Chapter 12
Present day
Elena
Elena had spent the last forty-five minutes arguing about flowers.
Specifically, flowers that were apparently supposed to be somewhere between blush pink and champagne but absolutely not peach because, according to Mrs. Thomas—former Mrs. Archibald, peach photographed "aggressively."
Elena was beginning to suspect wealthy people created problems for entertainment.
Including herself.
"No, no," she said, pointing toward another arrangement displayed near the counter. "That one is too pink."
The florist looked at her. Then at the flowers.
"They are practically the same color."
"They absolutely are not."
Aaron, standing beside her with both hands shoved into his pockets, wisely chose not to get involved.
Outside the shop windows, Lake Tahoe sparkled beneath the afternoon sun while tourists wandered past carrying ice cream and shopping bags.
The florist let out a dramatic sigh.
"What about these?"
Elena examined the bouquet critically.
"Hm."
Aaron groaned.
"Oh God. Not the hm."
"It is not a bad hm," Elena informed him.
"The bad hm and the good hm sound identical."
Elena ignored him and turned back toward the flowers.
The color combination had to be perfect. Ivory garden roses. Soft champagne ranunculus. Pale blush sweet peas.
Mrs. Thomas had ordered that specific floral palette months ago, importing it all the way from Holland.
She had spared absolutely no expense for her only son’s wedding.
But right after breakfast, the dreaded call came: a massive storm had grounded the shipment, and the flowers wouldn’t arrive in time for tomorrow’s ceremony.
When Aaron casually suggested, “So what? We’ll just get other flowers,” Mrs. Thomas completely lost her mind.
To her, it was a terrifying domino effect. If the color palette changed, the drapes wouldn't make sense. If the drapes were replaced, the chairs would stick out like a sore thumb, and then the bridesmaids' dresses would clash entirely.
She only calmed down when Elena stepped in, promising to personally hunt through the local markets to find flowers in the exact same color palette. Elena was on a mission—most importantly, she refused to let a single ounce of this panic reach Ivy.
The closer the wedding got, the more overwhelmed her friend seemed.
Which was understandable considering this wedding had approximately fourteen thousand events spread across four days.
Elena was surprised nobody had collapsed yet.
Thankfully, after calling every florist within driving distance and using Aaron's extremely useful last name several times, they had finally found the flowers.
The exact flowers.
The florist smiled. "We'll have everything delivered to the resort before tonight."
Thank God.
Elena nearly hugged him.
Instead she settled for a very generous tip.
*****
The drive back to the resort was peaceful.
The mountains rolled past outside the windows while sunlight danced across the lake beside the road.
Tall pines stretched toward the sky. The water looked almost unreal, bright blue and crystal clear beneath the afternoon sun.
Honestly, if Elena ever disappeared from society, she would probably do it somewhere like this.
Preferably with excellent room service.
Beside her, Aaron drove quietly.
Which wasn't unusual.
Aaron had always been one of those people who spoke less than everyone else but somehow noticed more.
Still.
Today he seemed quieter than normal.
Probably wedding exhaustion.
Four days of festivities would exhaust anybody.
They were about five minutes from the resort when the car stopped.
Elena looked away from the window.
"What happened?" she asked. "Did the car break down?"
"No."
Aaron leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes briefly.
"I just need a minute."
Immediately Elena sat up straighter.
"Aaron."
He opened his eyes.
"Hey, buddy. Are you okay?"
"Yes."
The answer came too quickly.
Aaron looked down at the steering wheel for a moment.
Then finally said quietly, "Does Ivy seem sad to you?"
Elena blinked.
That was not the question she expected.
Oh.
Oh no.
This wasn't wedding stress.
This was groom stress.
Elena softened instantly.
Was Ivy sad? Nope, Elena knew her friend, she seemed nervous when nobody was looking but not sad.
“She seems overwhelmed but i don't think she is sad.”
Aaron let out a breath but didn't look convinced.
She watched him closely for a moment, tracking the tension in his shoulders. Underneath his usual exterior, Aaron was genuinely nervous. It was a strange, unsettling thing to witness, and it only proved just how high the wedding stakes really were.
"Why would you think that?"
He laughed once, though there wasn't much humor in it.
Then he looked down at his hands.
"I'm rushing her into marriage. What if she isn't happy with me?"
