Married In Make Believe (Vows and Veils #2)

Chapter 1

KENDRA

Kendra Moran stared at herself in the mirror, hardly able to believe what she was seeing.

The woman who looked back at her was every bit the gorgeous bride.

Her long white dress, complete with a fitted, scoop-necked top and capped sleeves, as well as a skirt that cascaded to the floor in layers of lace, was elegant with a fairy-tale charm.

Her curly auburn hair was pulled back with a white veil, a few ringlets left loose to frame her heart-shaped face.

Her green eyes were enhanced with expert makeup until they sparkled like emeralds, and her smattering of freckles had been covered with foundation by the makeup artist. (“It’ll look better, dear,” the artist had said).

The ensemble was completed with understated silver earrings and an emerald necklace.

The woman in the mirror was beautiful, but she looked like a stranger.

“You look lovely, honey.” Kendra’s mother, Ruth, placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. “I can’t believe it’s really your wedding day.”

“Neither can I,” Kendra admitted. It had been months of planning and worrying, but it was almost inconceivable that this day had actually arrived. She was getting married. Today.

“It’s almost time,” Ruth continued. “Are you ready?”

“I think so,” Kendra said softly. Ruth gave her an evaluating look, but before she could say anything, Kendra’s bridesmaids rushed over in a cloud of light purple silk to surround her. They’d been at the other end of the room, putting their final touches on their hair and makeup.

“Oh, Kendra,” her maid of honor and best friend since childhood, Annalise, said. “I think I’m going to cry.” She fanned her face with one palm, her big brown eyes shining.

“Don’t do that. Then I’ll cry!” her second bridesmaid and another childhood friend, Jenny, said.

“Not me. I’m very stoic,” Kendra’s third bridesmaid, and the last of their childhood circle, Eva, put in. Kendra smiled at all of them.

“Thank you all so much for being here.”

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Annalise exclaimed. “Now, come on. We poured glasses of champagne to toast your wedding day.”

They took her hands and led her over to a white sofa in the corner of the room.

As well as the champagne flutes, a plate of strawberries and a few other small, not-too-messy snacks waited for them.

Kendra’s mother sat on the chair across from them, her brow pinched with worry, even when Annalise pressed a champagne flute into her hands.

“To Kendra,” Jenny said, raising her glass. “The first of us to get married.”

At twenty-seven, Kendra wasn’t exactly marrying young.

Still, she was definitely at a different place in life from her friends, who enjoyed the dating scene and had no intention of settling down.

Kendra had tried dating but had never enjoyed it much.

The guys she met always seemed smarmy or cold, not at all like the fairy-tale princes she’d dreamed about as a child.

In fact, Kendra had never had a long-term relationship.

Even Aaron Louis, her fiancé, had never really been her boyfriend.

“To Kendra,” Annalise said. “Who has attended at least three hundred weddings and is finally having her own!”

Kendra smiled at that. As a wedding photographer, her whole career revolved around taking pictures of people’s special days — although three hundred weddings was an overstatement.

“To Kendra,” Eva added. “About to be locked down for life.”

Everyone groaned at that. Eva was the least romantic of the bunch and had been vocal about her concerns regarding this wedding.

Even Kendra, the most romantic of them all, still felt her heart twist at her friend’s words.

She really was about to be locked down for life — with a man she’d barely spent any time with.

Her breathing came a little too quickly, and she sipped her champagne in an attempt to calm down.

It’s going to be fine, she told herself sternly.

Sure, this wasn’t exactly how she’d imagined getting married — as a child, she’d dreamed of a breathtaking love story culminating in a wedding like this — but love would come with time.

Her parents had had an arranged marriage, just like this one, and they were the strongest and most loving couple she knew. Love would come to her, too. In time.

“So, Kendra, how do you feel?” Annalise asked. “Excited? Nervous?”

“Any cold feet?” Eva asked. “Because I wouldn’t blame you.”

“Hush,” Annalise said, flicking her black hair over one shoulder. “I’m sure she’s excited.”

“I feel…” Kendra didn’t want to tell her friends how she really felt — panicky. “I’m a little worried that something’s going to go wrong,” she admitted instead.

“No way,” Jenny said, shaking her head so that her blond curls bounced.

“You’ve been planning every detail of this wedding for the last three months.

You know all the caterers by name. You know the placement of every single chair.

You even made sure we all had bridesmaids’ dresses we like.

” She gestured at her light purple gown, which was fitted on her, loose on Annalise, and sleeveless on Eva.

Kendra had picked the fabric but left the styles up to them. “The wedding is going to be perfect.”

“And after a fairy-tale wedding comes a fairy-tale honeymoon,” Annalise added. Her dark brown eyes sparkled. “You must be excited about the resort in Cabo.”

“Definitely,” Kendra said as confidently as she could. She took another sip of champagne. “It’ll be good for me and Aaron to have some fun together.”

“I still think it’s weird that you’ve only met a few times,” Eva said. Annalise punched her lightly on the shoulder and shook her head, but Eva just shrugged. “I have to say it, Kendra. It seems strange.”

It was strange, but Aaron was nice enough.

