“WhyshouldI?”
Luca doesn’t say a word. I can’t see his face, but whatever threat he puts in his eyes is enough to make Theo — a thoroughly jacked, six-foot-two macho man — turn and walk away without a fight. The sight is enough toenrageme.
“Luca!” My fists strike the broad planes of his back. “You can’t just do thingslikethis!”
He doesn’t evenflinch.
I scream in frustration as several muffled giggles reach my ears. Pivoting toward my friends, I find Shelby, Chrissy, and even Phoebe staring at me with identical expressions of amusement. Owen, to his credit, looks just as bored as he did before the altercation. Taking his place beside Chrissy, Theo winks at me and shrugs, as if to say,Sorry, doll, what did you expect metodo?
Ugh!Men.
I’m about to slam my fist against Luca’s spine again when he spins around to face me in a blur of motion. His big hand intercepts mine midair, halting my strike before it can make contact. I struggle, but it’s futile — he’s far stronger than me. Looking totally composed, he tucks my palm around his forearm and steps close to my side. My mouth drops open to curse him again, but I don’t have a chance to get out a single syllable of my pissed-off speech because, abruptly, we’removing.
Or,he’smoving.
I’mbeing dragged along at his side like a sack of potatoes. In a very expensive Elizabeth & James cocktail dress and four inch heels,noless.
“You are absolutely ridiculous!” I hiss at him as we ascend along the tank to the strains of classic wedding music. “Manhandling, misogynisticmeathead!”
He doesn’t respond, except to tighten his grip on my arm as we begin another loop around the tank. Maybe, when we reach the top, I’ll push him in and laugh as he’s eaten by a shark. It would serve himright.
“What happened totake your time to figure this out,Lila?Huh?”
“That wasbefore.”
“Before what, exactly? Before you lost yourdamnmind?”
“Before I saw you flirting withTheoand—”
“I was beingfriendly!”
“—decided I didn’t want to sharewhat’smine.”
“I am notyours!”
He laughs — actuallylaughs- like I’m the one being ridiculous in thisscenario.
I growl, but have no chance to say another word to him, because we’ve reached the aisle. My teeth grit as, arm in arm, we make our way toward the platform where Gemma, Chase, and Nate are waiting with the minister. Luca holds me steady so I don’t trip in my heels on the steps, which I’d normally be grateful for but, under the circumstances, only serves to infuriatememore.
He doesn’t even think I can handle stairsalone!
The utter nerve ofthisman…
We go our separate ways at the top of the dais, him to stand at the groom’s side, me to wait on the bride’s. I jerk my chin higher and refuse to look at him as the rest of the bridal party files in. The music overhead crescendos into crashing organs just as Phoebe steps into view. Dressed in a short white dress — which, for the record, doesnotgive her back fat — she’s grinning ear to ear as she slowly makes her way to Nate. He watches her with laser-like intensity every step oftheway.
As the minister walks them through a quick overview of the ceremony, they stare at each other with such joy you’d think they were getting married for real. Their happiness is so strong, it saturates every particle of air in this giant room. Gemma is already in tears, watching them. I can only imagine the waterworks during the realwedding.
“You’ll exchange your rings, recite your vows, and then I’ll pronounce you husband and wife,” the minister is saying. “After the kiss, you’ll exit, followed by the rest of the bridal party. It’s all quite quick. Any questionsforme?”
Phoebe and Nate seem perfectly at ease, holding hands and smiling. All traces of her earlier panic attack are completely gone. It’smewho’s feeling anxious, now. I stare at them and a horrible pang of foreboding shoots through my chest cavity. I’m consumed with memories of the last time I stood at a bride’s side, holding her bouquet as she promised to love and cherish a man until death didthempart.
Anditdid.
Far faster than anyone could’veimagined.
Usually, when Mimi finds her way to the surface, I’m able to shove her back down. To compartmentalize her away into a tiny box markedbig sisterin the back ofmymind.
It’s not because Idon’tcare.