Elena stared at him.
Of all the ridiculous things.
"Aaron."
He glanced up.
"If you are this worried about making her happy before you're even married, I think you're doing just fine."
A reluctant smile finally broke across his face, making him look like himself again.
"Thanks, Elena," he said with an appreciative nod.
She smiled back, glad to see a bit of his nerves melting away.
"Come on." Aaron started the engine.
"Let's get you back before your mother freaks out again."
The car pulled back onto the road.
And for the first time all afternoon, Aaron looked a little less worried.
****
The bonfires crackled across the lawn, casting a warm glow over the lingering crowd. The rehearsal dinner had wrapped up beautifully, leaving everyone in that perfect, lazy sweet spot where it was far too pleasant outside for anyone to actually go to bed.
The night air had a crisp, cool edge to it, but the gathering was less about seeking heat and more about the easy comfort of sitting together. Somewhere across the grass, someone was aggressively strumming a guitar while a few brave souls sang entirely off-key.
Elena slid into the circle, taking a spot near the Harrington brothers, Aaron and Carter. Maya was nearby with a cluster of their old Aurelia classmates, eyeing a plate of leftover pie with equal parts longing and guilt. The entire group was in peak form, trading sharp jabs and easy laughter.
"Alright, real question," Nick said, leaning forward. "Who cries first tomorrow?"
The debate instantly hijacked the next fifteen minutes.
"Ivy," Maya declared, pointing her fork.
"No way," Elena countered. "Ivy will hold it together until the vows, minimum." She glanced across the circle. "Aaron."
"Definitely Aaron," William agreed.
Aaron looked genuinely horrified. "I am literally sitting right here."
Nick pointed an accusing finger. "Exactly. Look at him. He’s already welling up."
"I am not welling up!"
"You spent twenty minutes staring at Ivy during the main course."
"That’s because I’m marrying her tomorrow!" Aaron shot back.
The group immediately erupted into cheers and catcalls. William shook his head, tossing a stray piece of kindling into the fire. "Bro, your defense somehow made it ten times worse."
Laughing, Aaron finally threw his hands up in surrender. He raised his drink to quiet the crowd. "Fine. New question. Which one of us is getting married next?"
The silence that followed was so fast and heavy you could practically hear the cricket sound effects.
Nick suddenly dropped his beer bottle into the grass, prompting Alex to loudly whisper, "The curse has claimed another," which thankfully broke the tension and sent everyone into a fresh fit of laughter.
As Elena smiled, she felt the distinct prickle of someone’s eyes on her. She looked up.
Carter was staring. The moment their eyes locked, he swiftly averted his gaze, taking a sudden, intense interest in the ice in his glass.
Elena let out a quiet breath. Things between them had been remarkably calm since their talk last night.
It was a massive relief to have reached a mutual understanding, and honestly, no one was happier about it than William.
Poor William had spent weeks enduring the crossfire of their passive-aggressive jabs; tonight, he was actually enjoying himself.
It was for the best. She felt genuinely lighter.
Carter’s apology from last night—it had felt sincere—but the quiet spaces between them still held too many unanswered questions. He had completely avoided explaining why he left in the first place. Did he really just want to get away from her that badly, or was there something else?
Ugh, nope. Not doing this tonight.
Setting her drink down, Elena murmured a quick excuse to Maya. She needed to clear her head before she spiraled. Slipping away from the warmth of the fire, she made her way down the sloping path toward the lake, leaving the laughter behind for the quiet company of the dark water.
***
Elena tossed her sandals behind a boulder, the cool sand shifting pleasantly between her toes. Ahead, the lake water shimmered like cracked glass under the moonlight. It really was beautiful.
But she was doing it again. Spiraling. Trying to piece together a puzzle with missing parts, inventing reasons for why Carter had left just so her brain could finally rest. She had been doing this exact mental dance for four years.
Nope. Not tonight.
Her mind deserved some peace. The only person who actually had the answers was Carter, and he clearly had no intention of spilling. Were all men really this infuriatingly tight-lipped?
Elena closed her eyes, letting the crisp breeze sweep through her hair and cool her face. It actually helped. But when she opened them, a silhouette out of the corner of her eye caught her attention—someone was perched on a flat rock further down the shore, shoulders tightly hunched.
"Ivy?"
