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Prologue
The wedding march rang out in the playroom. An off-key voice began to sing loudly. “Here comes the bride, all dressed in white.” Tasha hummed the rest of the song as Kit, the lovely bride, walked down a makeshift aisle strewn with petals. Another little girl named Robin walked behind her, holding up her train. The maid of honor—all of seven years old—had her lip stuck out. She was muttering under her breath.
“Tasha, you have to be the pastor,” Kit said in a loud whisper, pushing the veil away from her face.
Tasha sighed from the seat of the piano. “Kit! Why do I always have to be the one to officiate? And you’re always the bride.”
“Are you kidding me? I always have to be the groom,” a little boy named Jayden grumbled. He was standing by the altar decked out in a dark jacket that clearly belonged to an adult. He was swimming in it. In his hands he was clutching a wilted arrangement of flowers. “I don’t want to play the wedding game. It’s boring.”
“Well, you’re the only boy here, Jayden, so it makes sense,” Kit snapped. “You should consider it a compliment to be my groom.”
Jayden let out a snort and rolled his eyes. “That’s a laugh.”
Suddenly, the maid of honor threw her bouquet down on the carpet. “I’m not doing this. It’s too unprofessional. Weddings are supposed to be perfect. This one is a mess.”
“Robin! Pick up that bouquet. You’re ruining everything!” Kit screamed.
Robin glared at her and stomped her foot. “When is it my turn to be the bride? I want to wear the white lace dress. I want to be the center of attention. I want to marry Jayden. It’s not fair!”
“It is fair!” Kit hissed. “You’re lucky you’re the maid of honor. I really wanted it to be Georgia.”
Robin looked at Kit with a wounded expression on her face. Her lips began to tremble and tears pooled in her eyes.
“She’s right!” Tasha chimed in. “It’s not fair!”
Two other girls seated in chairs nodded.
“We need to take turns,” Mallory said in a soft voice. She nudged the girl next to her. “Right Georgia?”
Georgia twirled her blonde hair around her finger. “Yes,” she said slowly, dragging the word out. “Although Kit does make a beautiful bride.”
Tasha put her hands on her hips. “Georgia! Just because she’s your best friend doesn’t mean you always have to take her side!”
Georgia sighed and stood up. “I don’t like all this arguing. I’m going home.”
“That’s it! I’m not playing dress up any longer.” Jayden shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket. It landed on the floor in a heap. “Weddings are lame. I want to play video games.”
Kit’s eyes grew wide. “Where are y’all going? I haven’t said my vows yet.”
Jayden threw his hands in the air. “I’m out of here!” he said, sailing out the door of the playroom.
“Jayden London! I’m going to tell your Mama,” Kit screamed, her cheeks flushing with the effort.
Tasha, Robin and Mallory all followed behind Jayden, making a swift exit. Tears began to flow down Kit’s cheeks and her little shoulders began to shake.
“Don’t cry, Kit,” Georgia said, walking over and patting her best friend on the back.
“I thought you were going home,” she said, her lips quivering.
“Duh. I’m not leaving you all by yourself.”
Kit smiled at Georgia through her tears. “Thanks, Georgia. You really are my best friend in the whole wide world.”
Georgia held out her hand and they locked pinkies. “And you’re mine. And someday, we’ll be in each other’s weddings. Once we find our other halves.”
“When I get married, it’s going to be forever,” Kit said, folding her arms across her chest.
“I’m going to marry a very important man and he’s going to meet me at the altar with the biggest smile on his face you’ve ever seen. He’s going to know that we’re meant to be. And we’re going to live in a house made of gold and sparkles. And we’re going to have unicorns in our backyard.”
Georgia looked at Kit and smirked. “Unicorns? Kit. You crack me up.”
“Why? It’s very possible. You have to believe in things, Kit. Like rainbows and love and unicorns. And happily ever afters.”
Kit smiled as she imagined her future unfolding like the pages of the romance novels her mother read to her faithfully. Someday, she imagined, she would have a real wedding and a husband who she would cherish for all the days of her life.
Chapter One
Kit London watched outside her window as graceful snowflakes floated past the panes of glass. She sucked in a deep, steadying breath. Although this was supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, it was shaping up to be fairly miserable. Signing divorce papers at Christmas served as a big kick in the gut. The hurt and disappointment over her marriage coming to an end was only intensifying. She felt sick to her stomach. There was an ache inside her that wouldn’t go away.
Till death d
