Page 67 of Nothing to the Wedding

“I can’t—I don’t—this is too much.What if it doesn’t work out?”

“It did work out, honey.”The back of her fingers skimmed down her cheek.“Just like we talked about on Crimson Isle.You thought it wouldn’t work out then, now look where we are.”

If only they’d known then what they knew now.

“Yeah,” Toria said.“You really did find love in paradise.You did it.You found him.”

“How you feeling?”she asked.“You ready?”Jane just nodded, still kind of glazed though it appeared more in wonder than in fright.“I’ll go first, soften up the crowd.Toria will go next with Ballard and Cam.They’re waiting with our dads… unless you need Toria to stay here with you.”

“No.No.No,” Jane said and swallowed.“That works.”

“Ready?”Toria asked again.

“Ready.”

“We’ll stand over here,” Toria said, leading Jane to the corner that would be behind the double doors when they were open.

On the other side of those doors was her father, waiting to hand her over to the guy she’d already married.Yeah, there was some irony in her father giving permission after the fact.Hell, since when had they been linear?Zairn would play along.Oh, he was good at playing, with her, with the family, with absolutely everyone.Her guy was always top of the league… many, many leagues, actually.

Where was she again?Ah, good.People.Married.She had this.No problem.

There had to be a camera somewhere because she’d been told to face the doors and just nod when ready.And there it was.She moistened her lips and straightened her posture.

Lead with the boobs.

The doors opened, the music started.Her father stepped to the center of the aisle, arm aloft, awaiting hers.This was madness.The people.The music.The flowers… that look on her dad’s face.How the hell did this happen?No… uh oh, oh no.

Shit.

She blanched and leaped aside, crowding behind the open door, hiding with her friends.

“What are you—you need to go down there,” Toria hissed.

“I can’t,” she whispered.“I can’t, I can’t.”

“What?Why?”Jane asked, concern as genuine as ever.“You don’t want to marry Zairn?”

“Whiplash!We never saw this one coming,” Toria said.“Want me to call Dennis?What do we think about Acapulco?”

“Acapulco later…” The music faltered and stopped.Oh, God, her mouth, her chest, this was bad.Breathe.Calm.Breathe.“Shit…”

“Suddenly gone shy?Afraid of the people?Since when have you had stage fright?”

Not a chance of that, she commanded nightclubs full of people at a second’s notice these days.

“No, I…” Her heart raced.“Oh…”

“Rox—”

“Lola…” came the shouted drawl from beyond their shield.“Do I have to come get you?”

“Uh, no, dear,” she called back.“We’re good here.All good.I’ll be out in a minute, Casanova.”

God, she couldn’t even say that without the tightness in her chest growing.It was going to burst.She was going to burst.

“You’re going to break his heart?”Jane breathed, her own eyes tearing.“Oh, Roxie…”

“No,” she said, circling her lips to pant a little.“No broken hearts.”Deep breath.“I’ll get it together, just give me a minute.”