Emmy laughs and wipes her eyes. “I just can’t believe today is already here, and I get to marry my best friend.” Her eyes glaze over again, a soft smile playing at her lips.
“Okay, enough of the mushiness,” Hayleigh says, looking at me now. “I’ll show you to your room; we have about twenty minutes before our appointment at the spa.” She smacks both Emmy and me on our butts, hustling us along.
**********
At the spa, we meet May, the Queen of the Petersons and my unofficial adoptive mother. We have indulged in facials, manicures, and pedicures, and now we’re lying face down, receiving the most amazing massages that anyone has ever had. All of us are so relaxed, that is, until Hayleigh pipes up with, “My God, if I were into women, I would most definitely marry you for those hands!” The masseuse chuckles, and we all howl at Hayleigh’s outburst.
May surprises us all by agreeing. “Here, here. I could get used to this. I may have to get Daniel to take some classes.”
I groan. “May, I did not need to hear that.” Her laughter and happiness shine through, and I can’t help but feel my mood lift.
Massages finished, we gather our robes around us and are taken through to the salon, where we are each seated in a chair. A glass of sparkling champagne is placed in front of me, and my stomach churns at the thought.
“Excuse me?” I ask the girl handing out the drinks, “Would it be possible to get a plain orange juice?” She nods and takes away my glass. My eyes meet with three sets of quizzical looks.
May’s hand flies to her mouth as she asks, “Oh my goodness, Lacey, are you pregnant?”
Horrified, I say, “No, absolutely not. I was just a bit sick earlier from rushing around with no breakfast.” Her face drops, and I reach out and pat her arm. “Don’t worry; if that day ever arrives, you will be one of the first to know.”
**********
In my room, I take a look at myself in the floor-length mirror and smile. Emmy let us choose our dresses with only two conditions. First, the dress had to be navy blue, and second, it had to be a surprise for her on her wedding day. I chose a Grecian-style dress, where the straps twist into a rope around my shoulders, meet in the middle, and drape down my back. The back is open and lands low on my back, whereas the front dips at the cleavage. My hair is styled into a romantic updo, with a few tendrils gently falling around my face. I smooth my hands down my front and do a little twirl and curtsy to myself in the mirror.
Before I can get too lost in my vanity, I hear a knock on the door. Assuming it’s Hayleigh, I yank the door open, and my jaw drops when I see Cole standing there. Doing my best goldfish impression, I take a moment, then clamp my mouth shut as Cole's eyes go wide, his cheeks flushing as he takes me in. He clears his throat. “Hayleigh asked me to come and get you.” He shoves his hands into his pockets and looks away.
It feels like a dismissal, and that stabs at my heart. “Okay, just give me a minute to put my shoes on and I’ll be out.”
As I close the door, his hand flies out and stops it. Neither of us says a word, and we just stand there silently, looking at each other. Finally, he opens his mouth to speak, and that’s when I hear the shrill tones of Gabby, shouting Cole's name.
I roll my eyes at him. “Your girlfriend's wanting you, Cole. I’ll be out in a minute.” I slam the door shut and walk over to my shoes. Dragging them over to the bed, I sit on the edge and shove my feet into them, all the while cursing my stupid heart for feeling for one second a shred of hope that he had come to find me. Instead, he's off playing happy relationships with fucking Gabby, the toxic bitch.
I fasten my shoes and take one last look at myself in the mirror. I will no longer waste time thinking about being with Cole. I promised him when we were kids that we could be best friends, because having a little of Cole was better than having none of him at all. I need to remember that promise. I square my shoulders, paint a smile on my face and open the door to find Cole waiting, alone.
Leaning against the wall, as if he has no care in the world, he pushes off when she sees me. My heart flutters involuntarily, bringing back that morsel of hope.Stupid organ!
“You look beautiful, Wild Cat.”
I laugh at the nickname, remembering it’s what he used to call me when we were younger, when I saved him from some bullies. My heart softens ever so slightly.
“Thanks. You scrub up well yourself.” I want to say so much more, but instead I ask, “Where’s Gabby?” I try to hide the sting of jealousy I feel. If he notices, he doesn’t react.
“She’s gone to sit down with the rest of the guests…” He hesitates before continuing, “Actually, she’s pretty pissed off with me.”
I bristle. “Why isshepissed off with you?”
He rubs the back of his neck, one of his telltale signs of nervousness. “She doesn’t like that we will be walking down the aisle together.”
I blanch at this. “What have I ever done to her, Cole? Matter of fact, why have you been avoiding me?” He opens his mouth to reply, but I cut him off. “Actually, I don’t give a shit. This is Cas and Emmy’s day, and I will be damned if your girlfriend tries to ruin it.” I grip the doorframe, my breath coming out in quick pants. My head spins, and for a moment I see stars. Cole grabs a hold of me; concern etched on his face. I shrug him off. “I’m fine. Come on before we’re late.”
I march Cole down the stairs to join the rest of his brothers and Hayleigh. None of us has seen Emmy in her dress yet; she’s currently hiding away in one of the rooms off to the side of us.
She told us girls earlier that her parents hadn’t even bothered to RSVP to the wedding invitation she had sent them, and so Daniel stepped in and said to her that, if she wanted, he would be honoured to walk her down the aisle. Hayleigh told her exactly what she thought of her family, in explicit detail. I just hugged her, not knowing what to say because I didn’t even have a mum to invite anymore, and my dad, well, I hadn’t even spoken to him in seven years.
The music starts to play from the live band. The notes to Train’s “Marry Me” float through the wooden doors as they slowly open. Archie goes first, looking ridiculous as he carries a small basket filled with flowers. Everyone inside laughs and giggles. I know he’s lapping that up.
Cole shuffles in beside me, hesitates for a moment, then leans down to whisper in my ear. “I’m sorry for Gabby. You’re my best friend, Lacey, and I won't lose you.” I make the mistake of looking up at him and seeing the emotions swirling in his eyes. Inever can stay mad at him, and it's a fact of life that pisses me off more than I care to admit.
“Nothing and no one will get rid of me that easily, you should know that by now, Cole. But she has to stop being such a bitch to me. You know she hasn’t even bothered to get to know Emmy? But she thinks it's fine to rock up on her wedding day, dishing out orders of who can and cannot walk together? Please!” I give him a pointed look, and his shoulders sag. She isn’t right for him; he knows it, and so does everyone else.
