Page 14 of Don’t Marry Him

“Michael said he’d help. I figured I’d need it.”

He nodded in agreement. “That’s good. That’s real good. Trevor will be expecting you to do something, don’t you think?”

I swallowed around the newly formed lump in my throat. Talking about this with Bob made it even more real. “I would assume so,” I said, but I hadn’t really considered that, if I was being honest.

I counted on Michael helping to distract people, if necessary, but now, I wasn’t so sure what else I might need him to do. He and I needed a better plan. I’d make sure to call him as soon as I left here to have him meet me at my house, so we could go over all the possibilities.

“Do you have the wedding details?” Bob pushed up from his chair and started walking toward the kitchen before disappearing behind a wall, still within hearing range.

“Next Saturday. I figured the rest would be easy to find out.” I could have asked a hundred people for the information and gotten it easily. I just hadn’t done it yet.

“Here.” He returned and handed me a thick card.

It had Dove’s and Trevor’s names on it in some kind of horrible writing you could barely make out along with the date, time, and location of the ceremony, followed by reception information.

Grabbing my cell, I snapped a picture of only the details and tried to hand the invitation back to Bob, but he waved me off.

“You keep it,” he said, and my throat tightened.

“I’d rather not.” I dropped it on the coffee table and averted my eyes. I never wanted to see that fucking piece of paper again.

“Okay. So, your plan is to get into the ceremony and object when the time is right?” he asked before frowning. “Does objecting actually stop anything? I’ve never been to a wedding where someone did that before.”

I had no idea. All I knew was that Dove had asked me to do it, and so it was what I was going to do. The rest of the details hadn’t mattered to me.

“I don’t know. I guess we’re going to find out.”

“I’ll second you. When you object, I’ll agree to it,” he said.

I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. If Trevor or my father had information on Bob, him objecting could make it all come out. And whatever it was had to be bad enough that Dove was actually going through with this charade.

“I don’t need you to do that.” I tried to sway him from the idea.

“You can’t stop me,” he challenged, and I knew he was right.

What was I going to do, put a gag over his mouth when I stepped inside?

“Fine. Play it by ear. When the time comes, if it feels right to second me, do it. But no hard feelings if you don’t.”

“Fine,” he agreed, but his tone was a little snarky, and I knew it was time for me to leave.

There was nothing more to say. The two of us were at our wits’ end, both feeling helpless with no one to blame but ourselves.

“I guess I’ll see you and Michael next Saturday then.”

I nodded before turning to go. “See you next Saturday.”

“Dominic,” Bob said, and I stopped walking, but didn’t turn around to face him. “Don’t mess this up.”

I didn’t say anything in response. I simply continued walking out of his front door and toward my car, sensing that he was watching my every move.

Messing up wasn’t an option. I had to get Dove back.

I DO…N’T

DOVE

Istared at my reflection in the giant mirror, feeling the exact opposite of how I always assumed I’d feel on my wedding day. There was no joy reflected back at me, no hope in my eyes, no blissful happiness etched into my smile lines.

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