The girls stood in the small room just inside the hotel, sequestered from the rest of the wedding guests, as everyone gathered for the ceremony in the gardens overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Delaney fiddled with the dress, making minute adjustments to the fit-to-flared wedding dress and the Chantilly and Alencon lace, more to pass the time and cover up nerves than out of necessity. Caroline was a glowing bride, the silver accents gleaming like moonlight shining off the water on a clear night. Brigid handed her a fluted glass of champagne, and they all raised their glasses for a last toast.
“To the lovely bride who has been remarkably patient and tolerant of us this entire week. We love you and forgive you for your matchmaking ways.” Brigid saluted her. “Thank you for caring about us so much that you tried to help us during a time when it should have been all about you. I’m sorry I was so self-absorbed. I won’t lose sight of what’s important again.”
She tipped the glass back and drained the glass. Caroline stared at her, a gleam of tears in her eyes. “Dammit, Brigid. You’re supposed to be the calm, reserved one. Not making me cry right before I walk down the aisle. If I ruin my makeup and delay the wedding, I’ll kill you.”
Anna waved her hand. “I’ve repaired a lot of makeup in my time. Cry all you want. This is your last day to do and get whatever you want.”
Caroline grabbed Brigid in a hug, careful not to wrinkle the dress. She whispered in Brigid’s ear, “Are you ready to see Grady?”
Brigid pulled back and nodded. “I’m all in. Go big, or go home.”
Caroline nodded, a broad smile growing on her face. “Then let’s get this show on the road.”
* * *
Anna emerged from the hotel and stepped down the path, carefully timing her steps to the music and pacing. Brigid took a deep breath and tried to remember the hasty instructions Anna had tried to impart. Wait twenty seconds before starting and count slow. Take one slow step and then another.
Slow was not in her vocabulary. She always raced wherever she was going, always having somewhere she needed to be—a class, a meeting, an appointment. Only now, after this weekend, her life was an open book, no appointments on her calendar book. No job. No boyfriend. No life. She had her notice to work out, but meetings there would fizzle quickly until, by her last day, her presence would be a formality. No one would even remember she had worked there. Another lawyer would wait for her to leave to move in, if they weren’t already measuring for their own furniture.
The gap between her and Anna was growing shorter, and she slowed her steps to not get too close. Another deep breath. That would help get her through the ceremony and what came after. Keep breathing. That’s the trick. Anna and Delaney had both advised. Deep, soothing breaths would help her remain calm and limit the freak-out.
She made it halfway down the aisle and caught sight of Matthew and the three groomsmen, arranged to the left of him. Her eyes glossed over the others and settled on Grady, and her feet stuttered to a stop, her brain short-circuiting at the sight. She had seen Grady in many outfits, mostly jeans and shorts, even an occasional suit, but Grady in a tuxedo was something for the eyes to truly enjoy. The groomsmen wore all black Hugo Boss tuxedos with black shirts and bow ties. The unrelieved black made his somber expression even more severe and, if it were possible, his face turned more stony when he caught sight of her. His jaw clenched and his eyes pierced right through her, glossing over her with barely a pause and over her head to the crowd, as if Brigid didn’t matter. The pain on his face was almost more than she could bear, and her heart lurched in her chest. Could it be too late for them? Had she sacrificed everything only to lose him in the end, the only thing that truly mattered? Would he even listen to her?
Anna had reached the front and turned, shooting her a quizzical look. Delaney was almost upon her, so Brigid sped it up and aligned herself at the front. Throughout the ceremony, she tried to catch Grady’s eye, but he remained focused ahead or on the couple—a singular focus that had nothing to do with his interest in the moment, no matter how beautiful the handwritten vows were. No, he was avoiding her and she would have a devil of a time getting his attention.
As the ceremony drew to a close, Anna leaned over and whispered, “Grady is pissed. Play hard to get, at least for now. Don’t try anything until the reception. He won’t expect anything.”
Brigid stared at her. “But I have to say something now.”
Anna jerked her chin toward him. “Does he look like he’ll listen? Trust me. You don’t want to make a scene right now. Wait for the right moment. Your plan is perfect. Play it cool.”
Brigid eyed her doubtfully, but Anna had always been the best with men, not that it had done her any good with Wyatt, judging by his cold attitude toward her. She stepped forward and accepted Grady’s stiff arm to walk down the aisle after the bride and groom, and Delaney and Ethan. Grady angled himself as far as he could from her and still be in the aisle with her.
“I don’t have the bubonic plague, you know,” she said under her breath.
“How was I to know? You left here so fast two days before the wedding. I thought you had to have had something critically important to do. Something life-threatening,” he retorted.
She bared her teeth in what she hoped was a smile to the crowd as she was fairly dragged down the aisle, almost stepping on Delaney and Ethan. “Slow down. We’re not in a race. And it’s hard to run in four-inch heels. But fair point. I’ve discussed it with Caroline, suitably groveled, and have been forgiven.”
“Bully for her.” He still wouldn’t look at her, but he slowed down, if only to keep her from leaning on him any more than was necessary.
“Grady,” she began but they reached the hotel and the small reception area set aside for the bridal party as they waited for pictures.
He dropped her arm as if she had festering boils and headed for the wet bar across the room, ignoring her completely. She narrowed her eyes and glared at him, feeling a childish urge to stamp her foot and throw a temper tantrum—something she had never done, not even as a child. Her parents would have never tolerated it, but now the frustration clawed at her deep inside, begging for an outlet.
Anna grabbed Brigid and dragged her out a small door to the dressing room. Most of their stuff was in the room and Anna walked to the corner and pulled a sheet from something to reveal an inflatable clown doll standing up. Brigid stopped dead. “What the hell is that, Anna?”
Anna dragged it into the main part of the room. “I have some anger issues. It’s a safe way to punch something without hurting myself. Go ahead. Punch it.”
Brigid stared at her. “Seriously. I don’t understand.”
Anna huffed. “I knew today was going to be rough and I might need to let off some steam. I keep one in my dressing room. Watch.” She punched the clown, and he fell over and came right back up. “See? He’s not hard like a regular punching bag and he comes back up for more. Sometimes, you just need to get rid of that rage burning inside.”
Brigid studied her, awe combined with a little fear. “So, this is you when you’re not angry? I’d hate to see you when you’re really pissed.”
“Hang around me and Wyatt today, and you might see it. Now, show me what you got, Anderson.”
Brigid tentatively punched at the clown, and he barely rocked back. Anna laughed. “Pathetic. Channel your inner bitch and let all that anger go. Remember being asked to work this week when you’re supposed to be on vacation? Remember having to go back and how pissed everyone was with you? Remember Grady’s face as he walked away without even looking at you just now?”