Three years later.
“I can’t believe you’re getting married,” I said to Jennifer, standing behind the makeup artist, fulfilling my maid-of-honor duties.
“I know, right? Who would’ve thought?” Jennifer smiled. No one ever imagined she’d be the first among us to get married. She was always the flirt, the one who loved to explore.
“Honestly, I always thought Emily would be the first to get married,” Rose said as she walked into the room, holding Jennifer’s bridal veil. After Rose’s mother and Jennifer’s father divorced, they were left with nothing. Rose lost all the privileges that came with being a Coleman, leaving her broke and desperate. She’d walked into my store one day for an interview, and I almost didn’t give it to her. But after talking to her, I realized she had the experience and deserved the position.
So I hired her, and as she started working for me, I saw that the only reason she had been difficult in the past was because of the Coleman name. We became friends, and I convinced Jennifer to forgive her too.
“Who exactly would I be marrying?” I sighed, thinking of how I’d been single for the past three years.
“You still don’t want to give anyone a chance?” Rose wondered aloud. I gave her a faint smile.
“Oh, Rose, haven’t you noticed the sparks flying between Emily and Jason? They’ve been on several dates now, and I still don’t understand why they haven’t made it official,” Jennifer teased, causing me to blush slightly.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jennifer. We only went out together to help plan your wedding,” I denied, though she was right. Her cousin Jason and I had been connecting really well these past few days.
“Uh-huh, I believe you,” Jennifer teased further. “What about you, Rose?” I asked, quickly changing the subject, noticing Rose’s face fell instantly.
“You’re still not over him?” I asked gently, and she gave me a faint smile. I never knew Rose actually had feelings for Jake; I had just assumed she was with him because she could. It wasn’t until we became close that I realized she had genuine feelings for him, even though he had used her like everyone else.
“I just can’t stop imagining what could have been if he were still alive,” Rose admitted, making a wave of guilt wash over me. None of them knew exactly what happened. I initially thought they did, and I almost snitched on myself. But I later realized that Ethan had never told anyone, not even Christof.
“I’m sorry,” I said to Rose.
“Okay, you girls are ruining the mood. More cheers and fewer sad stories, please,” Jennifer interjected, bringing the focus back to her as she stood up. The makeup artist had just finished her work.
“How do I look?” Jennifer asked, a question that made us all smile. She looked breathtakingly beautiful, like a fairytale princess, in a stunning sky-blue gown. The dress shimmered with intricate silk and delicate embroidery, adorned with sparkling diamonds.
“Beautiful,” Rose and I echoed, wide grins spreading across our faces.
“Lucas is a lucky guy,” the makeup artist complimented, making Jennifer blush even more.
As if on cue, a knock came at the door. Elizabeth, one of Jennifer’s cousins, peeked through. “It’s time,” she announced, and I noticed the panic in Jennifer’s eyes.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m really getting married,” she began to panic.
“To an amazing man,” I said, moving toward her to hold her hand. “You chose Lucas for a reason, and that’s because you know his love for you is genuine,” I said, trying to console her. This was the same thing I had been saying to calm her down over the past few days when I noticed she was having cold feet. “And you love him,” I concluded.
Jennifer took a deep breath. “You’re right, Em,” she said, smiling at me. I held her hands firmly, guiding her out of the room and down to the venue, which was just downstairs in the beautiful hotel we booked in Bali. She had wanted a destination wedding.
We arrived at the entrance of the hall where Mr. Coleman was waiting. “I’ll take it from here, Emily,” Maxwell said, taking his daughter’s hands in his and smiling at her.
“My princess,” he said to Jennifer, who blushed as she wrapped her hands around his arm. As they began walking, I could hear the sweet things Mr. Coleman was saying to his daughter, words of affirmation to remind her that he was the first man to love her and that she would always have a place in his home.
As we walked towards the altar, my eyes met Jason’s, and my heart began to flutter. “Hi,” I whispered. I could see him mouth a reply, and I loved the way his eyes made me feel like I was the only woman in the room.
I smiled faintly, careful not to step on the bride’s train as we finally reached the altar where the officiant began.
“Dearly beloved,” the officiant said, but the whole thing became a blur to me. I couldn’t take my eyes off Jason, who was staring right back at me.
“If anyone here has a reason these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace,” the officiant said. My eyes began to dart across the room, watching everyone shake their heads. As I scanned the room, I suddenly felt a heavy gaze on me, like someone was staring into my soul. I looked around, but all eyes were on the bride and groom.
Then, I saw him. Sitting in the VIP section above the hall was the man I hadn’t seen in three years, Ethan Marcel. What was he doing here? Jennifer said he wasn’t coming.