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Thirty seconds, that’s all I have before the scent hits me.
Muttering an apology, I get to my feet. “I have to go to the bathroom.”
Biting the inside of my cheek, I dash from the room and into the bathroom across the hallway. I barely lock the door and make it to the toilet before I start to throw up.
My hand grips the toilet seat as I get out what little I managed to put in my mouth this morning, a fine layer of sweat coating my skin in exertion.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter, feeling spent.
I wait a little bit, and only when I’m pretty sure I’m done do I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and push to my feet.
Was it too much to hope that I could avoid this? At least for today? The last thing a girl wants is to spend her wedding day with her head stuck in the toilet.
Letting out a sigh, I flush the damn thing before turning to the mirror. Correcting my crooked robe, I retie the strap and turn on the water. Even with makeup on, my face still looks pale. My hair is still in big rollers, my makeup half done, and I mean literally half done. I have fake eyelashes on only one eye, and I just wiped away any lipstick the makeup artist might have put on my mouth. I’m pretty sure the woman hates me already, and I know that won’t change once I get back.
This is going to be so much fun.
Quickly I brush my teeth and then rinse with mouthwash—twice—eliminating any possible stink of puke.
I will not be kissing my soon-to-be-husband, the love of my life, with stinky, puke-filled breath. Hell to the no. I refuse to do that.
Although, the damn thing is his fault anyhow.
Wiping my hands, I make sure that I’ve removed any evidence of what’s been going on in here before unlocking the door and entering the hallway.
“Are you okay?”
I look up at the sound of Penelope’s worried voice. My sister is leaning against the wall. She’s wearing a pale pink dress that reaches her mid-calf and has the thinnest straps covering her shoulders that connect to a heart-shaped bodice. The skirt falls in a straight line but has an asymmetrical tulle overlay that she loved because of how it felt under her fingers since the material was covered in glitter.
“I’m fine.” I take her hand, pulling her into a side hug.
“You sure? You were in there for a long time.”
“Just nerves, that’s all,” the lie slips easily from my tongue. I hated lying to my sister, but there wasn’t another option. Not yet anyway. “C’mon, let’s get back to the room. I need to finish getting ready, so we’re not late.”
“It might not be bad to leave Emmett waiting. Just a tiny bit.”
I chuckle softly. “Don’t you think he’s waited enough for me?”
Penny tilts her head to the side. “I guess you’re right. You were acting like a total brat when we just moved here.”
I pinch her side. “I’ll give you a brat, missy.”
Although, what she says is true. When I was seventeen, the last thing I had on my mind was falling in love. Penny and I just moved to Bluebonnet, and I had much more important things on my mind. But Emmett broke down my walls and reservations piece by piece with his patience and love. The seventeen-year-old girl I was didn’t believe in love, but the twenty-two-year-old woman that I am today is grateful to that boy for sticking with me and teaching me it’s okay to open up and love somebody.
All heads turn toward us when we get back into my room. Since we wanted a small wedding, we decided to ditch the traditional wedding party and instead go for just a maid of honor, best man, and one bridesmaid-slash-flower-girl. Well, two, if we included Henry, Penny’s guide dog, since they were kind of like a package deal.
Thankfully my college friends had left, and somebody opened the window, so the smell of whatever was in that sandwich was finally filtered out.
“I’m so sorry.” I give an apologetic look to the makeup artist, pretty sure that she wants to strangle me by this point. “Nerves.”
“It’s okay. We’re almost done.”
I get back in the chair, and Jade picks up her camera. She takes a few photos of the final touches as the makeup artist and the hairdresser finish.
Just then, the door opens, and Aunt Mabel peeks inside. “You all about ready?”
I wave her inside. “Come on in. I’m just about to put on the dress.”
