A fresh wave of despair overwhelmed Ally again. She mumbled to Lana, “How will I ever love someone else the way I love him? My heart is breaking in two.”
Lana opened her arms as Ally moved to her for comfort. “Well, I tell you what. Tomorrow night some friends and I are going to The Pub to let loose with a few games of pool and hear a live band that’s supposed to be really good. Why don’t you come with us?”
Ally, no matter how broken her heart was, longed to get away from it all, even if it was at The Pub with a bunch of her sister’s friends. Lana obviously saw the look in her eye and ran with it.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll be by to pick you up around seven and dress to impress. We’re gonna have a girls’ night out and have a good time. I know how you love a game of pool.”
Ally nodded, a slow, forced smile forming on her lips. By then she should be recuperated enough to have a good time. And she would.
Ally sat up, wiping her face with the back of her hand. “Seven it is,” she said, her voice still shaky and uncertain.
“That’s my girl.” Lana pulled her hair away from her face. “Now go wash your face and get ready for bed. I’ll stay here tonight in case you decide you need ice cream.”
“That’s not necessary. You need to get home to Lily and Lucky,” Ally said, unable to stop the small grin from her lips.
“Well, I think it is necessary. I’ve got it all covered with Lily and Lucky. Now it’s best if you just obey. Get ready for bed. You’ve got a long weekend ahead of you.”
“Fine.” Ally sniffed once more and stood. Her balance was a little unsteady but she managed.
“I’ve got some PM’s in my purse. You should probably take one to make sure you sleep okay. I know how emotional you get when you’re tired and you’re bad enough as it is.”
Ally cocked an eyebrow at her sister, knowing she was right about needing something to wipe her mind blank. She wanted nothing to do with the next few days of her life.
That included Jesse Richards and his upcoming wedding.
Chapter 13
The following morning, Ally swung herself out of bed and sat on the edge. Lana had slept in the bed with her, but she was nowhere to be found. Ally rubbed her eyes, the memories of the day before still fresh in her mind. She’d barely gotten any sleep and what little she had managed was from the sleep aids Lana had made her take. Her eyes were a bit heavy, but the situation she was suddenly in made her wide-awake.
Ally walked into the bathroom and splashed water on her face. When she saw the puffy, creased face in the mirror staring back at her, it frightened her. She’d have to do something serious to get rid of this! She could never allow anyone to see how much Jesse had hurt her. How much she’d mourned over a loss that had never really been hers to begin with.
Ally took a quick shower to wash the salty, dried tears from her face and cheeks. When she got out and went to the kitchen for some orange juice, she saw a note on the table. Reaching for it, she read the dainty handwriting she recognized to be her sister’s. Be ready by seven, and I expect you to have a good time!
She smiled and placed the note back on the table. Having a good time seemed like a joke to her after last night. She’d no more have a good time than a cat would enjoy being thrown into a bucket of water. But she longed to escape from it all and have a good time, if nothing but to prove to herself she wasn’t as broken as she felt. She had the rest of the day to think about it.
Sitting back from the table a half an hour later, she sighed and slumped her head in her hand. What now? School was out for summer and she only had her romance novels to read. But romance was the last thing she wanted to think about.
Maybe she should go shopping and get something sexy to wear for tonight. She needed a few double takes to artificially boost her confidence right now.
And shopping she did. She’d saved money for a rainy day and even though the sun was bright above her head as she pulled two armloads of bags out of her trunk at her apartment complex, it was definitely a rainy day inside her head.
Ally pushed all that aside and began her preparations for her girl’s night out. She took a long hot bubble bath and shaved her legs for her new skirt. A skirt she would never wear for Jesse.
Rolling her eyes at herself, she continued, trying to push all coherent thoughts from her mind. She diligently applied makeup, fixed her hair in a sexy, loose up-do and pulled on her flowing, just-below-the-knee black and white skirt with a white sleeveless button up shirt. High heel shiny black sandals accented her perfectly painted red toes. She looked like a seductress, which was good considering she felt like a puffy, swollen slob.
Before she knew it, there was a knock on the door and a huddle of girls stood on the other side. She looked from worried face to worried face of the women who had worked beside her sister for the last few years. It was clear that each of them thought she was going to break if they moved so much of an eyelash. Only Lana was brave enough to say anything.
She smiled and extended her arms. “So are you ready to have some fun?”
Again Ally looked at each of her friend’s faces, some she’d known for years, others she’d never even met. They were all smiling sadly at her, but it dawned on Ally then. Her broken heart would mend. It would take time, but each of these wonderful women were there to help her through it… starting tonight. Ally smiled a real smile for the first time since yesterday. She was going to be okay.
“Let’s go have some fun, girls.” She enjoyed the hoots as she sashayed out the door in her finest catwalk.
And fun was exactly what Ally did.
