Delaney stood at the end of the aisle, her hands clenched in front of her. This was it. In rapid-fire time, she’d found herself ditching one groom and, now, she was in Vegas. Preparing to walk toward another groom. Preparing to head down the aisle and marry Nash Quinn. Correction, fake marry him. Because the marriage wasn’t supposed to be real.
So why did it feel so real?
No long, satin dress this time. No veil. No train. No roses that would drop their petals and look like blood as she headed down the aisle. In fact, she had no bouquet at all. She wore jeans and a blue sweater. Sneakers.
As for Nash, he waited at the end of the aisle. Jeans. Battered jacket. Tousled hair. Looking big and bold and sexy. His eyes were on her. Locked hard. Glittering. Waiting.
The music kept playing.
She kept not moving. Way too frozen.
“Ahem.”
Her gaze darted to the right.
Ryan widened his eyes. “Is there a reason we haven’t taken a single step yet? Just, you know, curious.”
We. A reason we…Because he was walking her down the aisle. He was also acting as their witness. Signing the paperwork.
And he was currently shoving daisies into her hands.
Blinking, frowning, Delaney peered down at the daisies. “Where did you get these?” He hadn’t held the daisies moments ago. She was quite sure of that fact.
“Nash arranged for the delivery. They just arrived. Kid came rushing in with them while you were locked in place and relentlessly rethinking all of your life choices.”
The white petals on the daisies looked so soft, while the yellow centers of the flowers were like a burst of happy sunlight.
“Nash ordered them while you were on the plane coming to Vegas. Said you liked them or some shit, so, yeah, you get daisies for the wedding bouquet.” He squinted at her. “You are still not moving. What is it?” His eyes widened. “Dammit, are we missing the list? Do you think it’s some bad mojo? Is that what’s holding you back?”
Ryan had lost her. “What list?” She brought the daisies up to her face. The petals were incredibly soft against her skin. Nash had remembered how much she liked daisies? After all this time? The thought had a pang sliding through her. Her gaze darted back to him.
He waited at the end of the aisle, next to a man in a black suit. The man in the suit had to be the officiant at the Love Heart Chapel. A cute white chapel on the outskirts of Vegas that promised “the wedding of your dreams.”
Since her last wedding had been a straight up nightmare, she was hoping more for the dream version this time.
Nash’s intense stare was on her. She could feel the impact of his penetrating gaze throughout her entire body.
“There’s always a list that goes with a wedding,” Ryan informed her, pulling her attention back to him. “Everyone knows this.” Spoken with complete authority. “I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to have like…something old and new. Borrowed and blue.” He scanned her body. “The sweater is blue. The daisies are new. That’s two of our four.” He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a silk handkerchief. Because while she and Nash might be in jeans, Ryan was in a suit. Looking stylish and handsome. He wrapped the handkerchief around the base of her bouquet. “There. Something borrowed. Three of four done.”
“What is happening right now?” Delaney asked him.
A long suffering sigh. “I’m trying to give you good luck for your marriage. You have to follow the list or I’m pretty sure you’re doomed.”
“Are you superstitious?” Never, ever would she have thought Ryan followed superstitions.
“I’m minorly stitious.”
“What?”
“Not super so, just minorly.” Another sigh. Just as long suffering as the first one. “Let’s simply say I’d rather err on the side of good luck and not bad. Don’t you think you’ve already had enough bad in your life?”
“More than enough, yes.” Her hold tightened on the flowers.
“You still need something old,” he muttered. “Can’t just have three of four.”
Nash began heading toward them. Very determined steps.
The music stopped playing.
