Page 13 of Four Times Taken

A voice broke the trance, and she jerked in its direction. I followed her eyes to see the bride coming out of the church. For a split second, I imagined Lily in all white.

"You're here!" The bride grinned and like that, Lily slipped out of my reach. She hurried over to her friend.

Is that her new best friend? The one who took my place when I left? It struck me how much I didn't know about her life anymore. It's been over a decade. I don't know the people who are important to her now or how they met. But I want to know.

As much as I'm clueless about her, she's clueless about me, which would explain why she looked past me after a few seconds. She thought she recognized me but couldn't be sure? I mean, there's no reason for her to expect me to show up at her friend's wedding. It doesn't make sense. We shouldn't be here together right now. My whole attendance is a fluke. The only explanation I can find is serendipity.

While I don't know the bride, I'd like to kiss her feet for hiring Ryan and extending an open invitation to him that allows me to be here. Although, I don't think her soon-to-be husband would approve of that. I'd kiss his feet too if that helps. I'm grateful for all the circumstances that have led up to this moment. I have a lot to make up for, and if she allows it, I'll make sure to never let her go again.

My eyes were focused on her every move, afraid that if I looked away, she'd disappear.

"Hey, man. You don't look so good. You feeling okay?" Ethan took hold of my arm as Matt slapped the back of his hand across my forehead.

"Yeah, maybe it's a good idea for you to sit. Come on, let's find our seats." He looked over my shoulder to read the labels on the white-padded folding chairs, before turning back around. "It was nice speaking to you." He smiled at the bride's mom and her friends. "Your husband better keep you close and treat you right, or I might just snoop on in and snatch you up." He put on a Southern accent and winks at her, causing her cheeks to redden. I smiled at them as they walked away.

"Here. Come and sit,"" Ethan called from the back, and Matt took my arm.

"Stop fussing. I'm all right."" I shrugged him off.

"Tell that to the queasy look on your face. The redness in your skin is giving those ladies a run for their money. I'm not making you blush, am I?" Matt teased.

"Yeah, that's it. You look so damn good in a suit, I'm gagging,"" I joked.

"I know, right? I clean up pretty well." He looked down at himself, pulling on his jacket.

"Beats having to look at those scrawny legs in shorts all the time," I said, forced to stop looking at Lily and focus on them.

"You better take that back." He 'squared up.'

"Or what? You're going to stab me with your knee?" I grinned.

He dropped his fists and his eyes. "They're not that bad, are they?" He pulled at the legs of his pants.

"Nah, I'm just kidding." I wrapped my arm around his shoulders. "Did I take it too far?"

"Nah, 'cos I know I could steal your girl without even trying," he said, slapping me in the belly.

"Yeah? I'd love to see you try, you little shit." I groaned at the sting.

"Okay, let's see you manage to get a woman first. Ayo!" He pretended to 'score.'

Chapter 8

Lily

Thank you, Ann-Marie, for saving me from the shitshow that reunion would have been. Turning around to look at her, I'm hit with an onslaught of emotions. Her smile was so wide, her eyes twinkled, and that white dress was a tear jerker. I couldn't hold them back as they poured down my face. She's happy, and I'm happy for her. My biases aside, I couldn't wait to embrace her, and I did as soon as I got close to her.

It would kill me if she were robbed of this light in her eyes. I hoped her soon-to-be husband wouldn't fuck this up. I hadn't even taken the time to learn his name; he hadn't been important to me. But he was now. The moment she took his name, he would be, because she's entrusting her life in his hands.

"You look beautiful." I smiled through the tears, taking care with her long, bouncing, brown curl that fell over the curve of her voluptuous breasts in a beaded strapless bodice.

"Stop. Don't make me cry." She raised her eyes to the clear-blue sky and pristine white cloud fluff. "I don't want to ruin my makeup."

"You deserve this, Ann." I choked up. "To be happy."

"Ah, bitch. Here I go. And I haven't even taken my pictures yet." She sniffled.

Reaching into my clutch, I pulled out a tissue and dabbed at the tears. "I love you so much."

---