Chapter 11
Friends – people who support you despite thinking your actions are cray-cray
Chloe
I stare at myself in the mirror. I can’t believe I’m wearing a wedding dress. Not one of those lavish gowns with a long train – I would never wear one of those – but a wedding gown nonetheless. Me in a wedding gown?
I wasn’t one of those girls who dreamed of having a fairytale wedding. You have to get married to have a wedding, and I never thought I’d get married. After all, what man will accept a woman who doesn’t want to have children?
“I can understand why you’re marrying Lucas, but I don’t understand why you’re having a big wedding,” Paisley says and brings me out of my reverie.
Sophia scowls. “I don’t understand why she’s marrying Lucas.”
Maya sighs. “I think it’s romantic.”
Sophia rolls her eyes. “Of course, you do.”
Nova crosses her arms over her chest. “What I don’t understand is why this wedding is happening at Hideaway Haven Resort. You couldn’t have this sham marriage somewhere else?”
And miss watching Nova, my sunshiny friend who doesn’t let anything get her down, be grumpy? Not on your life. It’s my wedding. I deserve a little entertainment. And being a front row witness to Nova losing her mind over the owner of the resort is the best entertainment there is.
“You probably won’t even see Hudson.” Except I invited him to the wedding. It’s my day. I can be devious if I want to.
Nova flips her hair over her shoulder. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Hudson has nothing to do with me.”
“Can we stop discussing how much you long for Hudson to notice you and get back to the matter at hand?” Sophia motions to me. “She’s marrying a man she doesn’t love.”
It’s true. I don’t love Lucas. Do I want to strip off all of his clothes and lick every inch of his body? Totally. But love? Nope. I know better than to hop on the love train. It’s rickety and the end destination is at the bottom of a cliff. I vote no.
“She can learn to love him.”
I wag my finger at Maya. “Don’t go thinking I’m the heroine in one of your romance novels. This isn’t the first chapter of a great love affair. This is a means to an end. With the end being Lucas’s ex-wife, Holly, not getting her dirty paws on Natalia.”
“But you’ll be living in his house. He won’t be able to resist you.”
I snort. “Don’t worry. Lucas hasn’t had any trouble resisting me thus far.”
Which hurts. But I get it. His number one priority is his daughter. Natalia’s the luckiest girl in the world to have a dad who will do anything to keep her safe and happy. Sure, she doesn’t have a mom who loves her but she’s better off without her mom. Toxic moms are no fun.
“I understand why you’re marrying him,” Paisley says. “But why the big wedding?”
Because this is my one chance to have a wedding?
“Lucas suggested we have a wedding. He’s worried his ex won’t believe we’re actually married if we get hitched at the courthouse.”
“What does it matter what his ex thinks?” Paisley asks.
“Apparently, Holly is quite the story maker. Lucas thinks she’ll tell the judge we only got married so he can keep custody of Natalia.”
“Spoiler alert. You are.”
I glare at Sophia. “What’s with you? I thought since you and Flynn are now in love – gag – you’d be all for me getting married.”
She clasps my hands. “Getting married to the man you love? Hell yeah. I’d walk over broken glass to be there.”
Paisley clears her throat. “No more walking over broken glass.”
Sophia sticks her tongue out at her. “I didn’t walk on the glass on purpose.”
“You wore flip-flops to shop class. What did you think was going to happen?”
“You remind me of Flynn. He’s obsessed with my footwear.”
“Oh. Does he have a foot fetish? I’ve never been into foot fetishes before but I imagine everything with Flynn is sexy. The man is sex on two legs.” Maya fans her face.
“What would Caleb think of you fanning over another man?” Nova teases.
Caleb is a soldier who went to high school with us. He’s also the man Maya’s been crushing on since ninth grade.
“What does Caleb have to do with it?” Maya’s blush says she wishes Caleb had something to do with it. “He’s my pen pal. He’s also a gazillion miles away.”
