Page 81 of Take Me to the Wedding

I was always ready to fight for my friend, but I reminded myself that people express themselves differently. Some people who weren’t great in a crowd were much better one-on-one. At least, that’s how I’d managed all this time to give Tyler the benefit of the doubt. That and the fact that Ani loved him.

“My mom thinks that I’m just having typical wedding weekend jitters.” She got up and walked to the bay window. “I mean, look at this. This is my dream wedding—a cozy, quiet, lovely little town, out in nature, with everyone I love. I’m so blessed. And the weather’s going to be perfect! It’s a perfect start for a perfect life!”

She over-smiled. Like, the kind of smile you give when you’re trying hard not to cry.

“I finally got my life straightened out,” Ani said. “Everything’s on the path to perfection! My mom says that I’m the only person who could ruin my own happiness now, and I’d never do that, right?”

That was way too manyperfectsin a row.

Mia and I looked at each other. We both believed Ani’s parents were part of the reason that she couldn’t forgive herself for her youthful mistake. And that sense of shame had made her even more determined to get it right this time.

I walked over to the counter and was about to grab another water when Mia pulled a bottle of champagne out of a bucket and popped it, pouring us all full glasses in some cardboard coffee cups she found. We each sat on either side of Ani on the couch. I checked her pulse. Skyrocketing. “You’re hyperventilating,” I said. “Take some long, deep breaths and drink this.”

“Hey,” came a voice from the doorway. In walked Lilly, late as usual, dressed to perfection in yet another beautiful sundress, this one red, with red-and-white-polka-dotted pumps.

“Oh my God, what’s happening? Ani, are you okay?”

“Ani’s having some reservations,” Mia said calmly, passing the champagne. “Have a seat.”And calm the eff down, was the unspoken message.

“I’m so sorry, honey.” Lilly patted Ani’s knee and took a seat on a chair across from the couch.

“It’s okay,” Ani said, blowing her nose. “Thanks for being here.”

“You and Tyler are perfect together,” Lilly said. “I’m sure you’re just having a big case of pre-wedding nerves.”

Mia ignored that. “When you’re ready, tell us what started all this.”

Ani drained half the glass before she spoke. “I told Tyler that I really wanted us to have a little bit of quiet time before all the commotion. I thought we could take a drive through the pretty countryside, but he said he was tired, so we went down to the hotel bar to have a drink. I asked him to imagine one perfect evening far into the future. And you know what he said?” She started to cry, this time silent tears that ran down her face. “He said dinner, drinks, and a night at an all-inclusive resort.”

I think we all looked at her like,That wasn’t so bad, was it?

“Ani,” Mia said in a firm but gentle tone, “tell us what you wanted him to say.”

“He didn’t say anything like tucking the kids in, letting the dog out one last time, and making love by the fire. And you know why? Tyler hates chaos. He’s made it clear to Marin that he doesn’t want that cute little dog or her son anywhere near the ceremony. And granted, Tater almost caused a serious accident, but he’s just a kid. Besides, the Browns are covering all of Caleb’s uncovered medical expensesandgiving us a huge discount on everything because of what happened.”

We thought she was done, but then she added, “Tyler wants live-in nannies to take our kids off our hands. And he hates yard work!” She began to cry again in earnest.

I was concerned about everything but the last. I mean, wholikedyard work? Although, I got what Ani was saying. She grew up in Oak Bluff, where she, like Caleb, loved the outdoor life. She grew more vegetables on her four-foot balcony than I have in my fridge. And she owned more potted plants than anyone I knew.

“Not everyone wants kids or pets at a wedding,” Mia said judiciously.

“I think an exclusive resort getaway is romantic,” Lilly said. “Tyler’s probably just thinking of the two of you for right now. I mean, you’re going to be newlyweds. Kids will be down the line… right? I mean, you’ve discussed this, obviously.”

“Of course. I’d want four or five, but he said more than two would stress him out. I think he just needs to have an orderly plan in place.”

Mia was telegraphing me dark looks. I knew she was thinking what I was thinking. Thatanynumber of children brought a certain degree of chaos to a marriage even if the ratios of parents’ hands to children was 2:1. And if he couldn’t handle chaos, they were in big trouble.

After everything Ani had just expressed, I worried about more than personality differences between Tyler and her. I worried about Ani being happy. About her settling. About her insecurities over being divorced and how not wanting to make another mistake could have led her to this very frightening moment. It was all adding up to a feeling of doom that I felt deep in the pit of my stomach.

“It’s okay to have doubts,” Mia said firmly. “But you really need to have a talk with Tyler.”

“Yes, Tyler will make all this better,” Lilly said. “I mean, he’s such a sweetheart. I’m sure everything will be fine.” She paused, and I thought—make that hoped—that she was done. But then she added, “Besides, the wedding’s paid for. Too late for doubts now, right?”

Mia and I glared at her. I sat on my hands to stop myself from lunging for her.

“Kidding,” she said in a singsong voice. “Just trying to make light.”

Ani didn’t get the joke. Frankly, none of us did. “I’m just panicking because of my big mistake the first time.” Ani said, not very convincingly. Suddenly she grabbed my arm. “Sam, I just had an idea. Your matchmaker thing—you have to do it at dinner. Tonight. It will reassure me that everything’s going to be fine. Okay?” She white-knuckled me. “Promise you’ll do it.”

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