and pretend they’re not there.”
None of this was normal.
Tyler finally returned, but not with Elle.
“Where is she?”
“She needed to run out to get something for her hair.”
“What does she need? I’m sure we have whatever she’s looking for at the hotel.” I reached into the toiletry basket and held up a tube of cream. “Here, do you need some of this? Or maybe this.” I lifted three different shades of pantyhose. “We have everything.”
He frowned. “Why is there hemorrhoid cream in there?”
I tossed it back into the basket. “Apparently it helps with puffiness under the eyes. But not a selfish maid of honor.”
“Whoa, Ray, take a breath.” He stood in front of me, providing the slightest bit of privacy between me and the cameras and countless other people witnessing my meltdown. “You okay?”
I blinked rapidly. “I’m fine.”
“Uh, well, that’s a lie. What’s going on?”
I pressed my lips tight. I’d promised I wasn’t going to let Elle spoil this. “Why is a hair product more important than me?”
Tyler’s face softened. “Oh, honey, it’s not.”
“Then why isn’t she here?”
Sighing, he said, “I wish I had an answer for you.” He hugged me and then looked directly into my eyes. “You’re getting married. Think about that for a moment. Forget anyone who doesn’t see how monumental that is.”
I laughed, coming out of my spiral to share his shock. “Pretty crazy, huh?”
“Not as crazy as you think. Hale’s a good guy. He goes after what he wants. Anyone who sees the way he looks at you can see exactly how you got here.”
“But you like him?”
“I like seeing you happy and I think he makes you very, very happy.”
