“Amantha needs us.Now,” she whispers.
Okay, fine.Thisscenario is much closer to the leg-severing than I expected.
I fan my hands toward her. “Let’s get moving, then! She’s only got a few minutes.”
We try to keep our heels from clacking as we sneak across the entrance. Anthony, Val, and his entourage are lined on the opposite wall, waiting to enter.
My heart skitters as I take in Brandon, all handsomed-up in hisbest man attire. I don’t miss the way his heated stare runs down me like a caress, making me prickleeverywhere.
He snakes his arm out as I pass, catching me to plant a kiss to my cheek. Anthony makes an exaggerated gagging sound from beside Val, who ruffles Anthony’s light brown cowlick with a laugh.
I push out of Brandon’s hold.
“Bad best man,” I chastise like he’s a puppy. “This is not our day.”
“Sooner than later, though,” he whispers back, dimples flashing.
I scurry away, also passing Daniel, and his and Camilla’s kids, Leo and Matteo.
Julia encircles my wrist as she tugs me along faster. I aim for the Carnegie room, which has been temporarily reassigned as Amantha’s bridal dressing suite, but Julia pulls me in an unexpected direction.
“She’s in the ladies’ room,” she whispers.
We push open the door to the sound of retching.
Amantha’s satin train is visible beneath the largest stall, and I rush toward it.
“Oh no,” I lament. “Nerves? Or did you eat something bad?”
Amantha sits back on her ankles, dabbing the sweat from her face with a paper towel. The elegant knot on the nape of her neck sways as she shakes her head.
“Neither.” She straightens, swiping something off the crest of the toilet paper dispenser.
It doesn’t take long to register the two perpendicular lines running across the pregnancy test. My jaw hits the floor.
“You’re pregnant?”
Her smile is wobbly but happy as she waves the test like a windshield wiper.
“It wasn’t until I was scooping ice cream onto a dill pickle like a freaking sundae that I realized…” Happy tears brim in her gray eyes like liquid silver. “Ryan and I struggled for so long after having Anthony that Val and I agreed that if it happened, it happened. Turns out the problem was always with Ryan.” She laughs. “I picked up the test on the way here because Ihadto know before the ceremony. I want usbothto know.”
“Do you want us to go get Val?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Amantha says. “But blindfold him or something. I’ve had more than enough marital bad luck.”
“Okay,” I chuckle.
I’m halfway to the door when Julia calls, “I’ll stay here in case she needs me.”
Whatever hormones are raging in Amantha’s system suddenly spring from her eyeballs. I walk out to the beginning wails of Amantha sobbing that Julia is one of the kindest people she’s ever met.
“Oh boy,” I say under my breath.
Val’s brow furrows as I approach, Brandon’s following suit. I reach for Brandon’s collar, deftly wedging my fingers inside his black silk bowtie to release it.
“Not that I’m complaining,” Brandon whispers, “but why are you undressing me?”
“Shhh,” I say before I turn to Val. “You’re coming with me.”
