“Oh God,” I mutter. “Do you have to confess right now? We’re pretty busy if you can’t tell?”
“I think I do. Partly because we’ll be in the ceremony in an hour and I can’t lie once it’s started.”
“Why not?”
She shrugs. “Religion, probably.”
“Right…” I give Gemma and Hattie a look waiting for them to intercede but they both stare at Millie with intrigue. “Go on then.”
“When I was fifteen, I did a voodoo love spell on Jax, and I think it went wrong. Maybe it confused your DNA with mine or something like that? And maybe I wasn’t clear enough about which J4S member I wanted to fall in love with me. And now it’s happening toyou. Not me, sadly. I just thought you should know.”
I glance at her reflection behind me, guilt and concern all over her face. “I’m so glad you told me that.”
She smiles and nods. Good. One sister is happy. Now to check on the other two.
And yet, I realise Millie’s confession needs further scrutiny. Because –what the hell?“But just so I understand. How is it relevant, right now, today of all days?”
Gemma snorts. We’ve become a lot closer over the last year. Sometimes she’s even on my side in these moments when Millie is making absolutely no sense whatsoever. Unfortunately, she’s also gotten an eye load of Gus’s security lead – a muscly, fifty-year-old bald man, named Carl, who, as I’ve explained to her several times, is a hardworking professional and she is not to pet him. Basically, her desired trifecta.
“Well, obviously, if I got it wrong and now it’s happening toyouthen you deserve to know. Especially if the spell backfires.”
“I hear you,” I say, nodding, trying to pretend to respect her quirks. I remember her doing the voodoo stuff when she was a teenager. She used to pick random herbs (see also: weeds) from the garden, mix them in a bowl and blast music in her room while chewing on popping candy. I assumed she’d figured out it was all hocus pocus by now, but maybe not. I watch her considering the situation in the mirror.
“So what?” I ask. “Should I break it off with Gus? Just to be safe? You know, in case he doesn’t know the last two years have actually been due to the effects of the voodoo spell you got wrong when you were thirteen?”
“I was fifteen. I’d mastered the skill much better by then.”
Gemma tilts her head. “And yet you think you got it wrong.”
“All I’m saying is—”
“You’re nuts,” Abby interjects, coming up to stand beside Millie. I told them this time around they could wear whatever they felt like. I wanted no airs and graces. No perfect wedding. No drama. No expectations.
I wanted a whole party of happy people being unashamedly themselves.
And they do look like themselves. Relaxed and comfortable in their own style.
Millie is pouting behind us. “None of you are taking this seriously.”
“No, I am!” I say. “Get Gus on the phone, I’ll let him know it’s over.”
“You’re being facetious.”
“Millie, careful with those big words, you might hurt somebody,” Gemma quips.
“Whatever. I’m just trying to make sense of this whole situation. It doesn’t feel that long ago that you were trying to marry another man.”
“Thanks for bringing that up today,” I say. “I was worried nobody would.”
“Millie!” Abby scolds.
But she continues. “Then suddenly you were dating the famous popstar. You buggered off all summer and winter, travelling almost every weekend, to go somewhere fancy with him and now you’re doing this whirlwind wedding. I’m sorry if you two are just totally chill with it, but I’m freaking out a little.”
I make a face. “Why areyoufreaking out, Millie?”
“There are celebrities downstairs. They’reeverywhere.”
“Yes, they’re Gus’s friends.”
