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“You nervous?” Lainey’s voice catches my attention. She’s staring at me with her stunning hazel eyes, looking slightly concerned—likely at the panic etched across my face. She comes up to me, squeezing my shoulders and giving me a soft smile.
“Yeah, everyone’s nervous on their wedding day, right?” I chuckle awkwardly.
She sighs. “I sure as hell was. I love Greyson more than I can even begin to describe, but you remember I was a damn mess on my day.”
I remember that day perfectly. Lainey was pacing back and forth so much, I thought she was going to burn a hole in the carpet before going out there. But the moment she saw Greyson standing at the end of the aisle, I swear it was like fireworks exploding. All signs of her nerves vanished, like there was no one else in the room. Greyson and Lainey are perfect for each other, even if they have a rocky past.
“You know you can still back out?” It’s Lya speaking now, reminding me that she still doesn’t agree with my plan to marry Marnix. She asks me this, even though she sure as hell knows I can’t. Marnix would sue my ass so fast for breaching the contract, the restaurant would be gone in the blink of an eye.
“I’m doing this. I know you don’t like him or any part of this, but I’m not changing my mind now.” Even though I was close to running this morning. There’s a small group of friends, family, and some business associates out there waiting on me. We have the marriage license already, and I’ve signed the contract. The only thing left is for me to walk down there and say I do.
“What if I kidnap you instead?” Lya jokes, but part of me feels like she’s being serious.
“Taking pointers from your brother-in-law now?” I quip back, giving her a smirk. We really shouldn’t joke about that time Greyson kidnapped her—thinking she was Lainey—but if we don’t kid around, it will only remind us how fucked the whole situation really was.
“Maybe Greyson isn’t so crazy now that I think about it?” She grins, as Lainey scoffs and pushes her a little.
“Hey now, you might be my sister, but that’s my husband you're talking about,” she says proudly. Lainey and Greyson both have a lot of issues they’ve overcome, especially with Lya and her guys, but thankfully they’ve all worked everything out. Even Rian, who I thought would murder Greyson before that happened, has come around over the years.
“You know I’m kidding. But seriously, you don’t have to do this,” Lya insists. I take a long look at her and Lainey, both wearing soft gold dresses with diamond beading all the way down to the floor. The dresses are tight, hugging their frames. The color scheme matches my dress perfectly, which is surprising considering the short notice we had to get this all done. I guess you can make anything happen when you have money.
“I love you for your concern, but I promise I’m okay.” And I will be. It pains me that my parents aren’t here for this moment, but I don’t want to put them through something I know won’t last. I know they wouldn’t approve—especially since they’ve never even met Marnix—so I’ll just tell them after the fact, or maybe never. I wonder if I could go an entire year in a fake marriage without them knowing?
A loud knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts. “Who is it?” Lya sing-songs, trying to hide me in case it’s Marnix. I don’t know why; it’s not like this is real. There’s no need for superstition.
“It’s me, meu amor.” Thiago’s deep voice sounds through the door. The fact that he’s here must mean it’s showtime.
“You can come in.”
He opens the door, looking charming in his all-black tuxedo. It looks perfect against his tan skin and dark hair. The man straight up looks like he came from a magazine.
He whistles as he walks in toward us. “Damn, Tara. You look good.”
“Thanks, Thi.” I give him a big smile, trying to hide my nerves.
“What am I, chopped liver?” Lya teases.
“Nah, meu amor. You’re the sun in the sky, so fucking radiant I can’t take my eyes off you” he purrs, grabbing her hand and kissing her knuckles. She blushes, like she always does when she’s around one of her guys. I’ve sworn off real relationships since Zayan, but sometimes I can’t help but be jealous of what they have.
“Should we get this show on the road?” Lainey asks, looking between us.
“After you, ladies.”
“You guys go ahead. I just need a moment.” They all nod, walking out the door without question.
I look down, examining the beautiful traditional henna tattoos lining my hands. I might not want a fully traditional Indian wedding, but I still want my culture to be a part of my big day. Which is exactly why I picked the dress I’m wearing. Marnix wanted something classic and simple, but that’s not me. It will never be me.
The combination of gold and red looks stunning against my skin. The long skirt and cropped top showing off my midriff perfectly pairs with the gold bangles I decided to wear. Stepping in front of the full length mirror, I take one last look at myself. My sweaty palms nervously slide down my hips, catching on the detailed beading lining the dress. I straighten my chunky diamond necklace and my gold veil before practicing the fake smile I’m going to wear down the aisle.
It started off fake, but the more I look at myself, the more beautiful I feel. I truly feel like me in this dress, and Marnix can’t change that now.
I can do this.
Fumbling with my dress a little more, my eyes catch on the jingling bangles from Lya. I love that girl more than anything and I’m so grateful she’s here for me today. Like the good friend she is, she’s been trying to stop me from making a mistake, but I still can’t tell her the full truth. I’m not ready. Guilt twists at my stomach. Lya is my best friend—I should be able to tell her, but Zayan screwed with my head too much.
I’m not sure how to be brave anymore.
I take a deep breath in, before going over to the door and opening it. Thiago’s waiting for me outside, leaning against the wall. But it’s what he’s holding that stops my heart.
