Page 58 of The Aster Valley Collection, Vol. 2

I slipped the phone into my pocket and the letter into the bottom of my suitcase before turning to face the music.

After meeting the photographer in the lobby and explaining that the wedding was canceled, I asked to speak to the hotel event manager. I knew from emails I’d been copied on that her name was Sandy, and she would be able to help me with much of the rest of it.

She met me in the lobby and pulled me to the side where there was a little cluster of love seats next to a fireplace, but I was too keyed up to sit.

I paced back and forth on the thick rug.

As soon as I told Erin’s parents, all hell was going to break loose, and I’d never be able to get through the rest of it.

“You excited about your big day?” she asked with a smile.

I ran my hand through my hair, upsetting all the gel I’d carefully applied to keep things just right for the photos.

“Um, that’s the thing I needed to talk to you about.

The wedding is off. I need your help, ah…

telling people and stuff. Like, I don’t know how to get in touch with anyone.

The band, the officiant, the cake people.

The guests.” I kind of squawked out that last part, thinking about how disappointed everyone would be and how everyone would grill me for an explanation.

Sandy stared at me for a moment before moving ahead like she had to deal with this sort of thing all the time.

Hell, maybe she did. “Right, well, first things first, can I get you a nice, stiff drink from the bar? It’s going to take me a little while to get us organized, and I think a drink is just what the doctor ordered.

Why don’t you follow me to the bar, and I’ll grab my binder. ”

She led me through the archway into the darker hotel bar area. The place was mostly deserted as the wedding guests were probably busy showering, and the other guests were most likely still on the slopes.

The bartender looked up from slicing lemons. “Hiya, Sandy, what can I get for you and your guest?”

Sandy lifted a brow at me.

“Whiskey, neat. Any kind,” I said, suddenly thinking Sandy was the smartest woman ever.

“Make it a double,” Sandy added softly. “And it’s on the house.”

“It’s not too late,” I told her, trying to lighten the mood a little. I didn’t want pity looks. “You and I could get hitched. I’ve got everything all ready to go. Just need a bride.”

She laughed and squeezed my arm. “If I didn’t already have a wildcat wife and two little girls at home, I might consider it. I’ll be right back.”

When the bartender slid the drink to me, I nodded my thanks and took a giant gulp. And then another.

By the time Sandy came back, I was on my second drink and feeling a smidge better. “Okay. How do we cancel this thing? Maybe we can donate the food to a local food kitchen or something?”

She pulled out her phone and started finger-typing.

“First, we contact the band to cancel since they’re coming from the farthest away.

My assistant is already printing out signs to put on the doors to the ceremony venue for the guests.

Obviously, it’s too late to cancel the catering and the cake, but we can have the cake cut up and in boxes on a table at the ceremony venue for the guests to take away. ”

“Sounds like you’re an expert on canceling weddings. I should have called you first thing,” I said with a humorless laugh.

“What the hell is going on?” Julian’s voice made me jump. I spun around and saw him standing there with Lorraine and Rod. Julian was a sight for sore eyes, but Erin’s parents looked both excited and suspicious. It wasn’t a good combination.

Maybe I’d had too much whiskey on a nervous stomach, or maybe it was just my need to make every tragedy a joke, but a laugh gurgled up before I could control it. “Can’t you see? I’m canceling the wedding. Apparently it’s way easier to jilt someone than I thought. Who knew?”

“You’re what?” he asked, as if he’d truly not heard the words.

“I said I’m canceling the wedding. You should try it sometime. So exciting. Such an ‘ adventure .’ Think Erin would appreciate that?”

In hindsight, I wondered if I shouldn’t have used the finger quotes. Something about what I’d said enraged my best friend. His face was full of fury, and in my whiskey-tipped haze, I actually thought he was angry on my behalf.

Until he punched me in the fucking face, and all hell broke loose.

Lorraine screamed, Rod raced over to “break it up,” Sandy sighed and asked the bartender for ice, and that’s when the entire bridal party came looking for the photographer.

Julian wasn’t content with the one hit either.

He followed it up with a shove to my shoulders while shouting something about me being an unfeeling asshole for succumbing to pre-wedding jitters and screwing over our friend.

After the drinks I’d had and taking the shot to my face, I was fairly easy to shove.

I took out two barstools on the way to the floor.

Julian landed on top of me and grabbed the lapels of my tux. His face was red, and his eyes were angry slits. “How fucking dare you, you chickenshit piece of shit.”

“You said shit twice,” I said, trying desperately to keep myself from bursting into tears and asking him to hold me. For some reason, I didn’t think that would go over well.

When he pulled back his arm to punch me again, I reached out and grabbed his wrist. “Stop,” I said. “You don’t know what happened.”

His eyes shifted between each of mine. “Fine. What happened? Because it looks to me like you jilted your best friend.”

I let out a kind of laugh. “She’s not my best friend. You’re?—”

This time, he kneed me in the junk.

And I really did start crying.