Chapter 3
KENDRA
“Are you ready, honey?”
Kendra’s dad, Thomas, smiled down at her.
They were standing just inside the villa’s doors at the beginning of the aisle, along with Kendra’s bridesmaids and Aaron’s groomsmen.
The young flower girl and ring bearer, the six-year-old twin children of one of Kendra’s cousins, poked each other, giggling.
Kendra took a deep breath and nodded. “I think so.”
The processional music would start any minute.
Kendra had chosen a beautiful classical piece for her wedding party to walk out to, followed by the traditional wedding march for her.
She couldn’t see the wedding guests or the venue from here, but she could hear the sound of light chatter and laughter.
People sounded like they were having a good time.
“I’m so proud of you,” Thomas continued. “Your mother is, too. You’ve grown into such a wonderful young lady, and I’m sure you’ll find happiness with Aaron.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Kendra managed a smile. Although her father’s words were kind, they were another reminder that this marriage mattered as much to her parents as it did to her.
More, even. Securing the family’s future was important, and this wedding was the best way to do it.
A few nerves were nothing compared to the Moran family’s legacy.
“Is it time yet?” the flower girl whined. “I’ve been waiting forever.”
Her mother, Kendra’s cousin, blushed and quieted the girl as the rest of the wedding party exchanged smiles.
Kendra glanced at the large grandfather clock that rested against the wall of the atrium where they were waiting, and her brow furrowed.
They had been waiting a while. The procession was supposed to start at 11:00 a.m., and it was now 11:07 a.m.
“Annalise.” Kendra beckoned her friend over. “Could you go out and make sure everything is all right?”
“Of course.” Annalise smiled at the groomsman she’d been linking arms with and slipped out through the double doors. A few minutes later, she returned, her smile fixed.
“So, here’s the thing,” she said. “Apparently, Aaron is running late.”
Aaron’s groomsmen exchanged glances, their eyes wide, and Kendra turned to them.
“Maybe you guys could go find him?” she suggested, trying to keep her voice calm. Certainly, there were any number of reasons why a guy could have been delayed on the way to the aisle. She just needed to stay calm; they’d find him.
The groomsmen nodded and headed out the door.
The minutes ticked by so slowly that Kendra found herself tapping her foot against the floor and glancing at the clock every few minutes.
She’d expected all manner of issues and planned for them, but she wasn’t prepared for this.
She’d always imagined that the groom could get himself to the altar on time.
The door opened again, and Kendra’s mother appeared. Ruth looked worried, her usually smooth face pinched. Immediately, Kendra’s heart sank to her white stilettos.
“What’s happening?” she asked.
“Honey,” Ruth said, reaching for her arm. “Aaron isn’t here.”
“He’s late,” Kendra said. “I know that. His groomsmen went to find him.”
“No, honey, he isn’t here.”
Kendra shook her head. This couldn’t be happening.
Late was one thing, but actually not here was something completely different.
She brushed past her mother and opened the double doors that led out onto the beachfront area where the wedding was supposed to take place.
Instantly, she realized her mistake. Several hundred people turned in their chairs to face her, most of them hurrying to their feet, perhaps assuming she was about to walk down the aisle.
Everyone’s eyes were trained directly on her.
Her heart racing, her mouth dry, her hands shaking, Kendra scanned the crowd for any sign of Aaron.
But he wasn’t standing at the altar with their officiant.
He wasn’t with his groomsmen, who had gathered at one side and were looking intently at the phone of one of the group.
He wasn’t with his parents, who were sitting in the front row, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
“There’s been a bit of a delay, everyone,” Ruth announced, coming out with Kendra and putting a hand on her shoulder. “Honey, come back inside,” she added in a low voice. “Everyone’s looking at you. We can figure this out.”
But Kendra’s thoughts were racing far too quickly to be calmed by her mother’s words.
Her heart felt like it was going to pound its way out of her chest, and she was worried she would be sick.
The wedding looked perfect — the guests were seated, the awning was decorated with just the right flowers, her dress was beautiful — but the groom wasn’t there. How could he do this?
Kendra looked at her mother, her heart sinking.
Ruth looked almost as panicked as Kendra felt.
And her father had stepped outside, too, his brow furrowed with worry.
What were her parents going to say? They’d spent so much time planning this wedding, at least as much as Kendra had, and now Aaron wasn’t even here.
“Honey,” Ruth said again, her voice kind, “come on. Let’s go back inside.”
Just then, one of Aaron’s groomsmen wound through the crowd. He held out his phone to Kendra, his eyes lowered.
“Aaron sent this to me for you,” he said. Kendra blinked at him for a moment, uncomprehending.
“Why would he send you a message for me?”
“I guess he knew you wouldn’t have your phone.” The groomsman pressed the phone toward her. “Please, read it.”
Conscious of all the eyes still trained on her, Kendra took the phone and stared down at the message that was open on the screen. It took her a moment to process what she was reading, but then her mouth fell open.
Kendra,
I’m sorry, but I can’t do this. This is what our families want, not what I want. We don’t know each other well enough.
