Holi squeezed her in return. “I knew you’d feel that way,” she said, still straining tospeak.
How she could keep from crying at a time like this, Rainey would never know. But when Holi pulled back, she saw her sister was blinking awaytears.
“We’re not waiting. We’re going to do itSaturday.”
“Saturday!?” Rainey remembered the feeling of being struck in the head with a volleyball in eighth grade P.E. The sensation of surprise was exactly thesame.
Holi nodded. “We’ll do it here. It’ll be simple and small. Just family. Ash’s dad is friends with a justice of the peace, and he’s agreed to officiate,” Holi said, brushing her hand through the air. “We’re not doing any of the flowers or dresses or bridal parties or anything like that, but we’d like you and Ash’s brother Tyler to act as ourwitnesses.”
Rainey felt — she actually felt — the blood rush from her head.Watermelon, witness, waiting. “W-witnesses?” shemanaged.
Holi shrugged. “You know, be my maid of honor without all thefuss.”
Rainey gripped her sister’s hand and hoped she wouldn’t pass out. “O-of course,” she stammered. “I’d behonored.”
Holi frowned at her. “You okay? You look a little palethere.”
Rainey quickly shook her head. “It’s just a surprise. A very happysurprise.”
“You understand, right?” Holi asked, pinning Rainey with her gaze. “We don’t know what’s going to happen. But we’re making the most of what we have and hoping for thebest.”
The lump in Rainey’s throat quadrupled in size and tears leaked from her eyes. For a moment, all she could do was nod. “Iunderstand.”
Chapter 29
“Ican’t makeit tonight, Rainey,” Jacques spoke over the phone, his voice heavy with disappointment. “I’m sosorry.”
Her afternoon had been a whirlwind of planning and phone calls. Holi and Ash might have been satisfied with a wedding without any fuss, but Melinda and Rainey took it upon themselves to make a little fuss. The wedding, at the very least, would have flowers, champagne, and a cake. And with a party as small as theirs, why not have Ruffino’s, Holi’s favorite restaurant,cater?
“Oh, my gosh,” she gushed, still adrenalized with happiness. “It’s no big deal. You won’t believe what’s happening here. Holi and Ash are getting married —Saturday!”
“W-wow!” she heard him splutter. “As in thisSaturday?”
“Yeah, I know. Pretty sudden, right?” She hadn’t stopped beaming because Holi hadn’t stopped beaming. She almost looked healthy again. Rainey knew the exhaustion would catch up with her, but for now, the household hummed with joy. “Do you guys have a show? Can you make it? It’s going to be super small, but I’d love for you to be hereand—”
Rainey gasped as the most amazing idea took form in herhead.
“Wait a minute! If you can make it, would you be willing to play something? For the ceremony, I mean? Is it weird that I’m asking? If it makes you feel awkward, please justsay—”
“Rainey.”
She halted her litany of questions, realizing she sounded like a maniac. “Yes?”
Jacques cleared his throat. “I wish I could be there. Truly. But the reason I can’t come tonight…” Hepaused.
She heard him breathing. It was a sound she realized she loved. She’d heard him breathing for three days and nights, and the rhythm now felt likehome.
“We signed thecontract.”
Her heart bubbled over with genuine glee and more than her fair share of pride. “Jacques, that’s great!” shecheered.
“Yeah, yeah itis.”
She could hear the satisfaction in his voice, but his tone held an edge, too. A little hesitation. A littledoubt.
“It’s just… They want to get things moving right away. We’re flying out to L.A. tomorrow for two weeks to shoot three music videos and do photoshoots for the album and the media kit for thetour—”
Rainey’s mouth fell open. “The tour?” she heard herselfask.
