Page 74 of Shameless With Him

“I’ll be fine for a little bit. It just started, but I know what labor feels like.”

“What’s wrong?” Lacey asked, coming up between us, her eyes wide, looking gorgeous in her long, white dress with lace and a princess train.

“Nothing,” all three of us said at the same time.

“Oh my God, you’re in labor,” Lacey said, her hands shaking. “Okay. This is fine. Do we need to take you to the hospital? I can drive you right now.”

I blinked at her, then looked at Marni, who looked just as confused.

“Lacey, it’s your wedding. You can’t drive her.” I tried to be patient, but she just glared.

“The hell I can’t. That’s my niece or nephew in there, and if they need me to drive them to the hospital right now, I will. Screw my wedding.”

“My God, hell’s frozen over,” I said, and my mother elbowed me in the side.

Marni smiled, however, looking strong and beautiful. “I’m really okay, Lacey. We’re just going to make it through the ceremony, and then I’m going to head over to the hospital.”

Lacey looked down at my mother’s diamond watch and nodded tightly. “Okay, then. We’re going to make this quick. Come on, let’s go marry the love of my life so we can go get a baby.”

She picked up her dress and started stomping towards the door, and I just couldn’t hold back my laughter any longer.

“Who are you?” I asked.

She looked over her shoulder and winked. “Not a bitch. That’s not who I am anymore. But, seriously, let’s get this thing done. I want my husband, and that baby isn’t going to wait long for us.”

I laughed and followed her and ran smack into Caleb as I walked out the door. “Hey, did you hear?” I said, running my hands down his very sexy suit. He had on a gold pocket square that matched my dress, and I just wanted to fix it for him and keep running my hands down him.

He looked at me then, his eyes serious, a frown on his face. “I did, she okay?”

“She’s going to be fine. But we may have to be a little quick with the vows.” I winked as I said it and tried to search his face for something. But I saw nothing. He was so closed-off. It worried me.

“What’s wrong, Caleb?”

“Nothing. But I just wanted to let you know that I might not be staying that long after the ceremony and first part of the reception when I’m needed. My date Christy and I have plans.”

I froze, blinking. I had clearly heard wrong. “What?”

Ice slid over me, and I felt like I was watching from the outside. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t take it. A date? He had a date?

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Just friends. We’re not romantic or anything. I wouldn’t do that to you. But I figured, you know, since wedding dates and all were a step that we weren’t ready to take, I made sure that I brought a friend. She’s never really been to a wedding before. You know?”

He was rambling, and he didn’t make any sense.

A date. He had brought a date. To my sister’s wedding. The same wedding I was going to have to touch him and hold his arm as we walked up the aisle together towards photos and dinner and everything that came with a wedding.

I couldn’t actually believe what he was saying.

When had things changed? I had let him inside me the day before, holding him as we made love. But, apparently, that had only been on my end. It had been sex for him. A quick fuck in the morning and then a see you later.

I knew that we had said we would just be friends who casually saw each other and saw where things went. But bringing a date to the wedding without even consulting me?

I had no words. Literally no words.

I just looked at him, my eyes dry—thankfully—and shook my head. “I need to go see my sister. You need to go get in position for the wedding.” I knew my voice sounded wooden, but I didn’t really have anything else to say.

He had brought a date, and I loved him.

I loved him, and I felt like I was breaking inside.

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