All of the work she’s been doing runs through my head. Coordinating, planning, even goddamn riding lessons.
“Yeah,” I say. “That’s a great idea.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Campbell
I linger outside of the room January and her bridesmaids are getting ready in. My flats are usually comfortable, but I’ve been on my feet for hours running from the kitchens to pepper Chef with questions, out to the pavilion to ensure setup is following the timeline, and here, to check on my cousin, who’s turning into a last-minute bridezilla.
The door next to me opens.
“—why would she wear that?” January’s stricken voice comes through. “Only brides wear white at the wedding!”
“Yep.” My cousin Sydney ducks out. She closes the door behind her, leans her head back, and blows out a big exhale. She’s wearing the dusty-rose, off-the-shoulder dress that’s the color and style I had my heart set on since I was five. The shade and style have been updated over the years, but Sydney is exactly how Ithought she’d look on my wedding day, from the fun white cowboy boots to her simple chignon. Though the beige cardigan she’s holding in her hand wasn’t part of my plan.
My cousin cracks an eye open and slowly turns her head toward me. She puts her hand on her chest and sags against the wall, relief scrawled across her face. “Oh, good. It’s you. I thought Hannah came back and caught me wishing I was anywhere but here.”
Hannah’s a coworker of January’s. She’s taking my place in January’s lineup of bridesmaids.
“That bad?” I ask.
She rolls her gray eyes. “I’m tasked with giving this sweater to Aunt Margaret to put on for the rest of the night. She’s wearing a white dress,” Sydney finishes in a scandalous tone. She smirks and looks around. “Taking a breather?”
“Sticking close for when she beckons. She doesn’t want me in the room, and she made it clear when I arrived that there’ll be no checking on Stanford.”
She groans. “Fucking Stanford. I wish I could pick my brother-in-law.”
“I wish she hadn’t picked my boyfriend, but I’m so glad she opened my eyes.”
“They had to be closed real tight.”
I bark out a laugh. “One hundred percent.” I let out a long exhale. “I didn’t know how good it could be, but when you’re stuck with something that’s not terrible, you start to confuse that with good. Then you find out what amazing is really like and realize how low your standards were.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat.
Sydney squeezes my arm, sympathy in her eyes. “Shethinks you’re sleeping with one of the distillery brothers. I guess it’s more than sex.”
“I thought so.”
Her compassion deepens when she hears the past tense. My vision gets blurry again. I cannot cry. I came to work with a splotchy face and bloodshot eyes, and I’m finally some semblance of normal. I only look anemic now.
“Yeah. That’s all it was.” I check my phone. Twenty minutes to showtime. “I should go out to the pavilion. Can you make sure January’s ready to walk in fifteen minutes?”
“Mom’s got the countdown going.” She gives me a sad smile. “For what it’s worth, my parents aren’t happy about this. My mom doesn’t like the rift it’s caused between her and your mom. Dad is so damn grumpy, and I think he really wants to talk to Avery and Thea about Thea’s job.”
Thea’s the manager of a baseball stadium. My uncle mines her for information each time he sees her. Except at this event.
Sydney shrugs. “They’re avoiding him.”
Well, he’s basically extorting us so... “It’s messed up.”
“It is. And I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry you’ve been put in this situation.”
“Thank you.” Her apology is the first I’ve gotten from that side of the family. It hits me hard. Without this wedding, I’d be spinning my wheels and wondering where I messed up. I’d be looking for where to go next, where I wouldn’t be haunted by another selfish prick who’d screwed me over.
Instead, I’ve coordinated events with three differentbusinesses in town, and I have a city street fair to help plan. I don’t care if it’s this year, next year, or in five years. It’s going to happen. When I checked my email a moment ago, I already had a query from a woman asking if Hawthorne Guest Ranch had openings for a wedding next summer.
I kept thinking that if I could get through today, I could establish myself. I could grow the job I wanted. The reality is that I’m already doing it, and the wedding hasn’t even happened.
