I nodded, hoping she’d still want to talk to me by then. “Go on. Your dad looks lost just standing back there by himself.”
She groaned. “Don’t get me started. He has one job and it’s literally just to walk, and he’s acting like he needs codes to a bomb.”
I forced a smile as she hurried over to her dad. I just had to get through the rehearsal and then the party and then the wedding. I could do it. Even as I thought it, I was deflating.
“We need to talk.” Andrew’s stern voice was back, his grip on my arm unrelenting.
I kept my eyes down. Those were the same words I’d used with Milo. Maybe they wanted to end things with me. Maybe they agreed with Milo after hearing him say those words. “Now isn’t a good time.”
“The hell it’s not. You haven’t come out of your fucking room in almost two days and you look like you’ve been crying. Now is the best time.”
I was saved by Macy’s wedding planner strolling through the ballroom with a megaphone. I winced as she shouted through it, but I could’ve kissed her for giving me an out from talking to Andrew. I pulled away from him and moved towards the line of bridesmaids that had quickly formed under the rage of a bullhorn.
The walkthrough was fast and almost painless. Everyone was paying attention to the planner and her barked instructions, so I was able to fade into the background. I walked when I was told to and stood where I was told to. It was a thoughtless task that I gave myself over to.
The rehearsal dinner was a different story. Macy insisted I sit at the head table with her family. That meant I was seated at a table with all three of the men I’d been sleeping with, their parents, my best friend and her almost husband, and his family. The five-course meal we were having was being served by a waitstaff that seemed to have some major zen going on.They took their time and did everything perfectly before even dropping off our salad course.
I cringed in my seat, caught right between Macy and Jason’s mom, Sophia. The two families spoke and caught up, but they were relatively close, so eventually, the intrigue turned to the only outsider, me.
Sophia and Dane, Jason’s dad, took interest in me first. Dane spoke over the rim of his whiskey, his eyes crinkling in the corners just like Jason’s. “So, Sara, what do you do?”
I shifted in my seat and dabbed at my lips with my napkin. “I’m a baker.”
Sophia smiled. “Do you own your own business?”
Oof. “No. I work for A Sweet, Shore Thing.”
“She’s on her way to owning her own place. She’s so amazing at what she does.” Macy playfully elbowed me. “She’s the reason I had to start exercising more. Her pastries are to die for.”
“Oh, wow. So, are you doing the wedding cake?”
Words caught in my throat and I couldn’t answer. If running away from the table hadn’t been an edge overdramatic, I would’ve done it. I pressed my hand to my chest, the ache there growing.
“No way. This is a vacation for Sara. I couldn’t put her to work.”
Jason smiled brightly at me. “Besides, I’m not sure we could’ve afforded her. She’s highly sought after.”
The waitstaff showed up to save me and to take the salads away before bringing the next course. Our wines were changed and the conversation moved away from me for a while. However, it came back around to me when Terri, Macy’s mom, seemed to remember that there’d been that big, embarrassing display by Milo.
“Where’s your boyfriend, honey? I figured after a display like that, you must’ve made up.”
I kept my eyes firmly away from Andrew, Lucas, and Warren. “Oh, he’s not my boyfriend.”
“He turned out to be a pig, Mom.” Macy shook her head. “Sara was way too good for him anyway.”
Terri frowned. “I’m sorry, honey. Are you okay?”
Oh, god. I was going to cry again, right there at the table. I clamped down on my lip and pinched my thigh under the table in an attempt to get control over my emotions, but it was useless. I could feel my face turning red and tears pooling as my throat worked around a lump.
By some miracle, across the room, Maggie screamed out and shoved back from the table. “That’s disgusting!”
Macy swore. “What now?”
My pulse dropped as I watched the crowd. Disgusting. That was me. They were probably all finding out about me. Milo was probably in the room, telling people. It would get back to our table and I’d have to face Macy and her parents while they learned what I’d done.
“I’mnoteating that!” Maggie crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at her parents. “I told you, I’m a vegetarian now.”
I sank in my seat, relief washing over me. My heart started up again and I took deep breaths between taking a long drink of water. I had to relax. I was stretched about as much as I could be before I snapped.
