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I cup the side of her face. I want to tell her I’m right there with her. Because I am. In my heart of hearts, I think we could make this last far beyond the expiration date. However, my mind won’t be quiet. It’s growing louder. Voicing concerns I didn’t know were there.
Best not to make her worry though. We’ll take it one day at a time. Wedding tomorrow, honeymoon next and then…
A lifetime.
I want to vomit.
“I can see a life with you. That’s all,” Jude adds.
I can’t offer words. Instead, I kiss her, and tuck her back on my shoulder, allowing myself to stare at the ceiling until I drift off to sleep.
Chapter 15
Jude
“OhmyGod,Jude,it’s literally perfect.”
I slide my hands down the lace bodice and glance into the full-length mirror. I can’t keep from smiling. I didn’t put a lot of attention into picking a dress. Caroline took me dress shopping and I picked the first thing that had spaghetti straps and as few petticoats as possible. Given that it’s the height of summer in Georgia, comfort was my priority.
Especially for a fake wedding.
However, standing here in the lacy dress makes me feel… like a real bride.
Caroline finishes zipping me up and then peeks over my shoulder. Her eyes are red around the edges. “You look incredible.”
“Don’t cry or you’ll make me cry,” I say.
My friend and I share a loving glance. “Soon you’ll be my sister,” Caroline squeezes her fists up by her face.
“As if we haven’t been all this time,” I say with a roll of my eyes.
“I think what Caroline means is that soon you’ll be a Gladstone. And that’s a very different thing.”
I feel my stomach drop. Gram has been sitting in the wingback chair in the corner all morning as the rest of us have gotten ready. She flounced into the bridal suite all ready to go, waving away the makeup artist and hair stylist in favor of just sitting and watching. It’s put me on edge.
“You do look wonderful, sweetheart,” my mom says, coming up to me. She takes my hand and admires the engagement ring. “And now that the ring fits…”
I withdraw my hand and laugh nervously. “Yes, I know, big fingers.”
“Maybe they’re just muscular from all the drawing,” Caroline offers.
“Anyway –” I say dryly to change the subject. “How long do we have?”
Gram checks her watch, a delicate golden thing on her wrist. “An hour. Which means –” She gets up and goes to a box on the dresser. She brought it in with her and it has been taunting me ever since. It’s old, from some ancient department store that hasn’t existed in years.
She lifts the lid and takes out an ivory piece of fabric I realize is a veil. “Time for this.”
I don’t bother arguing and no one else does either. There’s a veil hanging from the rack in the corner, one that was made to perfectly match my dress.
However, what Gram says goes.
Without even asking, Caroline puts a stool behind me and helps Gram up onto it. “This was mine,” Gram says. “It is simple. And that is all you need. Pins, please.”
I stand patiently, letting Gram press and prod my head with pins. I do not yelp when she pulls hard on one of my curls, nor do I wince when she practically jams a pin into the back of my ear.
When all is said and done, she flips a layer of the veil over my face and smiles. “There. Perfect.”
Perfect is right. The veil is only elbow length and very simple. No extra lace or frills. However, it’s breathtaking in its simplicity. “Wow,” I say. “Are you sure?”
