Page 41 of The Love Chase

What did that mean? Was she hinting that Emma…had feelings for me? Surely, I would have picked up on it at some point if that were true. It was Emma, after all. I knew her better than anyone.

Didn’t I?

What if I’m wrong?

A strange feeling settled into me. In the past such a thought might have made me panic because it meant there was a chance of losing her. But now…now the thought made my chest swell—just a little—and my heart stutter.

What is happening to me?

Maya had to be wrong. Emma had never given me so much as a hint that she felt like that for me. Not once had I ever questioned whether she liked me in that way. Either Emma was a really good actress, Maya was lying, or I was just completely oblivious.

But even if Emma liked me…that didn’t mean I returned those feelings…Right?

Of all people, I would know if I’d developed romantic feelings for my best friend.

Maya and Maggie were wrong. I’d know if I was in love with her.

The sunlight was quickly fading, offering blessed relief from the scorching sun as I walked around to clear my head. I found Emma with Maya and Elsie over by the gazebo. They appeared to be arguing, and it took every ounce of self-control I had to not sneak over there and eavesdrop.

If Emma did like me, what did she really think about marrying me tomorrow?

Was she secretly happy because we were going to be forced together? Was she hopeful that this would make me fall for her? Or was she dreading this because I didn’t feel anything for her? Maybe she felt like I was a giant piece of chocolate pie that she was being shackled to but could never eat.

Okay, maybe I was thinking a little too highly of myself, but still.

Now that Maya had planted the notion in my head, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. My mind was spinning, and I couldn’t make sense of what was real or a lie, and above all, I couldn’t help but wonder…

Was marrying Emma a huge mistake?

Emma

The weather was already far too hot for this early in the morning—this early being almost ten. I wasn’t a morning person, okay?

A limo had arrived at Jameson’s house a couple hours ago, courtesy of Bridget, ready to drive Jameson, Elsie, and me to the Walker Farm for the wedding. Since Maya and Oliver lived on the edge of town, they were picked up first. I had to fight to keep in my laugh when I opened the limo door to find Maya tucked into her husband’s side, half-asleep, still in her pajamas, her blonde hair mussed.

As much as I hated mornings, if there was a morning-hating competition, Maya would win first place every time.

Thanks to the large coffees from The Roasted Bean that Bridget had arranged to be waiting for us at the Walker house, Maya was now looking slightly less zombie-like. Meanwhile, I was teetering on the edge of a knife of anxiety.

If you had told me a year ago that I would be marrying Liam Walker, I would have laughed in your face and then fed you a donut just for making me laugh.

Elsie and Maya had suggested taking a walk around the farm to get my wiggles out, but we only made it as far as the gazebo before we took shelter in the shade. Though we were dressed lightly, the three of us in cutesy silk robes that Bridget thought would make adorable photos, each of us were glistening with sweat. I didn’t know how I’d make it through the ceremony in this heat, in a floor-length gown, standing in the sun. Sweat poured down my spine at the thought of it.

I glanced down at the pristine, white silk robe I was wearing and suddenly had the urge to spill ketchup on it—as a joke of course. Not as any indication of how I felt inside over this fake marriage to my best friend.

Speaking of him, I hadn’t seen Liam at all this morning. I’d expected him to be the first person to greet us when we pulled up to his parents’ house, or to at least hang around in the kitchen eating the plethora of snacks Bridget had also procured until it was time for me to get in my dress.

Part of me was relieved to not have seen him yet because I had a feeling I would have chickened out entirely and run for the hills. It would take everything I had to not tuck tail and run the minute my feet hit the velvet aisle that would end with me becoming Liam’s wife.

His wife.

Only rarely in my dreams had I ever allowed those words to enter my mind, but now they were going to become reality.

It wasn’t real, of course. Liam wasn’t marrying me because he loved me. That truth clanged through me like the strike of a gong, sweeping the breath from my lungs.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, making me flinch. It was a text from Bridget asking where we were.

I sighed and said to Maya and Elsie, “The dungeon master calls.”

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