“I’m not too worried. If someone wants to steal used makeup and a bunch of bridesmaid dresses, then they have bigger problems than I do.”
Hope laughed.
I was glad someone found me humorous because, lately, I had been feeling like shit. I had lost my best friend and the man I loved all in one day. I had known it would be a risk, telling Griffin how I felt. I’d stupidly thought that my love would pull him out of his grief enough for him to realize that he had something else to live for.
Every day, I asked myself if I could have done something differently, and I still didn’t have an answer. I knew I couldn’t continue with him and the way things had been. I had been so exhausted, and I would have come to resent him if things had gone on.
Thankfully, due to our mutual friends, I had heard that Griffin had plateaued for a while. Christina had told me that there hadn’t been any more fights, and just last week, Blake had gotten Griffin out of bed. It seemed Griffin was on the mend, although Christina had warned me it would probably be a slow process.
Which was why I had decided not to contact him yet. I wanted so badly to let him know I was thinking about him, but part of me was worried that I would set him back. It was probably an irrational fear, but it was still a fear, and I couldn’t shake it.
Besides, if he was doing so well, then he could contact me. After all, he was the one who had kicked me out of his apartment, never to be heard from again.
“You okay, Madeline?” Hope asked.
I blinked. “Wow. Sorry. I think I spaced out there for a minute.”
She smiled sympathetically. “I heard things have been rough with Griffin.”
“Yeah.” I nudged her and smiled. “Thanks for finding me a replacement though.”
She frowned. “I didn’t find you a replacement.”
“Oh. Well, I guess since I’m walking down with Troy’s cousin, Troy found the replacement.” I shrugged. “You still did most of the planning.”
“Hope?” Christina called from the hallway. “Has Madeline arrived yet?” She stopped in the doorway when she saw me. “Oh, you’re already here.”
I ran over to her and gave her a hug. “Happy wedding day eve.”
I supposed now that Griffin was out of the picture, Christina was my best friend. I wondered if she knew she had large shoes to fill.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.
I laughed. “No reason. Just thinking about how glad I am to have you in my life.”
Christina looked around me at her sister. “Hope, did you give Madeline something?”
“Ha-ha. No, I’m not on anything. And shouldn’t we hurry before we’re late?” I stepped around Christina. “I’m looking forward to meeting some cousins.”
Christina ran up behind me. “Cousins?”
“Yeah.” I lowered my voice. “Your evil cousin, Chantel, and—”
Christina groaned. “Oh. Her.”
“Will I know who she is?”
Christina and Hope laughed.
“Oh, you’ll know,” Christina said.
I rubbed my hands together. “I can’t wait. Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to make sure she doesn’t ruin anything.”
“Aw, you’re so sweet.”
“I’m also looking forward to meeting my new aisle mate. Please tell me Troy’s cousin is tall, dark, and handsome.”
Christina’s smile slipped. “About that…”
It was my turn to groan. “Oh God. So, you’re saying he’s short, pale, and ugly.” I waved my hand through the air. “That’s okay. It was wishful thinking.”
“That’s not what I was going to say,” Christina said as we made our way to the foyer, right outside of the room where the services would be held, where the rest of the wedding party had gathered. “It’s about—”
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for being here. I know Troy and Christina appreciate it. I’m Pastor Lutz, and I am honored to officiate the wedding.”
As Pastor Lutz talked, I felt someone come up behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see a beautiful blonde woman who was dressed up like she was going to a fashion show. The rest of the wedding party was wearing jeans, T-shirts, and sweatshirts. Even the pastor was wearing jeans. This woman had to be cousin Chantel.
“Bridesmaids, maid of honor, best man, and groomsmen, can you line up?” Pastor Lutz asked, and Hope instructed us on the order we were assigned to stand in. “This is the door you will enter the sanctuary through. All the guests will be seated before you all line up. Once we get to the front, we’ll go through the next steps. Troy, you can go inside. Christina, you and your dad get behind the bridesmaids.”
“I’m last?” a high-pitched female voice whined. It was the blonde woman. “But Aunt Deedee said I was second.”
Now, I knew it was Chantel. Deedee was Christina’s mom.
“There must have been a mix-up, Chantel,” Hope said. “Madeline and Griffin are second because they introduced Christina and Troy.”
I flinched at hearing Griffin’s name, but I figured Chantel was not the person to explain to that it originally was going to be Griffin but that he had needed to be replaced. Best to stick with basic facts with someone like her.
Chantel looked at Christina, who shrugged. Christina’s father was next to her, and he rolled his eyes. Apparently, everyone felt the same way about this particular cousin.
I turned away to hide my laughter. It was just a wedding. Who cared what order people walked in? I would volunteer to switch, except Christina didn’t want me to.
The groomsmen lined up next to the bridesmaids, and the best man stood next to the maid of honor, but I was all alone. Chantel had distracted me, and I had forgotten to watch for an unfamiliar face.
Everyone was starting to quiet down now that we were all in place.
I leaned forward and whispered, “Hope, what happened to Troy’s cousin?”
She turned around. “Oh, Madeline, I think you’re confused. You’re not walking with Troy’s cousin.”
I frowned. “I’m not? Who am I walking with?”
A cold gust blew around us as the door to the church opened from outside.
A deep voice that I would know anywhere said, “I’m here. I’m here.” Griffin jogged up to me and smiled. “Sorry I’m late.”
Meanwhile, I could only stare.
Thirty-Seven
Madeline
I didn’t even have a chance to say anything to Griffin because as soon as he arrived at my side, Pastor Lutz began directing the group to their places.
When we reached the front of the church, Griffin went to the groom’s side while I went to the bride’s.
I tried to focus on Christina and the pastor, but my mind was going a hundred miles a minute.
What is Griffin doing here? Why didn’t anyone tell me he was going to be here? Why hadn’t I heard from him? Why didn’t anyone tell me he was going to be here? How does he look so healthy, like nothing happened? Why didn’t anyone tell me he was going to be here!
I knew I’d kept thinking the same thing on repeat, but it was an important question.