Page 91 of Take Me to the Wedding

“Oh, thank God,” I said.

“I really wanted a man with a tidy plan. Maybe because I felt like a mess. I depended on him to organize me.”

A glance over my shoulder showed that her mom was on the way back.

“Ani, what are you saying?” I asked. “You know, you don’t have to?—”

“All morning long, I’ve been trying to figure out what the problem is,” she said in that deadly calm voice. “I had a messy divorce. I left my nursing job at a time when all my friends were making good money and buying things and settling down, and I had to start all over again from scratch. At that time, I needed someone to make my life—me—feel more in control. Tyler did that for me. He’s organized and he always has a plan. There’s only one problem.”

“What’s that, honey?” Mia stroked her arm.

She gave a sad shrug. “Tyler’s version of our life isn’t messy enough.”

“Excuse me?” This from Mia, who looked like she was struggling to follow.

“His view of our life. It’s so… tidy and neat. Life isn’t neat. It’s messy.”

“You can say that again,” I said. “Really messy.” Didn’t I know it.

“I mean, I want chaos,” Ani continued. “I want kids and puppies and all the happy commotion that comes with having a family. I don’t want to be removed from chaos. Iwantto be in the thick of it.”

I nodded. “Those are all good things.” I thought I understood. She didn’t want to be an observer in her own life. She didn’t want to be removed from the good stuff. That appeared to be exactly what I’d done to myself, sheltering myself from relationships, protecting Wynn from my messes.

“Honey, it’s almost time to put on your dress,” her mom called. “Are you ready?”

Ani had a vise grip on my hand. “What would you like to do?” I asked. Honestly, all she had to do was say the word and I was ready to call this game. I can be loud too.

“Ready, sweetie?” her mom asked. “The photographer just went into the bedroom to take photos of us helping you into your dress.”

Ani looked at her mom. “I need to speak with Tyler,” she said slowly and calmly.

Oh, thank God. I didn’t have to do the Armageddon call. Ani had done it all by herself.

“Well, we can’t do that now,” her mom said, reminding me of a parent talking to a school-aged child. “Come get dressed, and maybe then…”

“No, Mom,” Ani said.

A hush came over the room. The curling irons paused. The hair spray stopped spraying.

“Now,” Ani said, very much in charge. “I need to speak to Tyler right now.” She got up, ready to hunt him down herself in her little satin pj’s and fuzzy white slippers.

I held her back. “I’ll get him.” Then I lifted my skirt and ran out the door and into the entrance to the grassy knoll, where the perfect rows of chairs were now beginning to fill with people. The groomsmen were lined up before an arbor covered with fragrant roses. Caleb saw me running from the cottage and immediately ran to meet me.

Seeing him dressed in a gray tux, looking so handsome, stole my breath and nearly broke my heart. “What is it?” he asked urgently. “Are you okay?”

Are you okay?Oh, my heart. He was concerned aboutme. “Yes, I… Things aren’t good. Ani needs to speak with Tyler.” I had so much I wanted to say. I got your calls. I want to talk. I’m so, so sorry.

But in medicine you triage, and Ani was my only concern now.

“Have Ani walk out by that hedge.” He pointed right behind the cottage, out of view of the guests. It would be the perfect place for privacy. “I’ll go get Tyler.”

He gave a nod and ran off. I did everything I could to not dissolve into tears. Miraculously, he turned around. “We’ll talk soon,” he said. “Okay?”

I nodded, but I couldn’t read him. His tone offered no reassurances. Maybe I didn’t deserve any. I swallowed and straightened out and walked back into the cottage, but Ani had already come out, still in her pj’s.

“Ani, do you want us to stay nearby?” I asked.

“I want you and Mia here,” she said, her voice a little deadpan. But to her credit, she was holding it all together. “Not far away.”

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