Page 55 of Secret Dynasty

In the end, despite her objections, I insisted on a small bridal party. Eliza and Evie would serve as my bridesmaids. There was no need for anyone else. Spencer had backed up my wishes, opting for only his brother and a friend of his from school to be his groomsmen.

I watched, feeling a little jealous, as Iris took a cigarette from Eliza.

“Are you sure you don’t want one?” Eliza asked, dangling the pack.

“Don’t corrupt her,” Iris cried.

“We wouldn’t want that,” Eliza said with a sly look in my direction.

Thankfully, Iris missed it. She inhaled and then blew a thin stream of smoke from her lips. “I have to say that after this, I’m really glad that I eloped,” she confessed. “It’s a madhouse around here.”

She took one look at my face and backpedaled. “But everything will be fine. You don’t need to worry about anything.”

“I’m not worried.” Not for any normal reason, at least. I didn’t tell her my dearest wish was that a meteor would fall on the house and cancel the entire blessed event.

“You’re going to have your hands full with that mother-in-law,” she confided in me. “I think she’s going to have a heart attack before the end of the day.”

“Let’s hope so,” I muttered. Eliza elbowed me in the ribs and shot me a look. “I’m just kidding.”

“She’s flying around in a panic. Someone canceled and she needs someone to fill in,” Iris said. “Honestly, I left before she could drag me into it.”

“That’s always a good policy.” My eyes stayed on the caterers and florists and various help flitting in and out of the building. When I turned back to my friends, Iris was watching me intently. She dropped her cigarette and put it out with her shoe before linking her arm through mine. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” I asked as she led me inside. “You look like you could use a drink,” she said.

“Yeah she could,” Eliza said. I shot her a warning look and she pretended to zip her mouth closed.

“Is there something wrong?” Iris asked, catching the gesture.

“I’m just nervous.” That was true. But I knew it was more than the usual bridal worries. I was nervous about being bound to Spencer Byrd for the rest of my life. I was nervous about the expectations he had for me. My mind strayed to the contract I had signed. If it meant protecting the people I loved, I would sign it again. But that didn’t make what I was about to do any easier.

We returned to my room, and I was surprised to find a bucket filled with ice and champagne.

“Perfect!” Eliza said, taking it from the bucket.

“Caroline must have sent it upstairs.” Iris picked up the small card sitting in front of the ice bucket, but she refrained from opening it.

“That sounds way too friendly for her,” I said.

“You’re marrying her son. Give it time.”

My eyes strayed to the wedding dress hanging in the closet. “But if I decide to wear the other dress?”

“What?” Iris asked, absently.

“I think I like the other dress more.”

“But you love this dress,” she said slowly.

“The fur will look better given the weather.” It was a feeble lie at best, but Iris sighed.

“I can send someone to get it for you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, trying to swallow the lump of tears forming in my throat.

“Kerrigan, are you sure —”

The door burst open, interrupting her, and Evie rushed inside, her blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders, half of her hair still in rollers. She was wearing her pink bridesmaid robe and she looked flushed like she had run across the house to reach me.