Page 82 of Rewriting the Story

“That’s really cool, Claire,” Paige smiles at her. “Has Hads shown you some of the pictures she took for our engagement pictures? The first time I saw them, I cried.”

“I saw them on social media.” Claire smirks. “I keep telling Hads to start a side business, but she won’t listen to me or Grant.”

“Maybe if we all bug her, she’ll do it,” Ella says.

“So, Sadie, what do you do?” I ask, trying to get us all involved in the conversation.

“I work for a hospital.” I can feel her smile from behind me.

“That’s putting it lightly,” Paige says. “She’s a registered nurse for the biggest hospital back home.”

“Oh, wow,” I say, forgetting she was on the path I once was in college. “Good for you.”

“Thanks, Amelia. And I hear you live in England, right?”

My throat dries up as soon as she says that. “Mhm.”

“That’s really cool. And you work for National Geographic?”

“Yup.”

“Do you, by chance, know of any good travel spots on the west coast? I’m looking to go somewhere this summer, and I want it to be warm, but I don’t really know where to start.”

I don’t know why I assumed she was going to yell at me on behalf of Paige or something, but her question reminds me not everyone is going to be against me. “I can put a packet together for you after the wedding, if that works?”

“That sounds perfect.”

“I told her to go to that one haunted museum in Vegas, but she wasn't interested,” Paige says.

“Babe, not everyone is ecstatic about terrifying things like you are,” Ella jokes, and the rest of us laugh. “You are the only person I know who willingly watches horror shit by herself just to feel something.”

“She’s been that way since she was a teenager,” Sadie says. “And I amnota horror girl, but she always begged me to watch them with her. The only times I ever agreed were on Halloween. Do you remember that one time we watched that freaky movie and were convinced the thing from the movie was hiding in my closet?”

Paige immediately starts laughing, the memory crawling back into her head.

“That was hilarious,” she says through her grin. “I’ve rewatched that one a few times since, and it’s actually pretty good.”

“You are insane,” Hads says. “I’m with you, Sadie. I am not a horror girl at all.”

“Well, that’s why I love you guys,” Paige says. “You may not like those movies, but you’ve all watched them with me. True friendship is being scared together, and you all put yourselves in front of the screen with me.”

“And we’re all glad we get to be here to celebrate love this weekend,” Ella says. “This is going to be the best wedding ever.”

“It will be,” Paige says, but I can tell by her tone, something is off.

“Your mom will show up,” Hads says to her. “Maybe her phone is just on airplane mode.”

“You’re right,” she says. “It’ll be fine.”

For the rest of the appointment, the six of us girls trade stories and laugh before the rehearsal dinner. Since I’m not in the wedding party, I have another few hours to myself.

I’m either going to go crazy or I’ll actually pick my book up. I hope for the latter as I dive into bed, needing to rest my brain before I see Henry again and decide if it’s worth it to apologize to him or to just leave us where we belong—in the past.

31

“Humans are made for connection. We crave that feeling of being in a crowded room and having someone light up when they see our face. It gives you that single split second of a reminder that someone out there is happy you exist.” —Our Best Kept Secret, Henry Hayes

Afterwritingalmostsixthousand words today while everyone was getting ready for the rehearsal dinner, I feel lighter than I have all week. Paige, Oliver and the rest of the wedding party did a walk through for what tomorrow will look like, but all I’ve done today is write.

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