He was an investment banker from a prominent family like the Morans.

In their few meetings, they’d talked about a shared love of travel, how they were both close with their families, and how they dreamed of settling down with kids in a beautiful house in the countryside.

They were a perfect match — on paper, at least.

And Aaron was handsome enough, too, with his sandy-blond hair and blue eyes. Sure, he didn’t make her heart flutter, but that would come in time.

Kendra’s mother, Ruth, who’d stayed quiet until now, looked between Kendra and her friends. Then she cleared her throat and stood.

“All right, ladies. I think it’s time for me to have a quick pre-wedding word with my daughter.”

Annalise, Jenny, and Eva filed out, blowing kisses to Kendra and taking their champagne with them. They all looked lovely in their dresses with matching hairstyles and matching big smiles. At least that part of her dream wedding — being surrounded by happy friends and family — was coming true.

A little nervously, Kendra glanced at her mother, who got up and came to sit beside her on the sofa.

“How are you doing, honey?” Ruth asked. Her green eyes, mirrors of Kendra’s own, smiled kindly at her.

“I’m okay,” Kendra said, folding and unfolding her hands in her lap. Even with her mother, she didn’t want to admit how nervous she was about the upcoming ceremony.

“Everything’s going to go great,” Ruth reassured her. “Your wedding is an absolute fairy tale, and we’ve worked on every last detail.”

Kendra smiled. “I just hope the cake tastes as good as it did at that little bakery.”

“It definitely will.” Ruth squeezed Kendra’s hands, stopping her from her nervous fiddling. “But I know the cake isn’t what you’re really worried about.”

“Is it that obvious?” Kendra blushed, looking down.

“No, honey, only to me. Both because you’re my daughter, and because I stood in your exact shoes thirty years ago.

I was so nervous about marrying your father.

We’d only met a few times, after all, just like you and Aaron.

But when I stepped out onto that aisle, your grandfather by my side, and saw Thomas waiting for me at the altar, I somehow knew that everything was going to be okay.

The wedding was beautiful. And on our honeymoon, we finally got the chance to get to know each other better and, over time, we fell very much in love.

I’m certain the same thing will happen for you, honey. ”

“Thanks, Mom,” Kendra said. She met her mother’s eyes. “It feels like a lot. I’ve been dreaming of this day since I was a little girl, but I feel like Aaron isn’t quite the prince charming I imagined.”

Ruth chuckled. “In fairy tales and rom-coms, love comes at first sight with a parade of butterflies and fireworks. But in real life, love takes time to grow. I’m sure Aaron will feel like your prince charming soon enough.”

“I hope so,” Kendra agreed.

“And it’ll really help our family to be linked with the Louis family,” Ruth added.

Kendra looked away, her stomach sinking at the reminder of why she was really going through with a wedding to a man she barely knew.

“They’re a wonderful family. We’ve known them for years, and now that our families will become one, it'll be so much easier to work with them. You’ve come this far, honey. There are only a few more steps left.”

The Morans were a very influential family in southern California, as were the Louis family.

For many years, they’d been rivals, but this marriage was a way to bring them together.

Kendra knew that. It was the main reason she’d agreed to an arranged marriage, despite years of daydreaming about falling in love.

Love comes in all kinds of ways, she reminded herself. It’ll happen for me and Aaron, too.

“I know,” she said to her mother. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“It won’t just be fine.” Ruth squeezed her hand. “It’ll be wonderful. And I promise, by the time you come back from your honeymoon in two weeks, all your nerves will be gone.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Now, let me call your friends back in, and we can have a final toast to my single daughter before she gets married.”

Kendra managed a smile as Ruth got up to call her bridesmaids back, but her nerves were somehow stronger after her conversation with her mother.

It was like she was about to go on a honeymoon with a stranger, for all that she really knew about Aaron.

Somewhere else in the gorgeous beachside villa they’d chosen as a wedding venue, he was probably having similar fears.

Taking a deep breath, Kendra stood, arranged her skirts, and walked to the window.

The view outside was gorgeous. The ocean sparkled beneath the bright blue September sky.

Far below, she could make out the wedding party.

Guests were already finding their seats.

The aisle was lined with candles, and the archway over the altar was decorated with flowers.

In a few minutes, Kendra would step out onto the aisle, escorted by her father.

It would be the fairy-tale wedding she’d always dreamed of.

“Kendra!” Annalise’s hand landed on her shoulder, and Kendra turned. “So, the event coordinator just told me it’s time for us to head downstairs and get ready for the procession.”

Kendra’s heart skipped a beat, and her stomach clenched with nerves. She forced herself to take a deep, calming breath. This was really happening. She could do this.

“Okay.” She turned to her best friend, managing a small smile. “I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?” Annalise’s brown eyes crinkled. “You look a little pale.”

“That’s just the makeup.” Kendra widened her smile. “I am ready. Let’s get me married.”

Arm-in-arm with Annalise, who helped manage her dress, she smiled at each of her bridesmaids in turn, then at her mother. Ruth gave her an encouraging nod, and Kendra took another deep breath. Then she left the bridal suite, heading downstairs and toward her future.

This wedding was going to be perfect. It had to be.