“Something wrong?”
A tiny scream escapes as she practically jumps out of her skin and drops the device. Her hand flies to her heart. A bubble of high-pitched laughter follows. “You scared me.”
“Sorry.” I glance at her phone still on the ground. “Everything okay?”
“Um.” She stares at the device like it might bite her before she bends to pick it up. She joins me at the railing. “Some last-minute things need my attention.”
“Anything I can help with?” Sometimes I swear she’s part fairytale princess like Rogue claimed in the hospital.
She and Danica Garfield created her whole wedding wardrobe together, including her dress. Today’s outfit is a sparkly blue corset; its sweetheart neckline embroidered with snowflakes along with the hem of her floaty mini skirt.
“Uh, no.” A pair of bunny ears adorn her loose chocolate waves like a tiara, and she reaches up to straighten them. They’re a throwback to a time in her relationship with Rogue when she only had the guts to talk to him if she was in costume.
I squint when the sunlight catches on the crushed diamonds surrounding the round sapphire in her engagement ring. “It’s stunning.”
She stares at it. “Would you believe I’m still getting used to it? It’s been months and it still weighs a ton.”
“You should do sets like the boys do in the gym. Build those ring finger muscles.”
“Yeah.” She titters.
We fall silent, watching Jett wrangle the goat.
Relaxing, she leans on the railing and sighs. “It’s serene out here. Tell your brothers again how much we appreciate them letting us have our wedding here. After the last time...”
That’s all it takes for her to tense up again. She starts to twist the gold band around and around.
The last time these two tried to get married Rogue was arrested for murder and dragged away in handcuffs. A lot has happened since then, but it’s understandable she’s anxious. This time, they deserve to have a perfect day they can look back on with happiness forever.
“We’re miles from anyone,” I say. “No cops, no media. Everything is set up. This wedding is happening. No one can stop it.”
“No one knows where we are.” She pauses to let it sink in. “They can’t stop us if they don’t know where we are.”
“Exactly.”
“So I’m stressing about nothing.” The harrowed look she’s wearing fades.
“It’s normal to have jitters. Everyone does.” Or is that an urban legend passed down from bride to bride?
“Jitters?” She laughs. “This is literally my dream come true. I mean how often do you marry the man you’ve been obsessed with forever?”
“I would not know,” I say, tasting bitterness. It’s not directed at her. It’s not directed at anyone, but it sits in my belly like a heavy weight. “Sorry, that came out sounding jealous. And I’m not. I’m thrilled for you.”
She wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Rebel’s going to ask you one day soon. You know that. He loves you so much.”
“Then why hasn’t he?” I accidently saw the ring he bought before Christmas. I moved some clothes in his closet, and the velvet box was behind them.
I’d pried open the lid before common sense could prevail. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have flipped open that box. Unanswered anticipation is the worst kind of torture.
The ring inside was perfect. Exactly what I’d choose. An emerald cut diamond nestled between two smaller diamonds on a white gold band. Yet he hasn’t asked me, and Christmas was months ago.
But it’s not only that.
“He’s been distant lately. Quiet. He doesn’t look at me the same way he did before I got pregnant. I’m scared I’m not attractive to him anymore. That I’m not who he wants.” I gesture at my belly. “That this is not what he wants.”
“Stop that.” Ivy locks eyes with me. “You know that’s not true. You are everything to him. Family is his mission statement.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I wipe at my wet eyes. Why can’t I shake this feeling that the man I’m living with isn’t the man I fell in love with? If I didn’t know factually the triplets were triplets I’d start to wonder if another Maddox climbed out of the woodwork and body snatched Rebel from under my nose. “These pregnancy hormones are doing a number on me.”
