Page 100 of On the Rocks

It was all chaos as I ran down the aisle, as best I could in my designer heels, with my veil flowing behind me and my eyes locked on Noah Becker in the back pew.

Somewhere in the distance, I heard my mother scream out my name. I heard Anthony call out for me. I heard the gasps, theoh my’s, and, somewhere through it all, the distinct melody of Betty’s signature laugh.

None of it mattered.

The only thing thatdidmatter was the man, now moving out of his pew to stand at the opposite end of the aisle, with a smirk on his face and his hands tucked into the pockets of his navy blue suit. Those hands slipped out of his pockets just in time to catch me as I threw myself into his arms, and then my hands were in his hair, and my mouth was on his.

And everything went silent.

Somewhere in my consciousness, I knew there was still chaos all around us. There had to be a flurry of gasps and screams coming from every which way. The Mayor’s daughter was kissing Noah Becker at the back of the church she was supposed to be marrying another man in. But in that moment, all I could hear was the drumming of my heart in my chest, the relieved sigh from Noah’s lips as they met mine, the steadying of my own breath. I wrapped myself around him tighter, and he pulled me in closer, as if to tell me it was all okay now, that we were safe, that it was all over.

But it was far from the truth.

“Noah,” I whispered, pulling back and pressing my forehead to his. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I never should have left, I never should have done that to you. I was lost. I was confused and scared,” I explained, shaking my head as my eyes glossed over, the tears breaking loose before I had the chance to stop them. “I didn’t know what to do. And there was so much I couldn’t tell you, or at least, IthoughtI couldn’t tell you. But I can’t walk away from you. I can’t walk away from us.”

Noah quieted my words with another kiss, sliding his hands up to frame my face before he locked his eyes on mine. “You never have to.”

I smiled, but the tears kept coming, and I leaned into Noah’s touch as he thumbed them away. “I can explain,” I said pathetically. “My father…”

“I know,” he interrupted, searching my eyes. “It’s okay. I know.”

I frowned. “You do?”

He nodded.

“How?”

Noah smirked, looking somewhere over my shoulder, and when I followed his gaze, Betty smiled at me from the crowd of horrified faces.

Sneaky old woman.

I turned back to Noah, eyes glossing over again. “I’m sorry it took me this long to be brave.”

He scoffed. “Please. I’m sorry it tookmeso long to stand up and say what I needed to say here. You beat me to the punch. Didn’t even let them get to the part where they ask if anyone objects to the marriage so I could stand up and steal you away like they do in the movies.”

“Betty would have loved that,” I said, one tear slipping free. “But you can’t steal something that’s already yours.”

Noah wiped that tear with his thumb before it could fall past the apple of my cheek. With a gentle smile, he slid his hands back into my hair as he angled my chin up. But, before he could press his lips to mine again, he was ripped away from me as a fist crashed violently into his jaw.

“Noah!” I screamed, covering my mouth in horror as he fell backwards into the pew. People scattered away from him, from where Anthony now stood towering over him, chest heaving, eyes wide and terrifying.

“You sonofabitch,” he seethed, pointing one hard finger down at Noah. “Howdareyou kiss my fiancé on our wedding day? Are you insane, or do you just want me to kick your ass in front of this entire town?”

“Now, now,” my father said, joining us all at the end of the aisle. He placed his hands on Anthony’s shoulders. “Language, son.”

Anthony shrugged him off, his eyes wild, but he blinked several times, then, as if he remembered we were the center of attention for the entire town.

He turned to me, then, straightening his bowtie before he reached for my hands. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get back to the altar.”

“No,” I said, tugging my hands away.

His eye twitched, but he smiled, looking around us nervously. “Baby, this is madness. Come on. Everyone came here for a wedding today.”

“Well, they won’t be getting one from us.”

Anthony’s eyes narrowed, his voice a low whisper as he stepped into my space. “Ruby Grace, you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“No, I’m embarrassingyou,” I corrected. “But, I don’t care anymore.”