I'm halfway to hiking up my dress when the door handle rattles.
"Mrs. Delacroix? Jessica? Why is this door locked?"
Melissa. She's back. And she doesn't sound happy.
"Give us a minute," Mom calls, but there's an edge to her voice now.
"Open the door. Now. Callum wants to see her."
"The groom can't see the bride before the wedding," Mom says. "It's bad luck."
"I don't care about bad luck. Open this door or I'm getting security."
Mom looks at me, and I see the calculation in her eyes. How much time do we have? How long can she stall?
Not long enough.
"Go," she mouths.
I hike up my dress and swing one leg over the railing. The trellis is right there, covered in thick ivy. I grab onto it, praying it holds my weight.
Behind me, I hear a key turning in the lock.
Of course. Melissa probably sweet-talked the venue coordinator into giving her a spare.
The door swings open.
"What the hell is going on in here?" Melissa's voice is sharp. Accusatory. "Why was the door locked?"
I'm halfway over the railing, one foot on the balcony, one reaching for the trellis. There's no way she doesn't see me.
"Jessica? What are you doing?"
I freeze. Turn slowly.
Melissa stands in the doorway, her bridesmaid dress a pale blush pink that Callum's mother picked out. Her blonde hair is perfectly curled, her makeup flawless. She looks like the picture-perfect bridesmaid.
She also looks furious.
"I'm leaving," I say, and hearing the words out loud makes them real. Final.
"You can't leave. The wedding is about to start."
"I know."
"Jessica." Melissa steps into the room, and Mom moves to block her path. "You're being ridiculous. It's just nerves. Everyone gets cold feet."
"This isn't cold feet."
"Then what is it?" She crosses her arms, and I see something flicker in her eyes. "You're going to embarrass Callum. You can’t do that to him.”
"I don't care."
"Well, you should. Do you have any idea how much money his parents spent on this wedding? How many people are sitting out there waiting for you?"
"Let them wait."
"You're making a huge mistake," Melissa says, and now she's moving toward me, pushing past Mom.
