Page 94 of How to Ruin Your Ex's Wedding
I take a deep breath to calm my insides. I’ve felt good about this all day, I’m not going to let some last-minute jitters get the best of me. Hunter has made—is making—a huge effort, and I appreciate that more than I can say. The least I can do is respond in kind.
I grab my clutch and make sure everything I will need for the day is inside—compact, blotting tissues, lip gloss, mints—and make a snap decision to leave my phone in the room. Because what could I possibly need it for? Everyone I would ever need to call will be with me.
Angela picks up my bouquet and hers, and Crystal helps with my train. We make our way down the long hall to the elevator. Everything is quiet. I’m not sure why I expected otherwise. The silence is calming.
The attendant is working the elevator again. And, like last night, it works smoothly with no issues at all.
Amazing.
I shake my head, thinking of when Pax and I got stuck in it all those weeks ago. A pang shoots through my heart. If the divorce didn’t cement that Pax and I will never have a future together again, today certainly will. I’m moving on. Marrying someone else. I probably wouldn’t even be thinking about Pax if it weren’t for the whole Matthew Hanhauser debacle.
Would I?
I won’t lie, there are definitely times I wish things had worked out between the two of us.
“What’d you say?” Crystal asks, leaning around my right shoulder from behind, where she’s still holding the train of my dress so it doesn’t drag.
“Who me? Nothing,” I say, craning my head back to see her.
Her brow furrows. “Really? I could have sworn you said something aboutPax.” She whispers his name when she says it, but everything else at a normal volume.
“Nope.” I shake my head. Because, no way did I say that out loud.
“Are you relieved he won’t be here?” she whispers back.
“Why are you whispering?” I ask, since she and Angela know pretty much everything there is to know about me and Pax. As well as me and Hunter.
Crystal jerks her head toward the elevator attendant, who I doubt is paying us any attention. I nod in response anyway and whisper back, “I am glad he won’t be here.” Even though I’m not one hundred percent sure that’s true. “I would have felt self-conscious saying my vows to Hunter in front of him.”
That part is absolutely true.
The elevator (finally) reaches the floor where the ceremony and reception will take place and the attendant opens the gate first and then door, stepping to the side and motioning us through with his arm. “Ladies.” He nods in acknowledgement.
“Here, let me help with the train,” Angela says. She takes half from Crystal and we move as one unit through the elevator door opening, only to hear—
Rip.
I turn suddenly and hear it again.
Rip.
“Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Tabby don’t move! Your dress is stuck on the gate,” Angela cries.
I freeze.
My dress is stuck on the gate.
My dress is stuck on the gate!
Between them, Angela and Crystal get it unstuck quickly, but the damage is extensive. A long, jagged tear runs through the bottom of the dress, cutting through tulle and the delicate gold floral embroidery. We step into the hall, as far away from the elevator as possible.
That elevator is just plain evil!
Tears burn in my eyes. I try to blink them away, then clear my throat. “Set the train down and see if it’s super noticeable.”
They lay it down and Crystal fluffs it. I take a few steps forward and the bottom half of the ripped layer drags behind the rest of the dress.
Crystal bites at her nails. Angela covers her eyes and shakes her head.