****
The next morning, Ally rolled over and glanced at the clock. It wasn’t even eight yet. But it was tonight.
Tonight Jesse would get married… to someone else.
She had so much fun with all her friends the night before without thinking about Jesse. They had all kept her mind off of it… but today… oh today was going to be a different story. She would just have to avoid everyone. Do something to keep her mind off the fact the man she loved was about to be vow his life to another woman.
Ally heard someone unlocking her front door. Lana was the only one who had a key to her house, and Ally didn’t want company. She rolled over away from the door and buried her head underneath the pillow. Lana’s cheerful good morning only darkened her mood. Why did she have to be so cheerful all the time? Wasn’t she exhausted from all the smiling and boundless energy she seemed to have, not to mention the kid and husband she had to keep occupied?
“Ally!” Lana said, and she felt a rough hand shake her shoulders. She groaned as a warning. If Lana persisted, it was going to get ugly. “Wake up, sleepy head.”
“Go away!” Ally said sternly, jerking away from her firm hold.
“Get up. We’ve got things to do.”
“I told you I’m not going to his wedding. I can’t.”
“Well, get up anyway. Don’t make me drag you out of that bed.”
Ally couldn’t see Lana, but she knew she was standing over her with her hands on her hip giving her a motherly look. If she had any memories of her mother, she was sure they’d look a lot like that.
Finally, Ally rolled over and gave her sister a purposeful look that told her where she could go. “Can I not just lie here and wallow in self pity for one day? I’m not going to his wedding!” Ally was so frustrated her voice broke and tears threatened.
“Ally,” Lana said sternly, “this isn’t going to be easy, but you agreed the other day. You told me you’d go.”
“I changed my mind.” Ally rolled away from Lana so she wouldn’t see the tears that seeped from the corner of her eyes. “How can you make me go to this wedding when it’s going to kill me? I did what you wanted me to do last night. I had fun. Now stop expecting the impossible.”
“A wedding never killed anyone unless they got a bad piece of meat, now get up.”
“Lana!” Ally protested as she felt the sheets being ripped from her body.
“So help me!” Jumping out of bed, she stomped into the bathroom, closed the door and locked it before Lana could follow her in.
“Are you going to sleep in the bath tub, Ally? Don’t you think you’re being a little ridiculous? So what if he’s getting married! Are you going to let him ruin your life again? You need closure about this.”
Swinging the door open, Ally glared at her sister. “If you’d just leave me alone, I’d get the closure I need and move on. But instead, you insist on dragging me to this wedding and letting me watch as he marries some girl whose green with morning sickness or blushing from his touch. I can’t do it.”
“You can and you will. Get in the shower and let’s go. We’ve got an agenda.”
“Are you going to ply me with alcohol or give me a happy pill so I can handle it? Otherwise the only way I’m going is for you to drag me by the hair of my head kicking and screaming.”
It was Lana’s turn to glare as Ally stared her down across the room. “That can be arranged, you know. You might not be my baby sister anymore, but I’m still bigger than you.”
Ally knew when she was going to lose a fight with Lana. And today was one of those days. She was going to be forced to do this against her will. The only person she had left was betraying her, too. But a small part of Ally knew that Lana was right. She should go just for the simple closure seeing him marry another girl would bring. Maybe it would finally allow her to move on without regret. To know that he had found happiness and wouldn’t spend the rest of his life pining over someone he couldn’t have. Yes, maybe she could do it after all. Seeing Jesse happy would be worth it, no matter what it cost her.
“Fine, but we’re not staying for the reception.”
“That’s fine with me. I don’t like wedding cake all that much anyway.” Lana smiled proudly at her as if her victory was only the beginning. Ally eyed her warily and closed the door, turning on the water and undressed.
This was going to be a long day.
When Ally was leaving the bathroom, she saw Lana closing her front door and looking at her with shock.
“I didn’t know you were out of the shower already.”
“Where did you go?”
“I… left my cell phone in the car, and I’ve been expecting a call from the baby sitter. I went to grab it.”
“Oh,” Ally said, dismissing her. “So what’s this agenda today?”
“Well, dress comfortably for now, but bring what you’re going to wear to the wedding. The ceremony isn’t until tonight so we don’t have to get dressed until later, and we can do that where we’re going.”
“Where’s that?”
“You ask too many questions, Ally. Just get dressed and come on, we’re behind schedule.”
Ally didn’t question her. If she knew her sister like she thought she did, she was going to take her somewhere to help her get her mind off of the upcoming evening events. Maybe a shopping day? A trip to a spa? Ally certainly needed the relaxation.
After dressing, Ally and Lana left her apartment and headed downtown. Ally wasn’t sure where they were going until Lana was in the turning lane to a church building. Suddenly, Ally’s heart was in her throat.
“Where are we going, Lana?” It came out as a squeak, and when Ally saw Lana’s sheepish face, she knew the worst was yet to come.
