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Itook a deep breath, pasted a smile on my face, and knocked on the door of the small room where the bride was freaking out.
No response. I knocked again and said, “It’s Millie.”
The lock on the door clicked, and it opened a crack. The dark-brown eyes of Vivian Tran looked out at me. “I can’t do it.”
There was no fear, just nervousness. My gut said she had cold feet, not well-founded doubts. Gentling my voice, I said, “Vivian, I just want to talk. I promise no one else is with me, and if at the end of it you still want to call off the wedding, I’ll march out there and tell everyone myself. But at least let me talk to you first. Okay?”
After a second, Vivian nodded and stepped back. As soon as I entered the room, I shut the door behind me. “So, tell me what’s bothering you?”
Vivian started pacing the small room, the skirts of her white wedding dress billowing as she did so. “What if this is a mistake? I mean, marriage is a huge step. Not to mention, if things don’t work out, divorce is messy. Maybe I shouldn’t have dropped hints that I wanted to marry him. Maybe it only made him feel like he had to do it. And that’s not the way to go about it, right?”
I’d heard a similar speech too many times to count. I wouldn’t push or manipulate her, but I needed to try and see if I could save this wedding. “Travis loves you, Vivian. He hates crowds and yet he agreed to a big wedding for you.”
She paused, her gaze softening. “That’s true.”
I took one of her hands and really looked at the woman in front of me. After watching Vivian and Travis over the past six months, I knew they belonged together. The groom’s mother had been a right pain in the ass, and yet Travis had always stood up for Vivian, ensuring she got what she wanted. And judging from all the times Vivian had also stood up to his mother, defending him, she loved him too.
This was a case of nerves, nothing more.
I took her other hand and gently squeezed. “Plus, don’t forget that Travis hadn’t ruled out arriving to the ceremony on horseback, even though horses terrify him.”
Vivian’s muscles relaxed a fraction. “It’s why I couldn’t make him do it.”
“Then what’s really bothering you, Vivian? Because anyone with eyes would notice how much that man loves you.”
She paused, looking down and then back up. “I keep thinking that we haven’t dated long enough. Or maybe we need to live together for more than a few months. What if I’m wrong about him?”
“Well, I’ve seen firsthand how every journey is different. Some people need decades together before they want to make it official. Others only need a few weeks before they know they’ve found the one. This is your story, Vivian Tran, and how it unfolds is up to you. So, what is the next chapter going to be about?”
She bit her bottom lip for a second before saying, “Me being married to Travis.”
“Good.” I released her hands and patted her upper arm. “He’s out there waiting for you. Shall I help you freshen up and get this party started?”
Vivian smiled. “Yes.” She nodded to herself. “Yes, I’m ready.”
“Just let me fix your veil and then you can start writing the next chapter of your story.”
In less than five minutes, I had Vivian ready, and she walked down the aisle on her stepdad’s arm. One thing I never grew tired of was watching the groom or bride when he or she saw their partner walk down the aisle—with such love and hope and happiness.
Once the ceremony was over and it moved on to the celebration, I breathed a sigh of relief. I had another wedding tomorrow, and it was always better when the one before went well. I wasn’t sure if I believed in karma, exactly. However, fate could be a cruel bitch, as I’d learned at a young age. It was part of the reason I worked so hard to make my weddings a success. It’d never fully make up for what I’d done, but it was at least a start.
* * *
It was over an hour later when my sister in all but blood—Abigail “Abby” Wolfe—slipped into the barn and whispered in my ear, “Tag, I’ll take over from here.”
“Thank goodness. I’m exhausted, and it’s only four in the afternoon. Tomorrow is going to require lots and lots of caffeine to make it through.”
“Why you book them back-to-back, I’ll never understand. Yes, I get it’s summertime and the busy wedding season. However, you’re doing just fine and could turn down a job or two without blinking an eye, or at least hire some more help so you’re not running yourself into the ground.”
No, I couldn’t hire more people. As much as I loved Abby and her friendship, I’d never shared the full reason for why I crammed as many weddings into the summer as I could. Well, only to a number where I could for sure put on the best show ever, without cutting corners.
So I merely shrugged. “You never know what the future brings. Besides, seeing them happy makes me happy. I love weddings.”
Abby remained silent at my words. I was probably the only person in Starry Hills who knew why working for my wedding and event business was beyond difficult for her.
Changing the subject, I asked, “Are the twins still here?”
She motioned to the outside of the barn. “They’re playing with Miss Fluffypants and Flynn.”
