The reception ship will sail tonight from the North River Pier in Manhattan to Vineyard Haven, and dock by seven p.m. tomorrow evening. Jack arranged to fly everyone back home from Martha’s Vineyard. Jack said there will be lots of dancing and music by popular bands. He wouldn’t tell me who they were because it’s still a surprise to Daisy. He’s gone gaga over this woman, but I’m not surprised. He’s not the douchebag that Charlie is.
“You look like shit, Magnolia,” Charlie comments, blowing his horrible breath in my face.
“Grow up, Chuck,” I snap.
“No disrespect, Mags. I’m just making an observation.”
“Whatever.” He’s such a douche.
“This is a shotgun wedding. You know she’s pregnant. What a way to trap him,” a very tall woman with a lot of bronze hair says in a dull, cynical tone. She’s talking specifically to the freakishly thin girl who came in with her, but everyone in a five-foot radius can hear her. “How long have they known each other? Five minutes?”
That’s when I realize I’m sitting with the bitter wedding day gang. I scoot to the edge of my seat to see if any empty chairs are available. There are few in the back, but I don’t want to sit that far away.
Charlie, who’s still slouched in his seat, leans forward to wave to the bitter woman next to me. “Mandy Hill!”
She grunts and rolls her eyes. “Great,” she grumbles. “It’s Charlie. You should’ve told your future sister-in-law to pull back on the daisies. Can you say Bridezilla?”
Now I recognize her. She’s Mandy Hill, the actress. I’m waiting for Charlie to correct her. He knows the explosion of daisies was Jack’s doing.
“You know, if you want to get back at him for not realizing what he lost, we can find a room and–you know…” he says instead, grinning and poking his fist back and forth.
I’m disgusted and squirm uncomfortably in my seat. This is just my luck.
“Been there, done that, doesn’t work,” Mandy replies to my utter shock.
Suddenly, I can’t believe I’m sitting between the two of them. Thank God the full ensemble band starts. They’re playing a dramatic piece that sounds like the music played during a suspenseful scene in a movie.
“Welcome to the big day!” Belmont shouts from the rear.
The entire room turns to see. In a snap, I’ve gone through three emotions. Dread from being sandwiched between Charlie and Mandy, curiosity from hearing Jack at the back of the room—isn’t the groom supposed to be at the altar?—and now I’m smiling, enthralled by the sight of Jack holding the most gorgeous bride in the world.
“Get the hell out of here,” Mandy mutters while Charlie makes a sound that’s similar to a pig snorting and whips his face forward, refusing to watch the spectacle.
The wedding has officially started.
***
Z.L. Arkadie
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Find Her, Keep Her (A Martha's Vineyard Love Story) (Love in the USA) Page 20
