Page 72 of Faking Summer
"I'm sorry, your itinerary was seventy-eight pages long. Did I miss the approved list of colors?" Caroline shot back. They continued to bicker back and forth until I decided to make my presence known.
I stepped out from the shadows, the dim light catching on my tie as I adjusted it. "I think you look damn good in that dress," I said, making them both turn toward me.
Her sister crossed her arms tightly across her chest, narrowing her eyes on me.
"Shall we?" I offered, extending my hand toward Caroline.
Her fingers slid into mine, and together, we wandered inside the venue. The main room itself was glowing with soft lights and neatly arranged chairs already set up for the wedding tomorrow. Flowers were everywhere—on the floor, on the tables.
"Excited for tomorrow?" I asked, taking it all in—the romantic setup around us, to the most gorgeous girl standing beside me. Iknew that we had planned for tomorrow to be the end of this, and I’d agreed to that, but I was not the same man who made that deal. Not anymore.
"Yes, only one more day you have to put up with me, then things can go back to normal," Caroline replied with a weak smile on her face.
Normal? Being with her lately was the first time I’d felt normal for I don’t know how long. I craved her presence—and it didn't just feel normal; it felt like breathing. I didn’t want any of this to end. I never meant for it to happen, but somewhere along the way, I fell for her. Hard. And now, there was no turning back. Even if this ended with me getting hurt in the process, being wrecked, I’d take the hit. Because having her, even for a little while, was worth it. She was worth it. I’d risk any amount of pain or heartbreak just to be hers, even if she never really ended up being mine.
We reached the altar, standing before the tall glass wall that overlooked the lake. I stood beside her, and we lingered there for a moment, taking in the view. "Is that what you really want? Things to go back to normal?"
Her eyes drifted past me, like she was looking for answers in the glass window's reflection. Outside, the dark lake mirrored the sky—it all blurred together just like my racing thoughts. She barely nodded, and I could almost hear her silent thoughts caught between wanting to be honest and the fear of what would happen if she was.
My hand found its way around her slender waist. "I think you've been enjoying this just as much as I have," I whispered into her ear.
She was still lost in the backdrop of the dark lake. "I have," she admitted. "I was wrong about you. I thought being with you would be worse than a hundred tiny cats mauling me to death."
I chuckled, now having that mental image in my mind. "Why are the cats tiny? Are they kittens?"
Caroline turned to face me, her blue eyes reflecting the moonlight that streamed through the glass walls.
"Reese, I'm serious. Thank you—for everything. For being therewhen I didn’t know how to ask for help. For showing me that there’s more to you than I ever let myself see. And for making me feel like I was enough… even when I wasn’t sure I ever could be."
I reached out, fingers hesitant as they brushed her cheekbone, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'd do anything for you," I said honestly, meaning every word.
Her mouth opened, then closed as the sound of a sweet elderly woman interrupted us, "There they are."
Caroline opened her arms, inviting her Yaya in for a hug. But Yaya bypassed her completely. Her warm arms wrapped around my waist, her fingers playfully grazing the fabric of my shirt. "Oh, Caroline, can I steal your date tomorrow?" she teased, eyes twinkling with mischief as she made Caroline laugh for the first time tonight.
"Alright, I think everyone is here," Sam's voice boomed, cutting through the laughter. "Bridal party, come with me. Everyone else, please have a seat as you watch the show. Hopefully we can knock this out in just a few practices so we get it perfect for tomorrow."
I watched the bridal party take their places, following Sam’s instructions. As they found their places, I relaxed back in my seat. Caroline's Yaya was on the other side of me. Her eyes gleamed playfully as she offered me a wink.
I turned just in time to catch the bridesmaids shuffle down the aisle, all attached to a groomsmen doing their best to stay on pace with the music. But it was her—Caroline—who stole the breath from my chest, who made every other person in the room disappear just because of her presence.
The black dress her sister didn’t approve of clung to her like it was made to show off the curves of her body. She was oblivious to the effect she had on the space around her, to the way the light seemed to bend toward her in the most perfect way.
Yaya's elbow nudged me discreetly. "She is a beauty, isn't she?"
"That she is, Yaya," I agreed as I watched her, flustered because her brother was walking too fast for her to keep up with.
The final run-through came to an end, and the wedding partybegan to disperse as Sam gave final words of encouragement. I lingered in my seat for a moment longer, casually sitting back, waiting for Caroline to finish up.
"Can I speak with you for a moment?" Caroline's mom asked, tapping me on the shoulder.
I turned. Mrs. Matthews was pointing toward an empty corner of the room. I walked with her to the secluded area, my hands resting in my pockets. Not a clue what she’d want with me, but I was all ears.
“I know what’s really going on here,” she said, a tight smile on her face.
"You do?" I asked, suspiciously. How could she possibly know about Caroline and me?
"I do," she said, her voice a blend of disappointment and accusation. "I know this is some sort of pity thing, or maybe even some fun meaningless fling before you move on to your real life in some professional athlete world that the rest of us could never dream of. She’s what to you, really? A temporary distraction until you get to finally leave? Because in the end, she’s not enough for you. Is she? Not good enough for the world you’re destined for, and we all know it.”