Goodbye.
Aaron
The message was cold and clear. More than that, it was the final confirmation Kendra needed that Aaron really wasn’t coming.
He wasn’t just delayed or having cold feet.
He was actually gone. Kendra looked around at all the guests who’d traveled so far to see her get married.
They stared back at her, some of them whispering behind their palms.
Kendra wanted to sink into the sand beneath her feet and disappear forever. Her cheeks were hot with shame, and her hands were shaky.
“Honey,” Ruth said, but Kendra could barely hear her. She gathered her skirts in her hands and made a run for it, almost stumbling over her stilettos. She should have chosen sandals, as she’d originally wanted to.
The guests stared, open-mouthed, as Kendra raced across the beach, circling the villa.
Annalise called out to her, as did Ruth, but Kendra didn’t turn back.
She was too embarrassed and too stressed.
She had no idea where she was going, but she knew she had to get out of there.
She couldn’t face her parents, her friends, or the guests right now.
And she couldn’t face the reality that the man she’d been meant to spend the rest of her life with hadn’t even shown up for their wedding.
As she rounded the building, she caught sight of the car that had been waiting to whisk her and Aaron away on their honeymoon. Kicking off her shoes and lifting her skirts so she wouldn’t trip over the mountains of lace, she ran toward it.
Her friends had strung cans from the rear bumper and written “Just Married!” across the windows.
It had been part of Kendra’s image of a perfect wedding.
She’d taken plenty of photos of happy couples climbing into cars just like this, ready to start the rest of their lives together.
Racing toward the car, alone, barefoot, and near tears wasn’t how she’d pictured this moment playing out for herself.
“Kendra!” someone, perhaps her mother, called, but Kendra didn’t look back. She yanked the car door open and climbed inside, pulling her skirts in afterward. The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror, removing one of his earbuds and pausing the video he’d been watching on his phone.
“Sorry, miss,” he said. “I thought you weren’t coming until later.”
“Just drive,” she said, sinking down in her seat so that she couldn’t see out the window — and so that the guests couldn’t see her. “Please.”
“Shouldn’t we wait for your husband?” the driver asked.
“No.” Kendra turned toward the window. “He isn’t coming.”
The driver hesitated a moment longer before putting the car into gear. As they slowly rolled out, he looked at her in the rearview mirror again. His blue eyes were kind and a little worried.
“Where to, then?” he asked.
“I don’t know yet. Let me think about it a minute.” Kendra forced herself to take a deep breath. “Just drive, please.”
“Okay then.” The driver rolled up the partition between the front and rear seats, much to Kendra’s relief. Then he started the car and pulled out, taking the driveway toward the main road.
Kendra sat up a little straighter and looked out the back window.
Her heart sank as she saw her parents and friends, along with a few of the wedding guests, standing at the edge of the beach near where the car had been parked.
Their expressions ranged from shock to confusion to worry.
None of them looked angry, but that would certainly come later.
Kendra’s heart hammered and she pressed a palm to her chest, hoping to slow its rhythm.
This day, which had been meant to be the happiest of her life, had turned into a complete nightmare.
She’d been left at the altar, and now she was on the run in a large, poofy wedding dress with no shoes, leaving her family and friends gaping behind her.
“What am I doing?” Kendra whispered, burying her face in her hands. “What am I even doing?”
Strangely, she didn’t feel heartbroken about not marrying Aaron. A part of her was even relieved that he hadn’t shown up. It wasn’t as if they’d been in love.
But she was deeply embarrassed and worried about what her family would say.
Her parents would be upset that she’d taken off like this.
Her friends would be just as shocked. And she’d be the talk of all of Los Angeles for at least a few weeks.
Her family was well-known enough that there had even been a few reporters at the wedding, hoping to put together a society piece.
Those reporters were now sitting on a far juicier story than they could have hoped for.
Kendra moaned. She brushed her hair back, a few strands of her elaborate hairdo coming loose, then buried her face in her hands again. There was no way she could show her face at home. There was no way she could show her face anywhere in the city. Everyone would be talking about this.
There was nowhere to hide.
Except… Kendra’s heart began to race again, for a different reason this time.
Except for the honeymoon. Maybe it was the chance she needed to disappear for a little while.
She and Aaron had planned a two-week vacation in an all-inclusive resort near Cabo.
Her bags were already packed for the trip and in the trunk of this car, and the plane would be leaving later that day.
Maybe Kendra could get out of the spotlight for a little while, long enough for this all to blow over.
Long enough for her to come to terms with everything that had happened.
“Excuse me?” she knocked on the partition, and the driver rolled it down.
“Yes, miss?”
“Could you take me to the airport?” she asked.
“Of course. Right away.” He smiled kindly at her, his eyes crinkling before he rolled the partition back up.
Kendra began to slow her breathing as her gaze drifted to the LA landmarks speeding by outside the window.
By the end of the day, she’d be in Mexico, far from all of this.
Then, she would let herself cry. Then, she would make a plan for what to do next.
For now, though, she just felt numb and betrayed as all her plans fell apart around her.