“But that’s just it. It’syourfriends and family,yourwedding day, not mine.”
“Of course it’s yours, you’re the bride! And you promised me that you weren’t getting cold feet.”
“I’m sorry,” Nova said, and she really meant it. She should never have allowed things to get this far. “I love you, Craig, and you’ve been the most amazing support to me over the past few years. And because of that, I really wanted to make you happy. But I’ve been so focused on giving you what you want—moving to Cornwall, planning your family’s version of a dream wedding—that I stopped thinking about whatIactually want.”
“Which is?”
Nova paused. “To be honest, I’m not really sure. My life has been on hold since Dad got sick, so maybe I’d like to travel and see some more of the world. But, whatever I end up doing, I want to be the main character in my own story again, not a side character in yours.”
“This is crazy, Nova. I never asked you to prioritize what I want. I only made all the decisions because you stopped making any.”
“I know I did. After Dad died and everything that happened with Declan, my confidence was destroyed, and I became way too reliant on you. But my dad always said that they don’t write novels about people who sit around waiting for life to happen to them, and he was right. It’s time I took charge of my own life again.”
“Can’t we do that together, as a married couple? I know I’ve been a bit overprotective lately, but I can change. And if you really don’t want to live in Cornwall then we can move somewhere else. We can compromise, Nova; that’s what couples do.”
Nova took Craig’s hand, aware this might be the last time she held it and felt its comforting warmth. “I don’t think we can. I might not know what I want from my life yet, but I know it’s not all of this; andthisis what you want.”
She indicated around her at the congregation, who were allmuttering awkwardly among themselves, clearly wondering what on earth was going on.
Craig opened his mouth and for a moment Nova thought he was going to try and convince her to change her mind. Then he let out a long sigh. “Okay. If this is what you really feel, then you should probably go.”
“Hang on a second!” Pamela’s voice rang out, and Nova looked over to see her not-mother-in-law striding toward them. “You can’t just stand my Craig up in front of everyone, young lady.”
“Mum, not now,” Craig said.
“Yes, now. Do you have any idea how much money your father and I have spent on today? And now Nova thinks she can just ditch you at the altar and swan off like none of it matters. Wepaidfor a wedding to happen, and it should damn well—”
“I said not now!” Craig snapped, and Nova saw Pamela startle at her son’s sharp tone. “I should have stood up to you a long time ago, Mum. If I had then maybe none of this would be happening now.”
Pamela’s mouth flapped open and closed like a fish, but she was clearly too stunned to speak.
Craig turned back to Nova. “You should go. I can handle this.”
She looked at him, the man who’d held her together through the past few years. The man who she’d thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with. “Really?”
“Yes. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be okay.”
Nova raised up onto her toes and placed a light kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Craig.”
And then she let go of his hand and walked down the aisle and out of the church, alone.
Chapter Forty-Two
Nova
As soon as she heard the heavy doors slam behind her, Nova felt the tears start to run down her cheeks. But along with them she felt something else: a lightness in her chest that she’d not felt for months. The wind blew, bringing with it the smell of sea air, and Nova pushed her hair out of her face and began to walk up the path, toward the road. Where she was going now or how she was going to get there, she had no idea. But for the first time since her dad died, that thought didn’t terrify her.
“Hey, Nova! Wait up!”
She looked back round to see the church door opening and her book club members hurrying out, along with an unfamiliar silver-haired man. Nova stopped and waited for them to reach her.
“Are you all right?” Arthur asked, his face strained with concern.
“I am, thank you. And thank you all for what you did in there today.”
“It looks like the police have arrested the criminal,” the silver-haired man said, nodding out of the church gate toward the road, where two police officers were talking to Lauren.
“I’m sorry, who are you?” Nova asked him.
