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The only people Itrulycared to see were all accounted for, except Grandma Calli and Ms. Wallace.
I’d reached into my pocket for the phone I wasn’t supposed to have right now, intending to hit Shiloh up. I knew she was stressed with making everything work, but if Calli wasn’t here… as far as I was concerned every ounce of this shit may as well be for nothing.
A buzz of activity in the main room pulled my attention before I could initiate the call, prompting me to look out the door into the event space one more time.
This time, I locked eyes with Shiloh, heading up the aisle.
She looked…worried.
But Calli was behind her, looking beautiful in the midnight blue gown she’d chosen for today. Ms. Wallace was right at her elbow, helping support her weight down the aisle to her seat. My most trusted security, Henry, was behind them, ready to step in if needed, but I could imagine how the conversation about that arrangement had gone.
Shiloh insisting that Henry be the one to assist and Calli telling him to, “Get his big overgrown ass off her.”
Even with her age and health status, she was independent to a fault, which I hated.
This should’ve been her time to relax, to be pampered and taken care of.
If only we could convince her.
Once Calli and Ms. Wallace were seated, Shiloh made a beeline in my direction, slipping into the room designated as the “groom’s suite” with me and Titan.
“Okay, I think we’re ready to get started,” she said, taking a deep, cleansing breath. “Everything is in place. The photographers have all their pre-ceremony shots for the Sugar&Spice spread, unless you’ve changed your mind about the first look?”
I shook my head. “No. My family has never done that, and we aren’t starting now,” I told her.
My grandfather saw Calli for the first time coming down the aisle. My father had seen my mother as his bride for the first time coming down the aisle.
I would do the same.
Calli showed my grandfather the constellations at the cabin in the mountains the night before their wedding. My father showed my mother the constellations at the cabin in the mountains the night beforetheirwedding.
I’d done the same.
Marrying Nalani in this way, this damn business arrangement… I’d fucked up family tradition enough by marrying for what they’d all undoubtedly see as wrong reasons.
I could at least dothesethings in the right way.
“How is Calli?” I asked and from the stricken look on Shiloh’s face before she hurriedly schooled her expression to neutral, I knew there was something.
“She’s fine.”
That answer cameentirelytoo quickly for me to believe shit that was coming out of her mouth.
“Shiloh do not lie to me to right now.How is she?”
“Let’s talk about it after.”
“Goddamnit Shi…”
“Fine,” she huffed. “Calli… fell this morning. Slipped on ice. But we had the doctor here check her out. She’sokay. Nothing broken or anything like that, just a little bruising.”
I… heard everything Shiloh told me after “Calli fell this morning,” but my brain stayed stuck right there for a moment, processing before I caught up.
“What doctor? Some small town—”
“Kyle Desmond,” Shiloh spoke over me, hands up to calm me down. “World-renowned surgeon, used to be head of her department at Blackwood General. A fantastic doctor.”
I blew out a relieved breath, but still… “I need to go talk to her,” I insisted, already moving past Shi towards the door before she caught me by the arm.
