He blinks, like he was expecting me to push—to give him ultimatums.
“Okay?”
I just nod. And then I glance up at the sky. “Oh gosh, it’s getting late, isn’t it.”
“Almost two. We should head straight to the winery—and then… The office was closed. What about the license?”
I shake my head, my heart sinking all over again. “I don’t know. Beckett—Luna and Noah… they can’t get married, then,can they? Not legally. I need to call her. How’s Blakey? Where are the boys?”
“They’re at the venue with your mom already, I imagine, along with all the stuff you said to bring. Blakey seems fully recovered, was totally looking forward to riding in the limo.”
Another car ride. I meet Beckett’s eyes. “I hope?—”
“Your mom promised to bring a few barf bags.”
I let out a small laugh. At least the ship has plenty of those handy…
Then our eyes meet, for just a second.
“Come on, Beautiful.” he takes my hand. “I have a cab waiting down the street.”
And I go with him. Because I can’tnotgo with him. Because we’re in this together. For better, or… worse.
We climb into the waiting taxi—windows cranked down, no A/C, just a blast of hot air like a blow dryer to the face. I’m still clutching the phone Beckett brought me, trying to think of any way to avoid the call I know I have to make.
There’s no good excuse. No clever spin. She told me they had it handled, but I’m the big sister. I should have double-checked the details myself.
I stare at the screen, thumb hovering over Luna’s name?—
But it lights up before I can hit it.
Luna.
I answer on the first ring. “Hey.”
“Where are you?” She sounds relieved. “Oh my God, Ash. Are you okay? I’ve been trying to?—”
“I couldn’t get the license.” I just blurt it out. “I’m so sorry, Luna. Today is Saturday. They’re closed! We didn’t plan for this. I didn’t think?—”
“Ash.”
“We don’t have a license, Luna. There is no license!”
‘It’s okay.” She finally gets a word in. “I mean it. Don’t panic.”
“But Luna?—”
“Noah and I.” I hear her let out a heavy sigh. “We got married two weeks ago.”
I blink. “What?”
“In Providence. Just us. I mean, I wanted today to be the real thing, but Noah suggested this back-up plan, you know? Just in case something like this happened. And this is still our wedding day, with everyone. It’s ourheartceremony. But legally, we’re already married.”
For a second, I can’t speak. Did she really just say she already got married?
Without me?
“We didn’t want to upset anyone,” she continues. “And it felt like the responsible thing. Please don’t tell anyone. I really don’t want to ruin this for everyone who came all this way for us.”
