Page 44 of Nothing to the Wedding
Restraining the words that wanted to leap from her lips was almost impossible.It wasn’t only her wedding day, it was Jane’s too.Her friend just didn’t know it yet.
She hadn’t drunk that much herself; though her tolerance for it these days was astronomical.Too much practice maybe.Jane was over the limit, definitely teetering.Her friend liked hugs and gushed with love on the best of days, with alcohol in her system, Jane’s need for love grew.
“I am.”
“And Zairn’s incredible, amazing, I can’t believe you…” And there were the tears.“You found it, Roxie.You found it!”
“I did.”Another hug.“You found it too.”
Jane sighed as she ebbed from the embrace.“I love Knox so much and I… I can’t believe he went back to his mom’s tonight.”
It was tough to see her friend disappointed.In other circumstances, she’d worry if Knox chose to disappear on a night like this.Not just worry, she’d be pissed, and she’d tell him too.Imbued with so much alcohol, Jane didn’t notice Roxie’s peace was out of place.She and Knox had proved many times they didn’t mind calling the other out in disagreements.Only, this time, she wasn’t mad and didn’t disagree.Knox was doing the right, though difficult, thing.
What Jane would find out tomorrow, or, rather, later that day, was Knox wasn’t at his mom’s at all.He could’ve gone to his mom’s, but that was just an excuse to keep Jane at bay.
“Cam’s there,” she said, stroking Jane’s hair.“It means a lot to Thena to have her three boys under the same roof.It happens so rarely.”
“Do you think I should go over there?”
“No way!”she teased.“If I’m not getting any, my maid of honor isn’t either.”
Her job right then was to keep Jane corralled and prevent her joining Knox.
Without the alcohol coursing through her system, Jane would never have the gumption to rock up at the Collier mansion in the middle of the night.Maybe they should’ve cut her off earlier, but she’d been having such a great time!And, technically, it was Jane’s last night of freedom too, her bachelorette party.Another bonus because that was not the kind of thing Jane would agree to if it was solely for her.
If Jane went over to the Collier place, she’d call Knox, and then what would happen?He couldn’t refuse to see her without blowing the surprise.If he did see Jane, on this day, in these small hours, it would ruin the whole rest of the day.
Yes, Jane was a hopeless romantic; wedding traditions meant something to her.The bride couldn’t see the groom before the wedding.That was the rule.If they let that happen, even if they could persuade Jane to go through with the ceremony, every time she and Knox hit a bump, she’d blame herself for the superstitious blunder and attribute everything to it.
Nope, wouldn’t happen, not on her watch.
“I don’t want to have sex with him.”Jane sighed.“Oh, I do, I always do, but I just… I love sex.Don’t you love sex.Sex with love.Real sex… It’s not real until… Love is so wonderful, you know?”
“Yes.”Humoring Jane was usually high on the priority list.On their secretly joint wedding day, after all Jane’s effort, turning it up to eleven was the absolute least they could do.“Get some sleep, you’ll see Knox in the morning.”
Jane’s grin beamed.“On your wedding day!”
“Yes, on my wedding day.”
She ushered Jane over to the bed and helped her friend change before tucking the covers around her.The beauty was already snoozing as she went to her phone in the bedside dock to send a quick text.
The moment it went through, she tiptoed out of the room and closed the door without disturbing Jane.
“On your wedding day…” In the living room, Toria was sitting on the couch finishing a glass of wine… or maybe the bottle.“You’re getting married today.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Is she going to kill us for this?”
“What’s the worst that happens?”she asked, going over to lay her hands on the back of the couch facing Toria’s.“If she says no and doesn’t want to do it, she doesn’t have to do it.”
“And if she wants to run out of there…?”
She shrugged.“If she wants the three of us to run away together, I’ll have Dennis on standby.”
“And Zairn…?”
“Will understand.He knows how important my girls are to me.”
