25. Kendra
Kendra
My cabin was turned into wedding central for the girls to get ready.
Lainey, Rem and Sutton’s mom Renee, Sutton, and Jess arrived by ten to start all the preparations.
Since the actual ceremony was happening in Rem’s parents’ backyard, we didn’t want to get ready at their house.
Lainey wanted a more private, calm space away from there before stepping into the chaos.
I went out early to the Sugar Cube and picked up a big spread of preordered pastries, their famous sugar cookies, and coffee.
Then I made a fast stop by the grocery store to get fruit.
Of course it made me think of Eli, even though I tried to shove him from my mind.
He was glitter . . . no amount of cleaning or sweeping could truly make it all disappear.
“Thank you for letting us take over your whole house,” Lainey says, coming up next to me in the kitchen and hugging me tightly.
Looking up at Lainey from under her arm still slung around my shoulder, her being taller by a couple inches, I say, “Anything for my bestie! I am so fucking happy today, I feel like I’m floating in a bubble.”
Cracking up, she says, “Yeah me too, I don’t think much could pop the happy bubble. All I want at the end of the day is to be Lainey LeBlanc.”
“Already are in here.” Renee comes up next to us and taps a gentle finger over her heart. “We claimed you a long time ago, now we are just making it paper official.” She winks at us.
“Mom, please, it’s way too early in the morning to already get me crying.” Lainey squeezes Renee’s hand.
“Hey, at least we haven’t started on makeup yet! This is the perfect time to let a few tears sneak out.” Renee smiles proudly.
Ever since the nightmares that Lainey and Rem survived, Lainey has grown very close to his parents, so close she calls them mom and dad already.
She basically had no relationship left with her father, but she had hoped to form a stronger, healthier one with her own mother when she moved to Fox Grove.
That didn’t happen, especially when her mother still chose to favor her brother, didn’t support Lainey, or show contrition after he tried to kill her . . . twice.
My phone pings on the counter with a text, thankfully pulling me from my sad thoughts of the past. Picking it up, I try and fail to not smile at what was waiting.
Eli: Picture of Wren in baby farm animal pajamas, drinking a bottle.
Eli: Wren wanted to say good morning.
Eli: She says she likes it when you have breakfast with us and thinks you should come over.
All week Eli had been sending me little texts trying to get me to respond.
The only ones I would answer are “from Wren” or about Wren, so of course he has been loading up the text thread with her adorable baby face.
His stupidly handsome face also makes appearances in the photos, and those ones make my stomach flip in dangerous ways and somehow end up saved to my photos in a hidden folder.
Kendra: Sorry, Wren, not today. It’s wedding day and all the girls are over here getting ready.
Eli: She is a girl . . .
Kendra: You cannot use your daughter to crash the getting ready that is going on over here. Why would you want to come over here anyways?
Eli: Maybe I miss you . . .
Kendra: Yeah right.
Kendra: Lots to do. I’m sure it will take you hours to get ready for your date. Bye.
My heart pounds as I tuck my phone away.
Maybe I miss you.
Eli didn’t use Wren as an excuse, which he could have easily done.
He could have tried to lure me in more with her baby sweetness like he had been all week.
But that felt different, and it didn’t seem like a line.
I look out through my kitchen window, across my driveway, his, and into his backyard.
Eli is standing on his deck, frowning down at his phone.
There was no use holding back the tears when we all saw Lainey in her dress.
She was absolutely stunning in the A-line silhouette with a crushed organza skirt, plunging neckline, and chapel-length train.
The illusion neckline and straps were covered in vintage lace that, of course, looked like flowers and dripped down the skirt.
Light beading and sequins gave it just enough sparkle.
It was so romantic, so classy, so Lainey.
“And it has pockets!” Lainey squeaks with excitement, like we could have forgotten her favorite part.
We had all been there when she picked out the dress in the tiny Norfolk bridal boutique, but seeing the full picture today with her hair and makeup done, the veil tucked into the top of her bubble French twist that I perfectly placed—today was the real thing and brought out a whole new wave of emotions for all of us.
“The pockets were on your must-have list.” Sutton laughs, wiping her stray tears.
“Okay, ladies, we need to head out. Matt said that the guys are still at my house and occupied. So, it’s a good time to sneak over to the LeBlancs’ and tuck Lainey away before Rem can see her,” Jess says, checking her phone.
The limo we had for the day was already waiting for us as I locked up and we made our way outside. My beloved cabin was a total mess, but that was a tomorrow problem. I told the girls to just leave it all. Today was about celebrating, not cleaning.
My phone pings in my hand with a text. Stomach dipping, I secretly hope it is another message from my hot, annoying neighbor. I glance at his house, but it is dark. Of course, he would be with all the guys getting ready.
Bennett: Looking forward to tonight.
Ugh. How could I have forgotten he was my plus-one?
Kendra: Me too! It is going to be lots of fun.
Bennett: I will see you at the ceremony, darlin’
Kendra: Yup! Meet you there, very busy day for me, MOH duties and all.
Bennett: That’s fine, as long as I get your dances and to bring you home at the end of the night.
Puke. I leave him on read.
He could have a couple dances only because he is my date and I am fucking polite, but I will dance with whomever I want.
He’s not my boyfriend. He doesn’t get to claim me or all my time.
Honestly, I wish I would have canceled on him, but then I thought again about showing up dateless and I didn’t want to do that.
One more night of the insufferable Bennett Cross, and then I can drop him like a hot potato.
Plus, like I told him, I will be verrrry busy with my maid of honor duties, so I will not be able to spend much time with him . . . at all.