Page 28 of Holding Penalty

Her brow climbs higher. She mentions a picturesque chapel I’ve heard of in Hays County, a short drive out of the city.

“If you see my truck in the parking lot, don’t panic. I’ll just be waiting in case you decide at the last minute you need a getaway driver.”

A tiny smile ghosts across her lips, and my heart bounces.

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Got nothing better to do.”

I more than halfway expect her to outright tell me not to come—tell me she doesn’t want me there.

She doesn’t, though.

She rolls her eyes, like I’m being ridiculous, and I probably am, but she doesn’t actually tell me to stay away.

Looks like, for the first time in a long time, I have weekend plans that don’t involve hockey.

12

PIPER

On the day of my wedding, when I close my eyes, shouldn’t I see the face of my soon-to-be husband? Shouldn’t thoughts of our honeymoon dance in my head? Shouldn’t I be overflowing with everything I’m looking forward to: sharing our future, a family, our own home, waking up next to him every morning?

Shouldn’t my sister and I be smiling uncontrollably every time our eyes meet in the mirror as she helps me with some last-minute touch-ups to my hair?

Instead, every time my gaze catches with my sister’s in the glass in front of me, I look away. Because I know those eyes know me too well to be fooled by the smile I’ve been straining my lips to maintain all day.

And when I close my eyes, it’s not Crew’s face I can’t get out of my head. It’s the face I caught reflected in the side mirror of an old pick-up truck that sat in the chapel parking lot as I walked in.

“Piper …” The heaviness in my sister’s usually light voice makes my throat tight. She takes a deep breath and sighs. “I have to ask you again. You trust him? You really trust him?”

I told my sister all about Crew’s explanation in our apartment that day. To say Hallie was skeptical would be an understatement. Can I blame her?

I check myself when my first instinct is to answer, I guess I have to. Is that really the reason I’m walking the aisle today—because I have to? Is that the reason I’m getting married?

Yeah, I want that inheritance to buy the bakery. But … that can’t be the only reason I go through with this, can it?

For my whole life, I would have said I’d never get married for any reason other than love.

I love Crew. That’s why I moved in with him. That’s why I said yes when he asked me to marry him. That’s why I believed him. That’s why I’m here.

It occurs to me that there’s only one person my internal monologue could be trying to convince: myself.

It also occurs to me that I’ve waited way too long to answer Hallie’s question.

I nod, looking at my sister in the mirror. “I do.” Liar, a tiny voice hisses at me in my head. I ignore it. Wedding day jitters, that’s all. Everyone gets them.

I watch the reflection of Hallie’s eyes sharpen, watch them searching mine, until her attention is pulled to the vanity counter by her vibrating phone.

“Oh, no, Georgia somehow got gum in her hair, and she’s bawling her eyes out,” Hallie reads. Georgia’s her little cousin on her mother’s side, and she’s going to be our ring bearer. Hallie sighs. “I have to go try to do some damage control. I’ll be right back.”

When Hallie leaves, I’m alone with my thoughts.

Too many thoughts. Way too many. They crowd my brain, bouncing around and bumping into each other so much it feels like there’s pressure against my skull.

Maybe if I see Crew right now, before walking the aisle, my thoughts will settle. I know there’s that silly superstition that we’re not supposed to see each other—and, hey, I’ve always been a girl who’s found silly superstitions fun—but maybe if I can look into the eyes of the man I’m about to marry, it’ll be enough to assure me that I’m making the right decision.

I’m sure that’ll help. I’m not experiencing anything that millions of people who’ve gotten married and gone on to have incredibly happy lives haven’t experienced just an hour before their vows.