“I, um…” Lana stumbled. “I have a few personal errands to do this morning.”
“Like what?”
After a long pause, Lana answered, “I need to drop off Lucky’s tux.”
Suddenly, Ally thought she was going to be sick. How could her sister do something like this… and make her come along?
“So you thought you’d bring me along? How could you, Lana?” Ally’s voice was no louder than a whisper as she felt the anguish of treachery in her gut. What had happened to Ally’s life in the last few days? No one was who she thought they were.
“It’ll only take a minute. But I need your help. If it gets too uncomfortable we’ll leave.”
“It’s already too uncomfortable.”
As they pulled into a parking place outside the church building, Ally felt a sob wrack her body.
“Ally…” Lana’s soft coo sounded. “Don’t cry. Just come inside with me real quick. Everything will be okay.”
Ally wanted to scream, curse and throw things. She just wanted to be loved. Looking at Lana, something inside her calmed, and she opened her car door and got out. She thought about the closure this would give her. Maybe she’d get a glimpse of who the bride was so she could pull out her voodoo doll later tonight. With her head held high, she walked toward the slow death she knew was coming her way.
They wandered through the halls of the church and finally came to a stop outside of two double doors. Lana looked at Ally and after a long pause, she opened the left door and motioned for Ally to walk in. She slowly entered the room, which was decorated in lavender roses and baby’s breath. Candles were beautifully arranged and lit to give the place a romantic glow. Ally inhaled the scent and for a moment… only a moment, she felt as though this was her wedding day. She saw the bag holding a wedding gown hanging on the door in front of a floor length mirror. Ally couldn’t help but notice the bride wasn’t there yet and as she stood there, she wasn’t sure how much time passed before she asked, “I think this is the wrong room. Where is the bride?”
“This is for you,” Lana said and handed her a slip of paper, a big grin stretching her mouth wide as if she knew some huge secret. Ally looked down and read Jesse’s familiar scrawl.
Past, present, and future. It’s your chance for a do-over. Say yes this time.
—Jesse—
She hadn’t even read through the note before a sob tore from her throat. No. No. No!
There was no way she’d mistaken all this. It couldn’t be.
He remembered it all. He was giving her a second chance to do it right. The fact that she was getting a second chance at all left her speechless, but this… it was too much after the things she’d said to him. She didn’t deserve his love, not like this. He didn’t deserve someone who believed he could be so duplicitous.
Ally turned and saw a velvet box on the table surrounded by lavender roses. She cracked open the box, a resounding creak breaking the silence from the hinges. It wasn’t the small promise ring he’d given her when she was a teenager. That ring was still on her finger, right where he’d put it all those years ago. This one was no promise; it was a guarantee. The diamond sparkled in the lamplight. Next to the diamond were two smaller diamonds on each side. Past, present, and future.
How could she possibly love him any more? But even as she thought that, her heart swelled, and she had to inhale deeply to keep the room from spinning. No one could ever convince her that love wasn’t real. Jesse was her rock, her impenetrable fortress that gave her a sense of security that no one else had ever given her. And she hadn’t believed in him. In them. But she couldn’t say yes to him. Not after all she’d done and said. Not after all she’d believed him capable of.
Ally frowned and picked up her phone and texted only one word to him.
No.
“Ally,” Jesse’s voice came from right behind her as his phone announced the arrival of her text. She whirled around, tears springing into her eyes at the sight of the man she would always love. He was so close she could smell him and see the specks of gray in his blue eyes. His words hadn’t even registered even though he glanced at his phone, pushed a button and put it back in his pocket without a word. “I’m marrying you today, Ally.” His voice was so sure, so accepting, yet all she could think of was how she’d believed the very worst.
Ally’s brows furrowed. “We can’t.”
Jesse’s rich laughter rang in her ears. “There’s no other girl, Ally. It’s always been you.”
“But you said you’d been engaged for a long time…”
“We have, haven’t we?” He lifted her hand where her promise ring had been since the night he’d placed it there and
smiled. He placed a gentle kiss on her knuckle.
“You said you still needed to tell people and that it would be hard…”
“Your dad threatened me with a pink gun, baby. That was a hard pill to swallow. I wasn’t looking forward to what his response would be when I asked his permission.”
“You’re still alive,” Ally stated inanely.
His eyes crinkled with his grin. “That I am.”
She suddenly turned toward her sister. “Wh-“ He placed a finger over her lips to shush her. Her sister was nowhere to be found.
“I wanted to tell you everything, but Lana made me promise not to tell you the truth until today. She didn’t want to spoil the surprise. I hated every second of it, but I knew in the long run, you’d understand.”
“Understand what? That I never gave you the benefit of the doubt?”
“Ally,” Jesse began with a small, unnerving smile. “Your lack of trust didn’t allow you to see what was right in front of you. That this was all for you.”
“What’s for me?”
“This. Me. All of it. