Page 4 of 3 Daddies to Go

“It’s fine, I’ll handle it,” interrupts Jenny. “Just give me a minute.”

She slips into the church, leaving us dumbfounded.

“What is she doing?” Trudy asks, sniffling. I hand her a tissue. According to every “How To Be A Maid of Honor” article I read, tissues should be available at all times. I have some tucked in my bodice, just in case.

“I don’t know,” I start, but then it dawns on me. “Oh, right. Jenny majored in music, remember? I’m sure she has something up her sleeve, even if she has to play the organ herself.”

Just then, the music stops. Confused whispers reach us through the thick wooden doors. Some are wondering what’s going on, and some people are even speculating that the wedding is off.

But before Trudy can comment on her guests’ concerns, the music starts again. This time, it flows differently. Smoother. More melodic.

Trudy smiles.

“Jenny saves the day!”

“All good, now?”

She nods.

“All good. Thank you, Kendall.”

I turn back to the door, taking my place in line.

“That means you’re first, Monica. Five seconds, no more, no less.”

She laughs.

“Don’t worry, I got this.”

“Okay, boys. Open the doors.”

The two men look relieved. I doubt they’ve ever had this much drama at a wedding before, and they’ve probably seen a lot of them.

The doors sweep open and we paste happy smiles on our faces. Like clockwork, Monica counts to five before stepping into the church. Then Leonore follows behind her, right on cue. Trudy’s cousin, June, goes next.

I take a deep, calming breath. June makes it to the first pew, then the second. I stand up straight and hold my bouquet in two hands. As soon as June gets to the third pew, I take my first step.

The wedding has officially begun, and hopefully it doesn’t go down the pipes before my friend says her vows. As I walk down the aisle, I smile at the guests and try to look serene, but actually, I’m wondering where my own Prince Charming is. Could he be here? They always say that weddings are the best place to meet someone, but that’s going to be hard to meet someone good, given that I’m wearing this incredibly ugly outfit. Damn.

Just then, I catch sight of the Trudy’s groom, Herbie. Poor Herb. He’s perspiring like a pig on a hot day, and my heart goes out to him. That’s not going to look good in the wedding video.

Then, my eyes glance to the groom’s right and my jaw almost drops.Theseare Herbie’s groomsmen? Because I’ve just set eyes on three of the hottest men I’ve ever seen in my life. They’re tall, dark, and outrageously gorgeous with dark hair and tanned skin. All three of them are breathtakingly handsome in their suits and my heart begins to pound heavily. Oh my gosh, what if this wedding fulfills its promise, and I get to meet not one Prince Charming, but three?

2

Trace

It’s hot in this church. Sweltering, actually, and the monkey suit I’m wearing doesn’t help. Herbie’s bride picked the venue because it’s solemn and majestic, but clearly, there’s something wrong with the A/C. Goddammit.

I’m tempted to loosen my tie but that would look bad in the photos and instead, I manage to keep my hands to my sides. It feels like the ceremony is never going to begin, and I’m not the only one overheating. To my right, I can literally see a drop of sweat run down Herbie’s temple.

“You good, buddy?” I whisper.

Herbie chuckles.

“I’m good, Trace. I couldn’t be happier. I just want to get going before I pass out.”

“Alright. Though if you get cold feet just say, “Get me the fuck out of here,” and we’ll do the honors.”