Page 95 of Faking I Do
Zina checked her watch. “Tomorrow’s less than ten hours away. What’s going to happen tomorrow when you wake up and realize you had the chance to tell Bodie how you really feel and missed it?”
“Don’t be silly. I’m not going to mess anything up right now by telling him how I really feel.”
“So you do love him?” Zina jumped, clapping her hands together.
“Love?” I whirled around and gave my friend a teasing grin. “I’ve always loved Bodie. He’s like the extra brother I never wanted.”
“Honey, you can keep telling yourself that if you want, but I know the truth.” Zina pinched my cheeks together. “You want to marry that man and make beautiful babies together. Admit it.”
“I will not.”
“If you don’t tell him, I will.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“You wanna bet?” Zina clamped her hands on her hips. Arguing with her was pointless—I’d learned that the hard way many times over.
“Not tonight. Tonight has to be perfect. Let’s just get through the ceremony and I promise I’ll talk to him about it.”
“Tomorrow?” Zina asked.
I nodded. “Or the day after that.”
“Tomorrow or else I’m telling that man the truth.” Zina held out her hand.
“Fine.” I took Zina’s hand in mine.
“Girl, your hands are like ice cubes. You’re going to give him the chills if you don’t warm up.” Zina rubbed my hands between hers.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.”
“You’re in love with the man you’re about to marry.” Zina blew on our hands then rubbed even faster. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”
I pondered that for a moment. I’d never come right out and admit it to Zina, but my friend was right. I did love Bodie. Loved him with a fierceness that scared the crap out of me. Everyone and everything I’d ever given my heart to had left me. I couldn’t bear to tell Bodie how I felt and have him walk away. Losing my mom had been tragic—no one saw it coming and there’d been no way to protect myself from going through the pain. But if I told Bodie I loved him and he didn’t say it back . . . well, I’d be setting myself up, risking my heart, my very soul. I wasn’t sure I could put myself through that. Definitely not today, maybe not ever.
Jojo knocked at the door. “They’re ready for you, Lacey.”
Zina squeezed my hands. “Let’s do this.”
“Okay.” I nodded. I’d get through today and play tomorrow by ear. That’s the best I could do, the most Zina could ask of me.
CHAPTER 47
BODIE
I stoodnext to the wooden arbor, waiting for my first glimpse of Lacey. Shotgun waddled down the aisle, a heart-shaped pillow attached to her collar. The fake rings nestled in the middle, tied on with thin satin ribbons. Lacey had balked when I suggested we involve Shotgun in the wedding. She’d argued that the poor dog would probably be so uncomfortable by then she might not make it down the aisle. Then she’d almost had a heart attack when I wanted to tie the rings to the pillow. Luckily I’d realized she was right. The giant fake diamond ring and the thin gold band that went along with it were safe and sound in Jonah’s front pocket.
I patted my thigh and Shotgun plopped down next to me, letting out a blast of gas as her bum hit the ground. I stifled a laugh. Poor dog.
Zina came next, taking long confident strides down the aisle. The orange dress—coral, I reminded myself—looked fabulous against her tanned skin. She made it to the front of the aisle and gave me a wink before stepping to the side and turning around to wait for Lacey.
A trumpet sounded, and a pair of mariachis began to shake. The band I’d found at the last minute down at Ortega’s Taqueria launched into a shaky rendition of “Here Comes the Bride.”
Zina gave me one of her looks. The kind that made me squirm. I lifted my shoulders in a slight shrug. The friend I thought I could count on for the music was playing a gig up in Fort Worth tonight. At least we had something.
The blood rushed to my head, making me feel slightly dizzy as I caught my first look at Lacey. Like an angel, she floated down the aisle. The dress, her mama’s dress, reached all the way to the ground and billowed out behind her. My gaze roamed over the dip at her waist, the obnoxious bouquet Suzy had created, then moved higher. Her smile dazzled me. Like looking right into the sun. She was so bright, so stunning, I had to look away before my emotions got the best of me.
After what seemed like eternity but also much too soon, she reached for me with one hand while she passed her flowers to Zina with the other. I took both of her hands in mine and met her gaze. What I saw there was like looking at a reflection of myself. The fear, the uncertainty, it was right there in front of me. But more than that, I recognized love. A pure, shining love that flowed right through me, lighting me up inside until I felt like I could do anything as long as I had Lacey by my side.
