"I'm fine going anywhere," I said, unsure of whether I could say more. When would these threatening tears go away? Didn't they see they served no purpose right now?
Suddenly I felt a gaze like no other on my back, and I knew he was there. People talk about twins having a sort of telepathy, and I guess when you spend so much time with any one person, that telepathy can come. Especially when I'd been so aware of one man for nearly half of my life.
I warred within myself. Did I dare turn around? But how could I ignore Easton? I was his best man.
I finally turned and saw him staring at me from the doorway of the church. His eyes were full of an emotion I couldn't name from so far away, but he took my breath away. He looked gorgeous in his tuxedo, his hair finally in some sort of compliance due to the gel he had to have bathed it in. I personally liked a more unbuttoned version of Easton, but this version was beautiful as well. Easton would always be beautiful in my book.
The music began, and this was it. The moment all of my dreams would die and Easton would make his final choice … which wasn't me.
Priscilla had opted to change up the order of the way we all were supposed to walk down the aisle. The groomsmen and bridesmaids would go first, and then Easton would walk down with his mom—apparently Easton's mom had demanded their moment—before Priscilla entered with her father.
The first couple walked into the chapel as every eye turned back to us. Then the next and the next until it was my turn to enter the church with Priscilla's maid of honor. The bridal party had spent so little time together that I wasn't even sure of the girl's name. Maybe Lark? I just knew all of the bridesmaids were Easton's and Priscilla's friends from high school. The same girls who would be sick with jealousy that Priscilla had won the prize: Easton.
We walked down side by side, and I tried to ignore all of the eyes I could feel on me. I didn't care to make eye contact with anyone I didn't know, and if I did know someone, I knew their eyes would be full of pity so I didn't want to see them either. I couldn't handle any more pity.
We made it to the front of the church, and I turned to stand next to Rider as Lark took her spot with the bridesmaids. I waited, wondering what would happen next. We were supposed to practice this yesterday before the rehearsal lunch, but the church had been double-booked. Then I overhead Priscilla's mom saying something about a rushed wedding, causing Priscilla to burst into tears, and the practice had been called off.
So this was the one and only time I'd have to watch Easton walk down an aisle. No, I couldn't watch. I knew if I met his eyes, I would lose it again. Watching him walk toward a future without me would be unbearable.
I looked at the ground because I didn't want to look into the crowd or at the aisle, and I waited. The doors at the back of the chapel would open soon, and in would come Easton.
I held my breath. This was the worst moment of my life. And here I stood on display for everyone. What had I been thinking? Bed, pajamas, and an entire carton of ice cream should be soothing me right now.
But eventually I had to let go of the breath I’d been holding in because the music the organ had been playing stayed the same. Wasn't it supposed to change for Easton? Or was that just the bride?
I finally drew up the courage to look at the still closed doors. That was strange, right? I knew we hadn't practiced, but shouldn't Easton be out here by now?
I glanced over at Rider who smiled at the door. I guessed that was a normal reaction for a best man to have. He was happy for our friend.
I then looked toward Lark and the bridesmaids to see them shifting from foot to foot, anxiously looking from the door to the empty spot next to me. They seemed nervous from their places at the front of the room, even though none of them had appeared to mind the crowd watching them minutes before. So their nervousness probably had nothing to do with the many eyes on them, which meant something was up.
But what?
The doors remained closed, and even those sitting in the pews of the church began to get restless. A baby started to cry, and more and more dresses rustled with movement.
Where was Easton?
"He's not coming," Rider whispered, and I looked at him, feeling my eyes widen. Not coming? But he was already there. Waiting at the doors.
"He finally manned up," Rider added, smiling at me and then back at Hunter who stood on the other side of him.
"Finally," Hunter agreed as Rider turned so that his back was to the crowd. I saw that he had his phone out and ... was he really reading a text message? Right now?
Rider chuckled. What could be funny at a moment like this? What was going on? What were we supposed to do?
"Josie," Rider said, the amusement in his voice easy to hear as he tapped my shoulder. "It's time."
Time? Time for what?
Rider turned toward the door that stood at the front of the chapel, the one the pastor must use to get in and out of the place, and then looked back at me.
"Come on," he said before walking toward that door in a hurry.
"What?" I asked, watching him go because I felt too perplexed to move.
"You'd better go with him," Hunter encouraged with a light shove. Thankfully that shove got my feet moving.
Rider led me out of the door and through the pastor's office, then out a door that took us into the church's parking lot.
"What are we ...?" I began to say, but when I turned around to look back at Rider, I saw that he'd let the door close behind me. Rider was still inside the church. What was going on?
Suddenly a familiar car pulled up to the curb and the passenger door popped open. I leaned down to see Easton, his tie undone and his hair completely disheveled, in the driver's seat.
"Easton?" I asked as I looked back at the church.
"Jos, I've got to get out of here now," Easton said as his gaze went to the large double doors of the church that had just opened. A very irate looking Mr. Price, along with his ex-wife and Priscilla's mom, came walking out, and Easton looked back at me.
"But I can't leave without you," he said, his voice full of ... was that longing? But I felt myself shaking my head. None of this was making sense. What was Easton doing? He was supposed to be getting married. Right now.
"Easton!" Mr. Price called out as he saw who was sitting in the car.
"Please, Jos. Come with me. I need you," Easton said, and those last three words sealed the deal.
I jumped into the car, ugly yellow dress and all, as Easton peeled out of the parking lot and onto the street.
"What are you doing?" I asked as we raced toward who knew where.
"I couldn't marry her," was all Easton said before he took a sharp left and drove us onto the freeway.
"Where are we going?" I asked when I saw we were going east. Was Easton taking us to Nashville?
"Does it matter?" he asked, and I realized it didn't. Easton wasn't getting married. The idea was still on the surface of my brain, begging to burrow in deeper.
Easton isn't getting married.
A smile, the first real one in over a week, broke out over my face.
Easton isn't getting married!
Goosebumps erupted all over my body, but I told my body to take a chill pill. We'd been wrong before.
The car jerked to our right, and I realized Easton was now getting off the freeway.