Page 45 of Make-Believe Match

“It’s kinda sad,” she said as we headed up the street toward the chapel the pawn shop guy had recommended for a walk-in wedding. “I mean, why are these rings in a pawn shop? What happened?”

I shrugged. “People split up all the time.”

“But do you think the rings are cursed or anything?” She sounded so worried, I laughed. “I’m serious, Devlin.” Pivoting in front of me, she walked backward a few steps. “I know we’re not planning on a long marriage, but we do needluck.”

“I am feeling very lucky today,” I assured her, opening the door of The Viva Las Lovers Wedding Chapel. “Come on. Let’s get hitched and then go get a burger or something. I’m hungry.”

* * *

In less than half an hour, we stood in a waiting room outside the chapel door, waiting for our names to be called. The air conditioning was kicked up so high, Lexi had been chilly enough to put my sweatshirt back on. I’d declined the red carnation boutonniere that was part of our package, but Lexi had decided to carry the one red rose offered. She’d also let them clip a short veil to her head. It looked pretty ridiculous, but I didn’t tell her that.

She stared down at the rose like she felt sorry for it. “They’ll probably ask for this back,” she whispered. “Stick it in the fridge and give it to the next girl.”

“Doesn’t matter, right?”

“I guess not.” Suddenly she turned to me, her hazel eyes full of worry, her expression panicked. “Are we doing the right thing, Devlin?”

“We’re doing thenecessarything,” I told her.

“But I’m tricking my grandmother to get something I want,” she fretted. “I’m a bad person.”

“You are not a bad person. You are loyal and selfless. And from what I know of your grandmother, I bet she’d do the same thing in your shoes.”

The chapel door opened, and a happy couple rushed out, hand in hand, flushed with excitement. He wore a suit. She wore a white dress and carried an actual bouquet, and flowers were pinned in her hair. They stopped to kiss, their eyes closed, their bodies radiating with joy. When they pulled apart, they were both smiling, and the bride had tears running down her face. “We did it,” she said.

Hand in hand, they walked past us, and the guy held the door open for his new wife.

“Devlin Buckley and Alexandra McIntyre?”

Startled, I whipped my head around and saw the guy with a clipboard standing by the chapel door. His name tag said Pete. “Yes.”

“You’re up,” he said. “Groom, you come with me. Bride, you’ll be cued in a minute. Then you enter and walk up the aisle.”

“Actually, can we just come in together?” Lexi asked anxiously.

Pete shrugged. “Whatever you want. It’s your wedding.”

We followed him into the chapel, which didn’t seem quite the right word for the space, although it was painted white and had a few wooden benches on either side of a runner that split the center of the room. An officiant dressed as Elvis waited for us at the front, dressed in a bejeweled, bell-bottomed white jumpsuit, complete with open chest and cape. If that wasn’t a wig on his head, he had some amazing sideburns.

“Wait here,” Pete said. “I’ll go back and press play. When your song comes on, you go.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

Lexi and I stood side by side at the foot of the aisle, facing off with Elvis like it was a duel. From the corner of my eye, I saw the rose she held with both hands begin to tremble. Immediately, I slipped my arm in hers. “Hey,” I whispered. “You okay?”

She looked up at me. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to do this,” I told her. “If you want to change your mind, it’s fine. We can head right out the door and never speak of this again.”

She took a breath and faced the aisle again. Squared her shoulders. “No. Let’s do it.”

Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or Never” began to play over speakers in each corner of the room. Keeping my arm in Lexi’s, we walked down the aisle together at a pretty good clip. Fake Elvis probably thought we wereveryeager to get married.

“Welcome,” he said in a deep, twangy voice. “We are gathered here today to join your hearts in everlasting love. You ready?”

“Ready,” Lexi said.

“Ready,” I echoed.