Ivy startled, looking up sharply before letting out a breathless laugh. "Oh. It's just you. Hey, Elena."
Elena approached, a sympathetic smile tugging at her lips. "Is this the designated spot for the emotional freakouts? Because you're the bride, and you should definitely be getting your beauty sleep right now. What are you doing out here?"
"Ah, just needed a breather. It's so peaceful and pretty, isn't it?" Ivy patted the space next to her on the rock.
"It really is," Elena agreed, climbing up to sit beside her.
"So, why are you roaming the shore alone?" Ivy asked, casting a knowing look. "I saw at least two of Aaron’s cousins trying to flirt with you earlier."
Elena shrugged, looking out at the water. "Just trying to clear my head. Thought a walk would help."
"Carter?"
Elena groaned loudly, burying her face in her hands.
Ivy's voice softened, laced with gentle certainty. "You are still into him, aren't you?"
Hearing it out loud made a knot form in Elena's throat. She had been aggressively denying it to herself ever since he showed up again, but lying to Ivy was useless.
"My divorce isn't even finalized yet," Elena muttered into her palms. "And I'm already..."
"Hey," Ivy interrupted, pulling Elena's hands away from her face. "Kyle is a piece of shit. He cheated on you. He doesn't deserve an ounce of your loyalty or your guilt. Not when he showed you none. The sooner you completely move on from him, the better."
"Yeah, maybe, but God, it feels so pathetic," Elena sighed. "Still liking my ex who literally ghosted me for four years? He comes back, and it's like my feelings never even got the memo that we broke up."
"It's not pathetic. Since when did having feelings become a crime?" Ivy wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into a side-hug. "If he can't get his act together and step up, it's his loss."
Elena hugged her back, leaning into the comfort of her friend's shoulder. But as she pulled away, she noticed the tight line of Ivy's jaw.
"Okay, enough about my mess," Elena said, narrowing her eyes. "Tell me what’s actually bothering you. And don't deny it—I know you too well to believe you're just out here admiring the scenery."
Ivy’s confident facade cracked. She pulled back, looking down at her hands. "It just... it doesn't feel right."
"What doesn't?"
"Everything. This wedding. Being this happy." Ivy gestured vaguely to the air around them.
Elena’s heart sank. "Why, Ivy? What's wrong?"
Ivy picked at a loose thread on her sweater, staring at her lap for a long moment before speaking in a quiet, fragile voice. "Aaron’s dad. Back when he was alive, he came to see me. He told me to stay away from Aaron. Said his only son wasn't going to date the butler and maid's daughter."
Elena gasped. "Does Aaron know that?"
Ivy shook her head quickly. "No. He loved his father, Elena. I'm not going to ruin his memory of him."
"Do you love Aaron, Ivy? Is he worth it?"
"Yes," Ivy said instantly, without a shadow of a doubt.
"We only have one life," Elena said softly, wrapping her hand over Ivy's. "Can you really picture spending the rest of yours apart from him just for the sake of a dead man's pride?"
Ivy’s eyes welled with tears, but she blinked them back, a sudden fierce look taking over her features. "No. Damn it, no."
"There you go."
Elena watched Ivy's shoulders finally drop, realizing with a wave of perspective that everyone was carrying their own heavy weight.
Even the people who looked entirely sorted on the surface—first Aaron admitting his nerves, and now Ivy carrying years of hidden class-guilt.
Weddings were absolute emotional landmines, even without adding the drama of the guests.
Suddenly, Elena felt incredibly small thinking about her own behavior lately.
"I am so sorry," Elena whined, nudging Ivy's shoulder playfully. "My passive-aggressive nonsense with Carter... I've been making so much drama at your wedding."
Ivy burst into a loud, genuine laugh. "Are you kidding? We were all heavily invested in that drama! It was the best thing ever. Honestly, watching you two shoot daggers at each other was the only thing keeping me from freaking out about my own stuff."
"Oh, perfect," Elena laughed, nudging her again. "Glad my romantic crisis could serve as your emotional support entertainment."
"Anytime," Ivy smirked, wiping a rogue tear from her cheek. "Just make sure you save some of that tension for the reception tomorrow."
Their laughter bounced off the water, loud and sharp enough to probably scare off a few birds. It completely cleared the heavy air, leaving them sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in the kind of comfortable, quiet relief only best friends could pull off.