chapter one
When the firstthing I remember is face-planting onto the floor of my bedroom, I know my day isn’t going to go well.
Muttering curses under my breath, I crawl to my light and flip it on. The thing that tripped me is the box of invitations to my wedding that I didn’t need. My future mother-in-law had ordered way too many, and they’re now collecting dust with all the other wedding stuff near the doorway.
I try not to glare at the pile of things I don’t know what to do with. This wedding has taken over every aspect of my life, including my house, and it makes me feel like I’m losing my mind.
“Two days,” I tell myself. “Two days and it’s over.”
By then, the engagement ring on my finger will be adorned with a wedding band, and I will be Mrs. Rob Norton. Then we set off on our honeymoon and into our happily ever after.
The wedding stress has gotten to me, and I haven’t seen my fiancé, Rob, in a week. Back when this was funny, I joked that he seemed to take the superstition of not seeing the bride before the weddingveryseriously.
It’s no longer amusing to me now.
I know he’s cramming in work before the wedding, so I try totake it in stride. But a wedding is stressful, and trying to plan a massive event with Andrea Norton as a mother-in-law is like having every one of my pubes plucked out one by one.
It’s a terrible analogy my best friend Nate came up with. I hate that it’s accurate.
After Rob’s bachelor party tonight, he’s promised to be more present. That should help, or at the very least, pull me back from the brink of insanity.
After putting the invitations back into the pile of wedding stuff, I haul myself off the ground and go to my kitchen in search of caffeine and breakfast. I start the coffee first and then grab the overnight oats from the fridge before I open my phone.
Nate sent me multiple videos late in the night. For nine months out of the year, he follows a normal sleep schedule so he can get to his job as a high school gym teacher on time. But during the summer months, he slacks off, often staying up into the early hours of the morning. I have a feeling he just went to bed only a few hours ago.
I laugh as I watch all the things he curated for me while I eat, and by the time I’m heading to get dressed for work, I’m feeling better.
I purposefully don’t look at the pile of crap in the corner of my room as I pull out slacks, a button-up shirt, and a sweater vest for the day. After my clothes are on, I go to the bathroom to pull up my hair into its usual bun, but one long, dark strand falls out of the bottom. With a huff, I redo it, making sure it’s perfect.
When I’m done, I face the put-together woman in the mirror. I may not feel like her on the inside, but I can pretend to be her until it’s true. Most days, it’s easy. Lately, I’ve felt more and more out of sorts as my wedding marches closer.
Before I leave for work, I tidy up the best I can so I don’t come home and feel the same misery. There’s one magazine on the dining room table, left out on purpose. I want to put it away, but I haven’t so I can think about what Rob asked me to.
It’s a list of amenities and floor plans at his apartment complex. He gave it to me when we were talking about who would move in with whom. I always thought the plan was to move here. He disagreed.
My house isn’t much. It’s a tiny two bedroom in an older neighborhood, but it’s mine. After my grandma passed away, Mom took her inheritance and helped me with the down payment. I’ve worked hard to make every payment. Considering how expensive other homes are, I’m lucky.
And I’m so reluctant to give it up.
But Rob’s made it clear he doesn’t want to move in. He says it’s not in a good part of town, despite there being hardly any crime here. This isn’t the fancy part of Nashville people move to, it’s the older part where the charm of the original city is barely hanging on.
My time is running out. I need to make a decision, and with how most things go with Rob, I’ll end up giving in. I just don’t want to this time.
But it’s time for me to go to work, so I can’t consider it anymore. With a sigh, I flip the magazine over, promising myself I’ll talk to Quinn—my other friend and Rob’s sister—about it when she comes over tonight.
Rob will be at his bachelor party all night, so I know I’ll have time to talk it out.
After locking the front door, I head to work. I say hi to Sally and the other employees I’m close with before sitting to start my work for the day as a receptionist. I can’t say I love what I do, but my boss pays me more than enough and I love the people I work with. That’s what matters.
Besides, the busywork has been helpful. It leaves brain space for me to plan and survive my wedding.
I’m able to focus up until lunchtime when my stomach pulls me out of my work. I look around the office, wondering if my boss, Levi, happened to order anything for everyone. When I don’t seeanyone crowding the break room, I know I’m on my own. I didn’t bring anything and I hate trying to go out anywhere by myself. It feels sad to sit and eat alone.
It’s then that I notice a text on my phone.
Nate
Burgers?
