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“I don’t, but at least it would have explained his sudden disappearance.”
“Aaron said that she was sick when they met. I guess Abel didn’t know, but once he found out he didn’t leave her side. He invested his heart fully even though he knew she was dying. They eloped in Vegas a couple weeks after she received a terminal diagnosis.”
“That’s so sad.” I have trouble ignoring the swell of emotion this information brings to the surface. “Did he say how old she was?”
“He didn’t, but she couldn’t have been very old considering Abel’s only twenty-nine and she died three years ago.”
“God, I can’t even imagine.”
“Yeah, me either.” She shakes her head, a frown turning down her lips.
“Alright, ladies.” Sam’s mom, Lilith, stands next to the double doors that lead into the hallway. “Samantha should be arriving any moment. Her and Andrew got stuck in traffic on the way here. As soon as they arrive, we are going to get started. Let’s go ahead and take our places.” All eight bridesmaids shuffle toward the door.
“Delilah, you’ll be walking with Alex. Trina with Dan. Kate, you’re with Adam. Henna is with Aaron.” I watch my friend beam at the news, like she didn’t already know she’d be walking down the aisle with him. “Peyton, you’re with Abel.” I stop listening to her after that.
Wait...
What?
“I thought I was walking with Josh?” I whisper to Henna, referring to one of Andrew’s lawyer friends.
“No idea.” Henna shrugs.
I try to squash the nervous energy forming in my chest, but it doesn’t do me a bit of good. I don’t know why I’m so anxious. It’s just a quick walk down the aisle.And a dance at the reception, my lovely inner voice pitches in, adding a slow simmer of excitement to the mix.
Taking a slow breath in, I let it out even slower. No matter how attractive Abel is, he’s not someone I want to get mixed up with. If there’s anything worse than a bad boy, it’s a broken one. And there’s no doubt in my mind that Abel is most definitely a broken man. You don’t suffer the kind of loss he has and come out on the other side still intact.
“Finally,” Henna grumbles next to me and I snap out of my fog long enough to see Sam enter the room.
“Sorry, ladies.” She seems winded and a bit out of sorts. “Is everyone ready?”
“Heather has the guys lined up in order down the hall, as are the girls here,” her mom answers, gesturing to the row of us.
“Perfect.” She claps her hands together excitedly. “All right, ladies. Let’s do this.”
Moments later we are all filing into the hallway. Because the bride and groom’s dressing rooms are on opposite sides of the church, we are all meeting in the middle, at the large double doors that lead into the great room.
I spot Abel immediately. His messy hair hanging across his forehead, his ocean blue eyes trained on the ground, his large hands shoved into the front pockets of his faded blue jeans.
I knead my bottom lip between my teeth, the butterflies in my stomach so prominent it’s a wonder I can even keep my feet on the ground.
I can’t help it. He’sthatgood looking.
One by one, Heather, the wedding planner, lines us up next to each other. When she takes my arm and positions me next to Abel, I’m not sure what to do. Do I say hello and act like we’re old friends? Do I stay quiet and keep to myself, on the very likely chance he doesn’t want to speak to me? God, I’ve never felt so much uncertainty standing next to a man before.
“You seem about as excited as I am to be here.” He speaks low so only I can hear him.
Relief floods through me and I turn my gaze up to his, my heart rate picking up a few notches when my eyes land on his.
“I am excited.” I try to seem relaxed even though I feel anything but.
“You sure?” He smiles at me and for the first time I notice the solitary dimple on his left cheek.
Swoon.
“I’m excited for Sam.”
“Not a big fan of weddings?”
