“What amIthinking? I’m thinking both my fiancé and my sister are missing and based on that fact and the fact that all their shit is also missing, it looks like they ran off together, so yeah, I’m calling off the wedding.”
“What? That’s not possible. Stephanie wouldn’t do something like that, Lizzie. She must be around here somewhere. Zander, why are you holding that toddler? Come help me find Stephanie.”
Alex doesn’t budge. “I’m hanging out with my buddy Henry. And Stephanie isn’t here, Tiffany. Why don’t you try calling her?”
I leave Alex to deal with Tiffany for a minute. He’s a big boy and can handle her. I take Bean by the hand and lead her away from the group again. “So, what are you going to wear for this epic dance party?”
“I’m trying to remember what all I brought, but Min, I can’t go back and stay in that room. I don’t want to even walk back in there.”
“And you don’t have to. Do you want me to get you a new room? Or you can stay in my room. Or I can get a room for both of us.”
“Oh, don’t do that last one.” She shakes her head and points a finger at me. “You’re staying right where you stayed last night. And your room would be fine. But I need out of this dress NOW.”
“Go to the dressing room, I’ll be right behind you.” She takes off down the hall, and I head for Alex. My mom is walking away with Henry, and Tiffany’s still yammering on at him.
“Babe, where’s the key to my old room?” I ask him, not giving a shit who hears me or that I’m interrupting Tiffany’s tirade.
He immediately turns his full attention to me. “It’s on the table in our room. What’s the plan?”
“Move all of Bean’s stuff from her suite there. I’m going to help her out of the dress first.”
“I’ll grab the key and meet you back down here outside the dressing room.” He must not give a shit about keeping our relationship under wraps anymore, either, because he drops a quick kiss on my lips before walking away. Tiffany stares after Alex, her jaw on the floor, and I escape while she’s distracted. I don’t have time for her bullshit.
I weave through the people milling around and run for the dressing room. “Are we trying to preserve this thing, or am I ripping you out like Meredith did Christina?” I ask as I slam the door behind me.
“You’re my person, so get me the fuck out of it.” Bean turns and I start ripping at the buttons, and in a couple of minutes, we have the damn thing in a pile on the floor. Bean kicks it to the corner. “God, I don’t even want to be wearing this lingerie.” She tears it off and drags on the clothes she started the day in.
I open the door when I hear a knock and find Alexstanding there with his dad, my dad, my brothers Grant and Leon, Bean’s brother Travis, and Dax.
“I brought reinforcements so we can do it all in one trip.”
“Smart man. Give us just a minute.” Closing the door, I turn to Bean. “Okay, do you want me to stash the dress somewhere so you can decide what to do with it later?”
“Um…okay, the dress, robes, lingerie, all that I would like to keep somewhere far, far away from me for the moment. I don’t know what we’re doing with it yet.” She tosses everything she wants to burn, run over, or throw in a river later on top of the dress. “And there’s a bag in the bedside table that I would hate for anyone other than you to find.”
“Got it. Let’s get you to your new room.” Hand in hand, we leave the dressing room. The guys don’t say anything. They just follow us like a wall of defense against anyone who might want to talk to the jilted bride. Even in the elevator, they’re a silent support system, and I’m thankful we have such a wonderful found family that we’ve created out of our real families and friends.
Bean’s grandpa sits with her while the rest of us clear out her room, then I kick the guys out and help Bean pick a new dress to wear for the night.
“Min, as amazing as you look, can you please change out of the bridesmaid dress? And tell the other girls to, too? I can’t deal with seeing them all night long. The tuxedos are fine, and Raelynn’s just a kid, so if she wants to wear the flower girl dress, it’s okay.”
“On it. I’m going to go upstairs to change and text the girls. Do you want me to have someone come back and hang out with you?”
“No, I need a minute alone. Just come back for me before you go to our epic dance party. You and Dad, okay?”
“You got it, Bean.”
She hugs me and I’ll die before I’m the first one to let go today. I don’t know how long we stay like that before she releases me.
As soon as I’m out the door, I text the other bridesmaids and tell them to change into anything else.
Katie’s waiting for me at the elevator and gets in with me. “I’m not going to bother asking how she is. What can I do?”
“There’s a pile of wedding stuff in the dressing room that she wants to deal with at a later date. Could you grab it, throw it in a bag, and shove it in your closet for now?”
“Of course. I’ll look around for anything else that might need to be out of sight for the time being, too.”
“I really have missed you.” I wrap my arms around her.
