I make a show of peering at all the open seats around him. “Are all these chairs unavailable to me?”
“The only place for you”—he widens his arms and glances down—“is right here.”
“Well then,” I say, sinking onto him as if I’m riding sidesaddle, “I guess that’s where I’d better park myself.”
Turning to face him, I wrap one arm around his shoulders and press my free hand to his chest. “How are your posts going? Cecily texted and told me I’m a sexy thing? What was that about?”
A smile slides across Klein’s face. “I’ve been taking all those pictures and adding them to the shared album, but I’m guessing she’s talking about the pictures I took of you sitting at the shoreline with all that sand stuck to your bite-worthy ass.”
“In my teeny bikini?”
He nods once, slowly, lips pushed out.
Leaning in, I place a tiny peck on him. Pouty lips call for kisses. I don’t make the rules.
“I can delete it, if you want me to,” Klein offers. “If you’re not comfortable with her using it. I don’t know that she will, but it’s your call.”
“As long as my face isn’t part of the photo, I’m fine with it.”
Klein’s hands on my back begin to move, kneading at the muscles. “Do you think?—”
“Paisley?” my sister shouts.
I twist around, still holding on to Klein. Sienna looks back at us from her place at the front. Her leg is propped on a seat, and I’m assuming there’s an ice pack on her ankle.
“What?” I ask.
“Can you sub in for me for the rehearsal?”
I frown. Subbing in for my sister means walking down the aisle to Shane. My ex. A man I dislike on a normal day, and have only grown to dislike more as this week has progressed.
Sienna is bracketed by our parents. Behind her stands the bridal party. Every one of them. Shane’s mother. And, of course, the coordinator who is only trying to do her job.
All eyes are on me.
I really don’t want to do this, but if I say no, I’ll look like I have a problem. An issue. People will assume I don’t like Shane. Or I don’t like Sienna. Or that I don’t like Shane and Sienna together. I can’t throw away all my successful ignoring of Shane’s remarks only to fall downin the eleventh hour. I can do this. I can show up for my sister in her time of need.
Again.
After she’s failed to consider how I might feel about the situation.
Again.
Klein’s hands move off my back, like he’s letting me go.
I don’t know if it’s that motion, like he’s assuming I’ll do what’s asked of me when I don’t want to, or if it’s Sienna’s exasperated expression, like she thinks I’m taking too long to comply. Maybe it’s a combination of the two, but here’s what I know for certain: I’m opening my mouth and saying the word. “No.”
So powerful, this word.
No, I will not walk down the aisle to your fiancé who’s been disrespectful of you and me this week.
No, I will not do as you ask simply because you’ve asked and expect me to.
No, I will not be a doormat while you never stop to consider my feelings.
A sizzling energy extends to my fingertips, pride filling my chest.
Sienna’s mouth drops open. “Are you serious?”
