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“I have to go,” is the only explanation I offer.
“What about the guests? The wedding? Is it canceled? Is that what you want?” he calls after me, bellowing as I wrench open the door and trip over my own feet escaping.
“Yes!” I yell back. “Cancel it all!”
Nicholas yells something else after me but I don’t hear it over the slamming of the door or the pounding of blood in my head. All I know is I need to get to Candice. I need to talk to her, now.
I run out into the street, loosening my tie so I can undo the top button that’s strangling me. Waving frantically, I try to hail a cab, but there’s traffic everywhere and Saturday-afternoon tourists milling around, looking at me like I’m crazy. This is getting me nowhere. I pull out my phone and with shaking hands punch in the address to The Oaks. Fifteen minutes’ walk.
If I run, I can probably make it there in five.
Without another thought, I grip my phone tightly in my hand and sprint in the direction of the arrow on the map, praying that I’m not too late.
CHAPTER31
CANDICE
Igrunt as I get laced into the dress. I swear, every time I’ve had this damn thing put on me, it’s been tied tighter, like they’re trying to shame me for having a human waistline. Nothing in theworldcould have stopped me from comfort-eating this week.
My phone lights up on the table, buzzing faintly. “Please can I have that?” I ask one of the attendants. She hesitates, looking around like she’s waiting for permission. “Please,” I say again. Fortunately, she doesn’t need any other persuading.
I unlock it to see a message from my mother wishing me luck and calling me beautiful, and another from Kelly.See u soon??? good luck?!is all it says.
Guess it must be pretty obvious to her that I’m thinking about running.
I’m torn by the idea of it. On the one hand, running is a very attractive option. I could get out of this hideous chiffon-and-satin nightmare. I could go somewhere very far away and start all over again, safe in the knowledge that I’d never have to look at Aiden or his stupid company again. I wouldn’t have to face being splashed across the national papers looking like an idiot.
On the other hand, it would kill Mettie’s completely. My career has always been everything to me, and running would kill that deader than something that had died three seconds ago.
And I think I love Aiden.
That isn’t stopping me being mad at him, though — for this nonsense, for not standing up for us, for not listening. For making me love him and not letting me tell him.
Ugh! I’m making a pros-and-cons list about my wedding on the day of it! This isn’t normal behavior. Nothing about this is normal in any way. I shoot Kelly a text back to say yes, but I’m not sure if that’s true.
An attendant wanders over with my veil, and I shake my head. “Do we have to do that already?”
“It’s nearly time for you to go. You’ll want to be ready for the chauffeur.”
“Can I have another minute, please? I’m too hot.”
“I’ll get you some water,” she says with a kind smile before dashing off in search of a cup. It’s only me, the woman doing up the buttons on the back of the dress, the makeup artist, and one young girl whose role isn’t entirely clear to me. Katie isn’t here. I could easily overpower every one of these women.
Do I really want to fight them off? Will the nerves pass when I get into the car?
“Can I sit down?” I ask, my legs suddenly weak.
The young woman comes to fuss over me. “Are you okay, miss?”
I wobble precariously. “I need a minute. Please,” I mumble, pressing my hand to my forehead. I hear the makeup artist gasp, but I don’t care. I’m lightheaded, like all the air is draining from the room.
I’m guided to a chair and handed a polystyrene cup filled with ice-cold water. The cold makes me wince, but it does bring some feeling back to my brain. I close my eyes and breathe. This will be over soon. Everything will be okay.
“If I can say so, you look gorgeous in that dress,” says the makeup artist. “Are you nervous, hon?”
I nod. There aren’t really words to describe the churning inside me right now, the shaking hands and nausea, the dread, but “nervous” is close enough.
The women all coo around me like doves, making noises that are clearly intended to soothe me but are actually suffocating. “It’s okay to be nervous; this is the biggest day of your life!”
