The two women start to protest, but he holds up a hand. “Give us a second.”
We leave the cramped space, and he faces me, gripping my arms. “You okay?”
I nod. Tears are gathering, and since I can’t bear for him to see me cry about this silly thing, I lean forward and press my forehead into his chest.
He freezes but recovers. “You don’t have to do anything. You can tell them off and come back to the reception, or if you don’t want to tell them off, I’ll do it. Just say the word.”
I think he would. He’d do it for me. The thought turns up a corner of my mouth. “Better not.”
He drops his hold and steps back. “Yeah, you’re right. We don’t want to make a scene. But—we could make a run for it.”
I show him my heels.
“I could carry you.”
I give him a look, but I’m smiling now.
He scratches his nose where his sunburn has almost completely faded. “Right. We could create some sort of low-key diversion while the cake is cut. That way, no one sees the problem. Maybe something to do with fireworks, like Black Cats or something.”
I shake my head and lift my palms. “Fresh out of fireworks.”
“Well, that’s pretty much all I’ve got in the way of avoidance.”
His expression screams “you don’t have to avoid this,” but at least he doesn’t say it out loud.
I already know.
I sigh. “We could always arrange for Fran to trip over the cake Morgan-style.”
His mouth drops open before his laugh bursts out. “Yes! I was so hoping you were ready to joke about that.”
“Don’t get excited. For now, only I can joke about it.”
“Noted.”
I shift my feet and let my shoulders sag. “I have to do it, don’t I?”
“You don’t have to.”
“I need to.”
“You don’t need to.”
I meet his gaze. “I want to?”
He doesn’t say anything, but yeah, this is what he expected from me all along. To face the challenge. To get back to the thing I love.
This is a different wedding—a different day. “But I’m not doing it for Fran.”
He makes a face. “Understandable. She’s the worst.”
“She really is.”
“Do you need anything from me?”
“Well, if they ask me to carry a cake out there—”
“I’m on it.”
