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Jettdroppedmeatthe start of our long driveway, and I walked the rest of the way up to our house. Don’t think he was very impressed about being Brandon’s chauffeur, but he did it anyway.
Jasmine is the first one I find, luckily. “Jasmine, I’m so sorry,” I cry out as she runs toward me, pulling me into her.
“Are you okay? You scared us.” She leans back, looking at me like I was the one hurt today.
I brush off my dress. “I’m fine. He just looked so banged up, and no one would really tell me anything other than it was a car accident.” I shake my head, still feeling so confused by it all. The Rivera brothers, the crazy mansion, the way he looked.
“Do you want me to get Axel to see if he knows anything?”
I grab her hand as she goes to take off to find him. “No,” I say with absolute certainty. The last thing I want is to cause some sort of a fight over this. “It was probably just a hit-and-run, but it scared the hell out of me. What if he died today?”
“He didn’t, and we have to be thankful for that.” She rubs my arm, pulling me in for a comforting hug.
“Who didn’t?” Andy appears in the doorway looking stunning in her bridal gown. This is supposed to be her day.
“Andy, I’m so sorry.” Tears start again. I have held them in for so long, but today I just can’t. It’s all too much.
Jasmine lets me go, and Andy takes her turn to comfort me. “It’s okay, you didn’t miss anything. Jas told us what happened, and I couldn’t do it without you, so we’ve been waiting for you to get back.” She says it so casually, but that means her guests have been waiting for forever and I feel even worse knowing that.
“Okay, thank you. I feel so bad you had to delay it for me. I think I need my makeup fixed, then we better get you down the aisle.”
“Got you covered,” calls Amelia, making her way into the room with a makeup kit. She takes me by the hand to the mirror and fusses over my face. I close my eyes and let her take over, fixing me up as best she can. “There you are, good as new.” She smiles then looks to Andy. “Right, it’s time.”
We gather in the center of the room and share a group hug. No words are needed. There is so much love shared between us, and it occurs to me this must be how Brandon feels about the Rivera boys. He said yesterday he grew up with them, and he doesn’t have any siblings of his own, so I guess they’re like his brothers.
“First, I get married, then you fill us in on who on earth you care enough about to take off the way you did. It can be my wedding present. I want all the details. There are no secrets here, Cassie.”
Because it’s her special day and she is already getting hitched nearly two hours later than she should have because of me, I nod. I knew it was only a matter of time before I would have to tell my sisters, but I was enjoying the happy bubble we had. Now reality will set in, and the opinions of those I care about most in this world will affect my judgment.
BradandAndy’sceremonywas beautiful, all the guests commenting on the wonderful job my parents did preparing the grounds. There has been delicious finger food and a continual top-up of drinks. But my glass has only been filled with sparkling water, my head just not in the mood to celebrate with the rest of them. All I can think of is Brandon, the sickly way he looked when I first entered the room in the Rivera house, so pale and weak. I should be there with him, not here partying.
Andy approaches me, a pink blush on her cheeks and a massive smile on her lips. Taking my hands playfully, she singsongs, “Dance with me, Sis. You look so sad over here all alone.”
“Okay,” I reply because it’s her day. She whirls me onto the dance floor, and we are joined by Jasmine and Amelia. It’s a beautiful warm night, so most of the guests mingle on the lawn. Other than the kids, we’re the only ones on the floor.
Andy gets all serious, zeroing in on me. “So, who is he?”
“Just a guy from work.” I sigh, too tired for this conversation tonight.
She rests a hand on her hip in a sassy way, and I can see the hurt on her face. “You’re talking to us. We can see through that bullshit.”
I bite my lip, not sure if I should say anything to them or not, worrying about what would happen if I do and it gets back to Dad. But after what happened today, I already know I’m not backing out of this thing with Brandon, no matter what anyone else thinks, so does it really matter if it gets back to Dad at this point? I’m a big girl now. I can make my own choices in life, and I choose him. “Brandon Lewis,” I mouth his name.
Jasmine already knew, so she just nods along like she didn’t. Andy scrunches her nose up, trying to place the name, but it’s Amelia that gives me a look I don’t like. “What? If you just said what I think you did, you need to start talking, and fast. How the hell did you and Brandon end up together?”
“It’s a really long story that started years ago.” I sigh. “Too long to get into tonight.”
“He’s the same age as me. He’s way too old for you,” Amelia berates me, like she’s telling off one of her kids for not doing their chores.
I’m actually in shock at her reaction. Of all my sisters, I thought Amelia would get it. They were friends. She knows he’s a decent guy. “He’s only five years older. Brad is heaps older than Andy and here we are at their wedding,” I snap back at her.
“Hey,” Andy complains. “Well, I guess he is.” She laughs. “Nothing wrong with it, Sis. You like this dude that’s older, you go get him.” Andy has no idea who we’re talking about. She was in her own little bubble of the soccer world while this was all going on when we were younger.
“Jasmine, you're very quiet,” Amelia says, glaring at Jasmine, turning her bad mood on her.
“I think Cassie is old enough to make up her mind about who she wants to date. It’s none of my business,” she responds.
“Dad’s not going to like it,” huffs Amelia.
