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Now all my senses are hyper aware of everything she does. She’s on the other side of the room, but my nose picks up the scent of spiced apples. It’s the scent of her favorite shampoo.
I watch the scene between Julia, Darryl, and the registrar as they rehearse their wedding ceremony, but I still see every glowering message sent between Ashleigh and her twin sister. The atmosphere crackles between us all as though dark magic is fueling the air.
How can she just waltz in here and act like her life hasn't spiraled out of control? It’s as though it doesn't matter to her that she's destroyed the very career she left me for. Or that she’s destroyed her relationship? Or slept with another man? Hell, she doesn’t even care that she’s married to another man!
She might not be Krystal anymore but whoever this woman is, she’s certainly not Ashleigh, either.
Another ferocious glare passes between the twins. My temper shoots skywards as Mimi flinches. How can Ashleigh be so oblivious to her sister’s feelings? How can she be so blind to Julia’s feelings? Every time the atmosphere sizzles between Ashleigh and Mimi, my sister loses her concentration, and the crease deepens in her forehead.
The urge to shout at Ashleigh courses through my blood, but I know it will only spark off our volatile emotions. I tend to get tangled up in ill-advised behavior with her that I can’t afford, especially not when every time I look at her my body screams, I want you!
“Julia?”
The registrar's voice breaks into my thoughts, and I glance back at my sister. She’s looking at me as I watch Mimi glaring at Ashleigh, missing her cue again.
“You promised me, Sean,” she whispers before she bursts into tears and sprints for the door.
I am the world’s worst big brother.
I’m too wrapped up in choosing Stephanie over Ashleigh that I forgot the promise I’d made to Julia. I promised that no matter what I wouldn’t let my failed relationship with Ashleigh affect Julia’s wedding. I made the same promise to Darryl only last night. We were talking about the fact I’ve moved on; I have—no, I had—Candice. I thought I was over her. I am over her!
“Jules!” I call after her. “Wait!”
“The wedding is off!” she cries out, bursting through the door and disappearing in a flood of tears.
I turn back to Darryl, who glares at me and then at Mimi.
“Thanks a lot, you two!” he hisses and then moves toward the door before stopping. “Actually, this ends now.” He turns to the rest of the group, waves his arm toward the door, and growls, “Get out! All of you.” His gaze stops on Mimi, then Ashleigh, and then me. “Except you three.”
The crowd of bridesmaids, groomsmen, and family shuffle out of the door. My mom, with baby Tommy in her arms, has already gone after Julia. My dad murmurs to the registrar, explaining that the problem has nothing to do with the bride and groom. I overhear him ask if she has time to have a cup of coffee while the family sorts the soap opera out.
Thanks Dad.
I feel about three inches tall.
“Mimi,” Darryl begins as soon as the lock clicks, “Ashleigh lived through ten times worse than this when you destroyed everything you had. So, get over it.”
“Get over it?” Mimi parrots like he expects her to fly to the moon without help from NASA. “How do—”
Darryl’s hand slices the air to silence Mimi. “You're an actress! If you can’t act like someone who likes her sister for twenty-four hours, then just fuck off. We don’t need you ruining our wedding.”
I swallow against the ball of shock in my throat. This isn’t the softly spoken psychiatrist Ashleigh brought into our lives nineteen months ago. This is tough love from a man who’d do anything for his fiancée, and right now, that’s kicking a few butts and banging a few heads together. Darryl isn’t having his fiancée’s big day ruined by other people’s drama.
Darryl matches me in height and build. I have no doubt that if Darryl wanted to, he could easily put me on my ass.
Darryl turns away from Mimi, like a disappointed parent dismissing a child, and focuses his attention on me. “You promised me,” he says. “Only last night, you said you were over her. You’d found someone else—”
A sharp intake of breath catches my attention. The sound is so quiet only dogs would hear it. And me. My ears were only that astute to one person. I look at Ashleigh as she sinks into an ivory covered chair. I can’t see her face. She’s hiding it beneath her hair while she stares at her hands. They’re clasped in her lap.
My stomach pinches.
Why do I feel guilty? Her reaction shouldn’t bother me. I don’t care if she’s hurt that I’m dating someone new. What I do or who I see is none of her business. She gave up those rights when she crawled into bed with Ramirez.
“Sean, I know things are a little more complicated this morning, but that’s your problem not ours!” Darryl drags his hand through his hair. “Well, it wasn't until you upset my bride and made it my problem.”
This is what’s important. Putting our crap to the side and making Julia and Darryl have the best wedding day possible. “Darryl, I—”
“Don't want to hear it!”
