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We scowl at one another when no one’s looking. In another world, this could’ve been a nice moment. Even if itisarranged.

“Why’d you have to be such a pig last night?” I whisper to him as we walk behind the lady. I can’t hold it back any longer. My eyes are getting slightly watery, but I don’t dare let it show.

“The hell are you talking about, Capri? I threw the water on you because youran awaywhen I was trying to protect you.”

Our whispering is pulling the attention of our two fatherly witnesses behind us.

“That’snotwhat I’m talking about,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Here we are!” The lady presents a windowless square room with a podium, some discolored walls from water damage, and a woodsy musk that couldn’t be aired out if they tried.

I want to cry inside. This contrasts so hard with my wedding dreams growing up that I can’t even let those thoughts pop up right now. One look at my dad tells the same story. What’d he work for all these years if he can’t provide his daughter a lavish wedding?

You screwed up, big guy.I sniff back tears.

A cute, little old lady comes bustling up with papers in hand and steps on the podium to be eyelevel with us. The two fathers step back, whispering to one another, and I can’t help but notice the lack of flowers, patrons, and church bells on this horrid day.

“You going to make a dramatic scene and run the hell out of here again?” Trino side-eyes me while everyone is distracted getting ready.

“Depends. You going to run to the back room with another woman again?” I arc my eyebrows at him.

“Isthatwhat this is about?” he raises his voice, and the old lady clears her throat so we remember where we are.

“I’ll be getting started momentarily. Just waiting for the photographer,” the woman says.

“Capri, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“Ahem! Language, young man.” The woman adjusts her glasses.

Trino takes a deep breath and straightens. “Sorry, ma’am.”

“Ello. I am here!”A middle-aged man with an old-style camera and deep pit stains on his shirt barges into the room. “Sorry for being late. I’m ready, I’m ready. Had to dust this one out from the basement. Yes, I’m Fern. Hello. Hello.” He takes a surprise picture of our fathers, who jump back from the huge flash.

“What a nightmare,” I mouth.

Trino actually hoots at their reaction, which makes me smile for a fraction of a second.

“Love birds. Love birds, please, turn all the way around for a pre-wed shot.There we go. Perfect.” He gives an awkward thumbs up, then looks up from the camera with a furrowed brow. “C’mon! Look like you love each other!”

I grab Trino’s arm since the photographer forces us to, and twist pinch him where no one can see.

“Bitch,”he mouths.

“Dirty man-whore asshole,” I say through my smile.

“I was protectingyou, you idiot,” he says, and the blood drains from my face.

Protecting me?

No. I refuse to be that stupid woman who trusts a man’s cheating nonsense. How dumb would I be if I believe him? Really?

The flash goes off, and we both blink horribly from the blinding light.

“Is this really happening?” I squeeze my eyes shut to make the blotches go away.

“Yeah, your dad really screwed us both.”

Chapter 15