Chapter One
CHLOE
Idon’t think I can do this. Oh God, why did I think I could do this? I mean, when Duncan got down on one knee, the only thing I could have said was yes. It would’ve been rude to say no.
Smoothing a hand down the front of my white dress—mytoowhite dress—it hits me that I can’t do this. It’s not my style. The mermaid skirt is too tight around my legs. There’s too much lace on the bodice. The rhinestones? The saleswoman and my mother talked me into them.
And why is it so damn itchy?
They said how good the rhinestones would look as I walked down the aisle toward Duncan.
Duncan.
My fiancé.
The man I’m going to marry.
The thought of that has bile rising in my throat.
I can’t. God, I really can’t do this.
Maybe I could talk to Duncan and get a read on him before I walk down the aisle. That’s a perfectly normal thing to do, right?
He wanted to keep the wedding traditional. Not spend the night before together. Not see one another. No first look before the ceremony.
I went along with all of it.
Until now.
Hiking up my dress and kicking off my heels, I dash out of my room. Thank God I kicked everyone out earlier to take a few minutes to myself.
Walking down the beige halls, I follow the signs to the Fletcher Wedding Party. I hear Duncan’s voice as I pad my way down the hall. Other than his voice, it’s quiet.
“Baby, it’s going to be okay.”
Baby? What the hell? Who is he talking to? It stops me in my tracks.
“Look, I told you all of this last night.”
Isthiswhy he didn’t want to spend the night together?
I slink farther along the hall, finding the door that’s cracked open.
“You have to be patient. I promise. Once things settle down after the honeymoon, we can see each other.”
After the honeymoon?
“That’s right. I love you.”
I love you?
Okay, what the fuck is going on?
I’m ready to burst in there and yell at the man I’m supposed to be marrying in less than thirty minutes, but his next comment stops me.
“Do you really think I’d marry someone so boring? I mean, c’mon. Chloe is not the right person for me.”
I can’t hear whoever is on the other line, but me? Boring? I thought Duncan and I had fun together. I mean, sure, I like my Saturday mornings at the farmers’ market, and wine nights with my girls, but does that make me boring?