“Afghanistan is actually 7,500 miles away. A gazillion miles is not a scientific measurement.”
Maya salutes Paisley. “Aye, aye, captain.”
“Are we done with the conversation detour now?” Sophia asks but doesn’t wait for an answer before she speaks again. “I don’t think Chloe should get married.”
Nova rubs her hands together. “Are we going to sneak her out the back way? Is she a runaway bride? Should I get a horse ready? Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”
“My car is parked in front of the cabin,” Paisley says.
“I’ll pack her stuff.” Maya starts picking up my clothes and throwing them on the bed.
“Stop!” I order, and everyone freezes. “I am marrying Lucas. I’m not standing him up.”
Maya drops her load of toiletries on the dresser. “Darn. I wanted to watch Lucas chase after you. He’s nearly as sexy as Flynn.”
I growl. “Lucas is sexier than Flynn.”
Maya claps. “Yes! I knew you liked him.”
“Of course, I like him. I wouldn’t marry a man I didn’t like.”
“But you should marry a man you love. Not a man you like,” Sophia pouts.
I clasp Sophia’s hands. “I’m happy you’ve found love.” My stomach gurgles with jealousy but I ignore it. I am happy for my best friend. “But I’m not out to find love.”
She frowns. “I don’t know why not.”
“You know exactly why not.”
“Having a bitch for a mother doesn’t mean you don’t deserve love.”
My heart pounds in my chest at the reminder of my mother. Fear tries to creep in but I shove it back. There’s no need to fear my mother anymore.
“This has nothing to do with my mother.”
Sophia snorts. “Liar. Liar. Pants on fire.”
“Good thing I’m not wearing pants.”
“No. You’re wearing a wedding gown to marry a man who doesn’t want you. Who wants to use you. You can’t expect me to be okay with this.” She sniffs and tears well in her eyes.
“Are you pregnant?” Paisley asks Sophia.
Sophia rears back. “What? Why are you asking me?”
“Because you’re usually not emotional.”
“We can’t all be robots the way you are.”
Paisley wrinkles her nose and fiddles with her glasses. “I’m not a robot. Realistic androids don’t exist yet.”
Someone pounds on the door. “Are you ready? The ceremony’s about to begin.”
“Ready!”
I try to walk to the door but Sophia clings to me and refuses to budge.
“Sophia,” I grumble. “Don’t ruin my wedding.”
This is the only one I’m getting. I’m going to enjoy it no matter how fake it is. I’m walking down the aisle to the sexiest man on the island, eating cake, and dancing the night away and no one can stop me.
“Promise me one thing.”
I sigh. “What?”
“Promise me you’ll give this a chance. A real chance.”
A real chance? This isn’t real.
But what if it was? My stomach tingles in anticipation. What if Lucas did love me and want to marry me for me?
I force those fantasies away. Lucas needs me to keep custody of Natalia. This is a business arrangement. Nothing more. Nothing less.
“This marriage isn’t real. There isn’t anything I need to give a chance to.”
“I bet she gets Lucas to fall in love with her. Who’s with me?” Nova asks.
Maya raises her hand. “I vote for love.”
“I would never bet against Chloe,” Paisley says.
Warmth spreads through me. My friends have their doubts about my decision to marry Lucas but they’re standing behind me anyway. They’ll support me no matter what happens. No matter if he breaks my heart.
Breaks my heart? What a strange thought. Lucas can’t break my heart because my heart is not available to him.
The only people my heart has let in are standing in this room with me.
“Please say you’re okay with this,” I plead with Sophia.
She squeezes my hand. “I support you, my wild child. Whatever you do. I’m right there behind you.”
My heart fills with love for my closest friend. If I’m honest, my eyes are feeling a bit itchy as well. I sniff to stop any tears from falling.
“Good. Because we’re doing shots and dancing all night long.” I march toward the door. “Let’s do this.”
Despite myself, I’m excited to see my sexy neighbor all dressed up to marry me.