Page 18 of Never the Bride
I hate that she’s countering all my logic with fantastical notions.I sheltered her too much while she was growing up, and now she has a warped view of reality.
“I just feel like you’re making the same mistakes as Mom. You’re repeating her patterns, just in a prettier package.” Selena rolls her eyes then looks away, so I keep going. “I think you’ve fallen in love with the idea of what Landon represents. Stability. Money. A shiny new life. Which, fine, I get it. We didn’t exactly grow up on the right side of town. But those aren’t reasons to rush into a marriage.”
For the first time in our conversation, Selena appears upset. “I cannot believe you’re accusing me of marrying Landon for his money.”
“I’m not accusing you. I don’t even think you realize you’re doing it. Mainly because this all happened so fast. Youunintentionally got swept up in the fairy tale and the fancy lifestyle. It’s not your fault. But I wouldn’t be a good sister if I didn’t help you see that you’re making the same kind of mistakes Mom did, just with better lighting.”
“Honestly, Cami, that really hurts. Landon is nothing like the men Mom married. They were losers with one foot out the door before they even said I do. Landon is a good man. You would know if you took the time to learn about him and get to know him a little.”
“Again, it’s only been three months, so that’s kind of hard to do in that timeframe.”
“So let me summarize… You think we don’t know each other well enough, we’re rushing into this, he’s too old for me, our backgrounds are too different, and that I’m marrying him for his money. Is there anything else?”
Is there anything else?
Yes!
There are a thousand other things. I should just stop, because clearly I’m getting nowhere with her, but the lawyer in me has to make a compelling closing argument.
“Nearly half of first marriages end in divorce, and out of those, almost seventy percent are filed by women. And the average marriage that ends in divorce? Eight years. That’s not even two iPhones from now.”
“Oh, don’t start with the statistics.” Selena’s head falls into her hands.
“People don’t fall apart because they don’t love each other. They fall apart because they fight too much, or someone cheats, or they realize they were never actually compatible. Top reasons for divorce? Lack of commitment, constant arguing, money problems, and yeah…marrying too fast. Sound familiar?”
“Make it stop,” she mutters, still covering her eyes with her hands.
“I’ve had clients break up over who left the cap off the toothpaste. I’ve seen someone end a marriage because the other one refused to stop buying the ESPN sports package on the TV. Love isn’t enough.”
Selena pops her head up, glaring at me. “It isn’t for you, because you don’t even believe in love.”
“I believe in love. I just don’t believe in marriage. Why not justbewith Landon? You guys could stay together for as long as your relationship works and then part ways peacefully when you’ve grown apart. Why do you need to enter into a legally binding arrangement that’s proven time and time again to fail?”
“Marriage doesn’t always fail, Cami.” Her eyes grow softer. “I know we didn’t have a good example of how it works, but Landon does. I want that for myself. I want the happily ever after.”
I ease my tone. “Look, I know I’m the killjoy. I get paid to watch people rip each other apart over who gets the Vitamix. So maybe I’m jaded. But I’ve seen this movie, and it doesn’t end with a happily ever after just because you want it to. It ends with court dates and custody battles.”
She flashes me an innocent smile. “I’m not scared of how it ends, because I know I’ll work hard to make something that lasts. I love Landon, and I know he loves me.”
Naively optimistic. The worst combination.
“I’m not trying to ruin this for you. I just…” I release a heavy breath. “I’ve seen behind the curtain. And I need you to be sure you're not running into something just because it feels good right now.”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Selena reaches across the table, placing her hand on top of mine. “I let you say your speech. I listened, but you’re not changing my mind. I’m marrying Landon with or without your blessing. You can either get onboard and help us plan the wedding, or find a new baby sister. But I want your support. I look up to you. Always have.”
I think I lost my case.
And I never lose.
Hess
Eavesdropping wasn’tpart of the plan.
Landon said Selena and her sister were out back by the bar, so that’s where I came. But then I heard his name in what felt like a heated discussion, so I waited behind the tree to gather more information. I had to. Landon is my best friend. I had to make sure he’s not getting burned. Thankfully, this conversation makes me like his fiancée, Selena, even more.
As for her sister, Cami, I get it. She has concerns—a lot of concerns. This whole thing did happen fast. But more than concerns, she sounds cynical, and with all the talk about clients and getting paid to rip people apart, I wouldn’t be surprised if she were a divorce lawyer. At this point, I don’t know if she’ll get up and walk out of this party or stay and support Selena.
I lean in closer, just to make sure I don’t miss her decision.
