“What happened with Trent?” Starr asked, to Kelsey’s gratitude.
“I found out he wasn’t…we weren’t…” Faith blinked. “He wasn’t the one.”
“Come here, sweetheart.” Bill hugged her. “It’s better to cancel before the wedding, than after. Marriage is too big a step to rush into. You don’t want to make a mistake.”
“I don’t.” Faith stared at Starr. “I’m sorry, Mom. I know how much you wanted me to marry Trent, and I tried, but I…couldn’t.”
“It’s okay, honey.” Starr’s sincerity made Kelsey want to cry. The love between mother and daughter was so strong you could almost touch it. “The most important thing is your happiness.”
“That’s right. There’s someone out there for you.” Hope smiled. “You’ll find ‘the one,’ get married, and live happily ever after.”
Bill smoothed Faith’s hair. “Your true love is out there. Don’t give up.”
“Hope and I found ours early,” Will added. “You’ve always been a late bloomer. That’s why it’s taking you longer.”
Found ours.
Kelsey stared at the band of gold on Will’s finger. Her heart lodged in her throat.
Faith nodded, but the sadness in her eyes made Kelsey feel sorry for her. Sorry for one of the most beautiful, talented, and sought-after stars in Hollywood. Sorrier than Kelsey felt for herself at the moment. A bad day was one thing, but this…
She wanted to shake some sense into the Addisons. Couldn’t they see they weren’t helping but enabling? Putting pressure on Faith by telling her Mr. Right was out there waiting for her wasn’t what she needed.
No wonder Faith had such a problem getting to the “I do.” She had her entire family, all the Addison ancestors, and their history of marrying their “one true love” to live up to. The Addisons’ unrealistic expectations of love and marriage were the problem, not Faith. She was only trying not to disappoint her family. No wonder she’d canceled so many weddings.
As her family continued to comfort Faith, Kelsey’s anger rose. At the Addisons, at herself. Kelsey’s parents’ lack of expectations of love and marriage had as negative an effect on her as Faith’s family’s unrealistic expectations about love and marriage did on their youngest member.
Kelsey couldn’t take it any longer. She stood. “Excuse me.” All eyes focused on her.
“What is it, Kelsey?” Will asked.
The words were on the tip of her tongue. Words that needed to be said to put an end to this nonsense.
She’d thought the Addison family was perfect, but she was finally seeing the cracks. Or maybe that was just what she wanted to think because the situation was unbelievable. As they coddled Faith, they didn’t make her feel any guilt about canceling yet another wedding. They gave her unconditional love and acceptance. And maybe, just maybe, Kelsey was jealous of that.
But no matter what she might think, good or bad, about her clients, her opinion didn’t matter. She wasn’t a family member; she wasn’t even a family friend. She was only the wedding consultant. She’d been hired to plan a wedding, which meant she still had a job to do. “I need to make a few phone calls about tomorrow’s…anniversary party.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Staring at her empty but open suitcase, Kelsey sat on her bed with the list she’d made in case she had to pivot to an anniversary party in front of her. She should pack, but she still had work to do. The anniversary party backup plan was officially in effect. The beautiful wedding she and Will had planned and worked so hard to make a reality was now history. The gorgeous dress and veil wouldn’t be worn on Valentine’s Day.
Disappointment rocketed through her. But a profound sadness made her plop onto the bed and bury her head in her hands.
She’d never felt this way when Faith had canceled her other weddings, or any other bride for that matter. But this wedding had been different. Kelsey had never put so much into designing a wedding before. Her heart and soul had gone into each detail. But it went deeper than that. Much deeper.
Kelsey rubbed the spot over her heart, a spot that ached. How could she have been so foolish?
A knock sounded on her door. “Come in,” she called.
Will entered. “How’s it going?”
She didn’t want to tell him that the backup plan he’d said was unnecessary was making the transition from wedding to anniversary party easier. She also didn’t want to tell him how much working with him these past two weeks had meant to her. She definitely didn’t want to tell him about the mix of emotions racing through her right now. It might be better not to say much after all since she wouldn’t be able to put it all into words. Besides, what good would it do?
Kelsey cleared her tight throat. “Okay.”
He noticed her suitcase. “Going somewhere?”
She lifted her chin. “I thought I might move over to the inn now that the wedding is off.”
