Page 78 of The Fun Part
My throat catches, and I clear it. “Right.” Why was I thinking there was more between us? I feel like a fool. Dad’s talk put all kinds of crazy ideas in my head.
Sutton wrinkles her nose. “Fake relationship?”
“Long story,” I say, holding Mackenzie’s gaze. She doesn’t blink.
“About to be resolved soon,” Mackenzie says. She turns to Sutton. “When you meet my mom, you’ll understand.”
“No one would believe you were faking it,” Sutton says.
I study Mackenzie. Maybe she wasn’t faking it?
“Good!” Mackenzie says brightly. “We’ve done our job.” She hugs Sutton and gives me a short wave before striding away, pulling her wheeled suitcase behind her.
“Who’s having a vow-renewal ceremony?” Sutton asks me.
“Her parents.”
“Sounds romantic. Good time for you to make your move.”
“Let’s go find your luggage.”
19
The vow-renewal ceremony at Ludbury House looks like a wedding to me. In the two-story foyer of the mansion, friends and family gather to watch Hailey descend the grand staircase toward her husband, Josh. A short veil is perched on her head, paired with a white silk dress that ends at the knees. Flowers everywhere, classical music piped in, even a minister to perform the ceremony.
There’s a few rows of chairs with white satin covers. The rest is standing room only. I stand in the back. Mackenzie and her brothers, Cooper and Finn, are in the front row, along with the grandparents and Rowan.
The minister prompts Hailey to give her vow. She does so without any notes, her eyes shiny with tears, her voice strong. “Josh, I’d marry you all over again. You are my rock. You’ve shown me what love truly is, and I vow to spend the rest of my life loving you through good times and bad, sickness and health. You are truly my warrior beast.”
People laugh, but I can’t manage it over the lump in my throat. I don’t even know what a warrior beast is. The emotion in her voice gets to me.
Josh cups her cheek, wiping a tear with his thumb. She does the same for him. He kisses her cheek.
He exhales sharply. “Hard to top that. I call you warrior princess because you’re fierce. Strong, tough, but also loving and so beautiful. I don’t know how I got so lucky.” His voice breaks.
My eyes water. I catch Mackenzie wiping her eyes.
Josh continues, “I vow to love and protect you for the rest of my life. You are my heart. That’s it. You are my heart.”
Hailey cups his face, and he leans into her hand. The love is so real, so strong I can feel it all the way back here. I can’t breathe. I need air, the room suddenly too hot. The minister goes on with the ceremony.
I escape out the front door, my head spinning. I sit on the porch and put my head between my knees. What is wrong with me? I force myself to take slow, deep breaths.
After a few moments, I straighten, staring out at the church across the street. I’ve been to weddings before, seen vows before. I’ve never heard so much emotion, witnessed so much love. It must be terrifying to love someone like that. How can they bear it? Don’t they know they could lose everything?
Mackenzie
I glance around the ballroom, looking for Cal. The reception is just getting started with cocktails and appetizers. I saw him before the ceremony, and he disappeared. Did he walk out in the middle of the ceremony? Is he coming back? I guess I can make up an excuse that he wasn’t feeling well. As far as my family’s concerned, Cal and I are still a couple. It’s definitely time to end the game. Would it be possible to try this for real?
My breath catches as Cal strides in, heading straight for me, looking intimidatingly serious. “Cal? Is everything okay?”
“No.”
Mom appears by my side. “Wasn’t it a beautiful ceremony? I’m so glad to have it here. Our wedding was in Villroy, and part of me always wished I could have a second wedding here, and now I have.”
“It was beautiful, Mom.”
“Very nice,” Cal says. His voice sounds hoarse.
