I clear my throat harshly, hoping he takes the hint that his presence is unwelcome. “That was before you forget publicly that you had a fiancée.”
He smirks at me, cockiness oozing from every pore. “I always did love how your banter feels more like a competitive sport.”
Before I can fire back, Sophie appears behind me with a garment bag. “Kaci might be freaking out about the fact that you’re still in your pajamas with coffee stains on your shirt. She’d feel slightly better if you could get readynow.” She thrusts the bag into my arms. “We have fifteen minutes before photos.”
“I know, I know. I’m sorry.” Heat floods my cheeks as it feels like every eye is on me and my failure. “There was a floral emergency, and I had to, just, never mind. I still need to get all the arrangements on the altar before photos and people start coming.”
Elijah steps between me and the box of arrangements. “Just go with her. I can do this. I’ve done it before. I know exactly how you like them.”
I open my mouth to protest, but he’s right. He does know, and he might be the only one who can help. “Don’t you need to get dressed too?”
“It takes me two minutes to slip on a tux.” He bends over, lifting the largest arrangement out of the box as Sophie snatches my wrists and pulls me toward the bathroom. “You can supervise flowers later. Right now you need to strip.”
The chuckle that comes from Elijah causes me to snap around and hold up my finger. “Don’t even think about commenting.” I spin on my heel, and Sophie and I push through the bathroom door together.
She squares up in front of me. “Remove your hideous cloud pajamas.” I lift my shirt before realizing I’m wearing the wrong bra for formal wear. It’s too late now. She unzips the garment bag and pulls out a dark lilac silk bridesmaid dress. It’s the same color as the lilacs in the arrangements. Aiming it at my head, she commands, “Arms up.”
I suppress a grunt as she tugs the dress over my shoulders and smooths it into place. “You’re lucky I’m an expert at getting glam in record time. I’ve been almost late to so many concerts.”
I look at myself in the mirror and see my lackluster hair desperately needs a fresh wash and blowout. “I should’ve gotten here earlier.”
Sophie spins me by the shoulders and zips me without warning, causing me to inhale sharply. “We all told you to be here at nine. Instead, you were gallivanting around town with your ex.”
“I wasn’tgallivanting. As I said before, there was an emergency with the flowers. And I didn’t ask him to help. He sort of inserted himself, and I didn’t have time to deal with it.”
Her eyebrows rise as she produces a curling iron and comes at my head with precision. “He’s sure trying to flirt his way back into your life.”
I sit on the nearest stool, careful not to wince as she tugs my hair into a twist. “You know how he is. He’s unrelenting. Theonly reason I haven’t slapped him is because I don’t want to add drama to Kaci’s wedding day.”
She hands me the curling iron to hold with my hair still in it while she dusts blush across my cheeks. I’m getting dizzy watching her hands fly all around me. She takes the curling iron back, releases my hair, and hands me a tube of bright red lipstick. “So why’d you let him kiss you? You know that only fueled his ego.”
That’s the million-dollar question.
That kiss lasted several seconds longer than it needed to. I should have pulled away the second he leaned in. I can blame him all I want, but the truth is that I kissed him back.“Insanity.”
Sophie gives me a I’m-not-buying-that-excuse look.“Well, whatever happens, try not to cry until after the photos and ceremony. I’m already going to struggle concealing these dark circles.” On cue, she produces a concealer stick and dabs it under my eyes. “Did you even sleep last night?”
“Not really.”
I finish applying my lipstick, and she swaps the tube in my hands for mascara. “That’s all we have time for,” she says, crossing the room and pulling my heels from a duffle bag. “Good thing your mom had your clothes sent over this morning. She had a hunch when Kaci told her you went off on a flower hunt with him.”
I kick off my flip-flops, and Sophie guides my foot into my heel while I coat my lashes. I probably still look like a hot mess. Somehow, we stumble out of the bathroom just as the wedding planner yells, “Bridal party, let’s go! The photographer is at the altar waiting for you.”
I race to the front of the church and step into the bridesmaids’ line, tugging at my dress strap. One side is tight; the other side hangs loose. I’m completely lopsided and unsupported. “Something’s wrong with my dress,” I call out to whoever willhear me as I’m about to panic. “It doesn’t sit right. It’s way to loose on one side, and this neckline isn’t straight.”
“It’s fine.” Sophie reaches over to adjust my straps. “Maybe you need something to distract from this neckline. It’s too bad you didn’t try this on earlier when you would have time to grab a necklace.”
Elijah walks down the aisle to join the groomsmen, looking ridiculously good in a tailored black suit and that smirk I used to lose sleep over. “Here, you can try this.” He pulls a delicate gold necklace with a tiny pearl pendant from his wallet.
My breath catches. I immediately recognize the necklace he’d given me for my birthday. “How do you have that?”
“You left it on my nightstand along with the note saying you left,” he says quietly, brushing his thumb over the pendant. “I wanted to chuck it into the lake so many times, but I just couldn’t.”
My heart stutters. “You kept it in yourwallet?”
His usually cocky smile softens into a rare, sweet slant as he leans in, handing me the chain. “Felt closer to me that way.”
Sophie makes a strangled noise like a dying crow, but whispers, “Put it on. Now.”
