“Okay, let’s do it.”
I swear every ounce of life in me drained onto the floor as a defeated sorrow swept through me like the aftermath of a devastating tornado.
The cheeky girl nearly sang out. “Great. There are two weekends that would work for me. I’ll text you the dates, and you pick which one is best for you.”
“Sounds good.”
His footsteps disappeared down the hall while my heart jumped from my chest and did a kamikaze death dive out of the stain-glassed window beside me.
“Fern, look at me.” Brandon’s voice echoed in my ears as reality twisted itself around me like razor wire.
“Oh no.” Gabe’s words repeated in my mind and stabbed me again and again. “What just happened?”
Brandon’s hands held my shoulders and turned me toward him. “Fern, inhale.”
“How did this happen, Brandon?” My eyes burned. “He tricked me.”
His warm embrace made it real. Feeling his arms around me made it painstakingly clear that Gabe’s arms would never be there again. Blinking didn’t persuade the tears to wait as they were dead set on making a grand entrance.
“Because he’s pure evil. I know it stings like a bitch now, but better to know than to think he spoke truths last night.” He rubbed my back.
“I can’t believe this. I’m so stupid.” My own words wrenched my stomach. “After what he said at the ice arena, telling me he didn’t want to be with me, and then last night saying he did. I was just lining up to take another punch. What in the hell is wrong with me?”
He ushered me through an empty hall and leaned me against the wall. “Nothing is wrong with you. You believed what someone told you because you’re an honest, trusting person. You are so good, and you never deserved this.”
I struggled to pull it together when at the same time a bead of sweat rolled down my back. “I need to get out of here.”
“Fern, you’re the Maid of Honor. You can do this.”
Gasp. “No, I can’t.”
Brandon changed to his firm voice that I normally kind of liked, but not so much at the moment. “You’re Tawnee’s cousin and Maid of Honor. You will walk down that aisle with the fakest smile you’ve ever worn.” He handed me the handkerchief from his pocket while he straightened my hair. “I will accompany you to the reception, hold your hand the entire time, and as soon as humanly possible, I’ll get you out of there.”
“Every part of me hurts, Brandon.” My voice cracked, and I felt snot coming out of my nose. “He was never going to love me.”
Brandon grabbed the handkerchief from my hand and started working on my endless stream of mucus. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
“That’s what people say to pathetic losers. I’m a loser.”
I didn’t expect him to put his hands on my shoulders and shake me while my head bobbed around, but he did. “Stop this!” He whisper-yelled at me. “He’s a dick. You’re wonderful. End of story. Now pull your shit together. You have a job to do.”
I wiped my face and nodded.
“I’m walking you back to the bridal room. You shove all this pain down deep and act like you never gave a rip about that fucker. You got me?”
“I’m afraid to see him?—”
“You’re a tough broad who can handle anything. You suck it up, be amazing, and we’ll key the shit out of his truck in the parking lot later. Okay?”
I inhaled deeply. “For Tawnee.”
“After today, you’ll never have to lay eyes on him again. You look at me when you’re walking down the aisle. You look at me when you’re up there, and I’ll be by your side the second it’s over. Do you hear me?”
I nodded, grateful for his strength. “I hear you.”
I ran into the bathroom, pleased to see the makeup artist clearly used hurricane proof cosmetics, as I was still in good shape.
We made it to the bridal room where Brandon shushed me inside. I was over the moon to see Pam, Liv, and Tawnee holding a shot glass in hand. Alcohol was now the word of the day.
