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Amanda wasn’t sure what to make of any of this. But she stood with her father, wrapped her arms around him, and placed her cheek on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart. It was remarkable to grow up and learn that your parents had made buckets of mistakes. As a kid, Amanda had thought her father and mother had been Superman and Superwoman. It had seemed so clear.
“I love you, Dad. And I’m so happy you can be here for my wedding day,” Amanda whispered. “I hope I’ll see you out on the ballroom floor for the father of the bride dance?”
Richard’s eyes widened with surprise. Amanda hadn’t told him she was planning to uphold that tradition.
“There’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be,” Richard said.
ChapterNineteen
This couldn’t be happening. Not again.
Kelli ran up and down the back staircase with her heart in her throat, thinking again and again of Sam and Sandra, of how close they’d been in the hallway, whispering as though they had enough things to tell one another to last a lifetime. She had no idea what to do with herself. Meanwhile, a glance out the side window showed that Amanda’s wedding guests had begun to float out along the lush green grounds, still holding cocktails, as the string quintet set up and began to tune their instruments. It was nearly showtime.
Kelli reached the second floor, then rushed down the hallway to check on the bride and her bridal party. Just as she reached the doorway, Amanda appeared with a locket in her hand. She looked stricken, and her eye makeup was slightly smudged.
“Amanda! Are you okay?” Kelli cried, imagining that Sam had just found her and told her he was leaving.
Amanda’s hand closed around the locket as she tried to drum up a smile. “Oh, yes. I’m just silly. I messed up my makeup a little bit.”
“What was that?” Susan Sheridan appeared in the doorway, grimacing. “Oh, Amanda. Get in here! Quick! We can fix it.”
Amanda hurried into the bridal suite, into the welcome embrace of her mother. Susan locked eyes with Kelli just before she turned around and asked, “Everything good downstairs?”
“Looks like we’re almost ready for you,” Kelli said, puffing out her chest.
“This makeup job shouldn’t take too long,” Susan said. “As long as the bride doesn’t cry anymore, we should be good!”
“Good luck with that,” Audrey joked.
Kelli teetered on her heels and adjusted her hair behind her ears. “I’m going to find Xander and grab seats,” she lied. “See you on the other side, Amanda! Love you so much.”
Without waiting for a response, Kelli turned on a heel and rushed for the grand staircase, which she took toward the groom’s suite. When she reached it, she took a deep breath, then pounded the door. A split-second later, Audrey’s fiancé, Noah, opened it.
“Kelli! Hi!” Noah flashed her a confused smile. Behind him, Kelli could make out the rest of the groom’s party— Sam’s brother, Amanda’s brother, and a few of Sam’s friends from childhood. They sat on cream couches with beers, their bow ties tied, and their tuxedos glossy.
“Hey there. Just wanted to check up on everything,” Kelli said. “The hotel has been chaotic today. I’m losing people and things like water through my fingers.” She tried to laugh.
Noah palmed his neck and took a step back.
“I mean, where is Sam?” Kelli asked, trying to keep her voice light and bouncy, as though this was all a joke.
“Sam stepped out about fifteen minutes ago,” Noah said, his voice darkening.
“Where did he go?” Kelli demanded.
“We’re not totally sure,” Sam’s brother said.
Kelli’s eyes opened wider. “You know that the wedding ceremony is in like fifteen minutes?”
The groomsmen gave one another nervous glances. Noah’s face turned green.
“Can you call him? Text him?” Kelli asked, placing her hands on her hips.
Everyone was silent, which made Kelli’s anxiety double.
“Wait,” Noah said suddenly. “You said you’re also losing things through your fingers? Not just people?”
Kelli shrugged. “I mean, guests keep reporting jewelry as stolen. And a beautiful painting in the foyer is gone. I don’t know if it was moved for cleaning purposes or if there’s something more sinister going on.”
