“Let’s head back for the ceremony.” Brek herded them toward the church.
“No.” Sophie stopped midstride. “Like Velma said, if I have to ask if I love Troy, then the question’s already answered.”
Velma’s pulse stopped beating for three solid seconds.
“That’s what Velma said?” Brek’s glare lanced straight through Velma.
“That’s not what I meant. I meant for me. Not for you.” Velma looked to Sophie and hurried to correct herself.
“What you said makes loads of sense. I can’t marry Troy. I’m sorry. I’ll be the one to tell him.” Sophie wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing mascara across her temples. She reached for her shoes, slipped them on, and headed for the church.
Brek turned on Velma. “You told her if she has to ask, then she doesn’t love her fiancé?”
A sinking feeling settled in Velma’s stomach. “Not exactly like that, no.”
“It’s their wedding day. She’s stressed and confused. How could you add to that?”
“She misunderstood—”
He held up a hand. “You’re done.”
His words weren’t harsh. They were spoken calmly, but with such a certainty that Velma’s heart ached. “Brek…”
“I’ve got to figure out how to salvage this.” He shook his head and walked away.
* * *
Brek tookin the remains of the chaos that had ensued after Sophie’s declaration that she wasn’t getting married. He wanted to throttle Velma’s pretty little neck. He wouldn’t, because he was wrapped around her beautiful little finger.
Sophie and Troy sequestered themselves in the pastor’s office to talk. Troy’s perfect exterior cracked when Sophie told him she wasn’t his bride anymore. Brek felt for the guy. Sophie was wrong. Troy did care.
On damage control, Brek sent the guests to the reception to eat hundred-dollar steaks instead of waiting for a wedding that wasn’t gonna happen. Jase dismantled the orchid archway where the vows were supposed to take place, and Brek waited for Sophie and Troy with the parents of both the bride and groom. He arranged for cars to take them wherever they wanted to go once they finished.
“Sophie is taking some time.” Hands in his pockets, Troy moved along the aisle to where the parents waited. “I saw her to one of the cars. Thanks for arranging that.” He nodded to Brek.
Brek rose from the chair and moved to Troy’s side. “Really sorry, man.”
Troy swallowed forcefully. “I didn’t realize she was so unhappy. I’ll go to the reception. Tell everyone the wedding’s off.”
He left with his parents. Brek moved to the altar to touch base with Jase about the teardown before heading to the reception hall himself.
“It wasn’t her fault.” Jase climbed down the ladder to stand with Brek.
“Sophie?”
“Velma.” Jase replied. “I know you’re blaming her for telling it like it is, but you’re wrong.”
Velma hadn’t intended sabotage. Still sucked she had talked to Sophie without him.
“Are you quoting bad rock lyrics to me again?”
“No, sir. That is a Jase Dvornakov original.” Jase taped a box of flowers closed. “Sophie would’ve walked no matter what. Saw it in her eyes when she couldn’t pick the flowers. Your girl’s taking it hard, though. Thinks you blame her for Sophie walking away. You should go ahead and make that right.”
“When did you become my conscience?”
“Fourth grade, when you looked up Catherine Bracken’s skirt on the playground, and I told you not to be a perv.” Jase went back to boxing up another large batch of orchids.
“Like you never looked up Catherine’s skirt,” Brek huffed.
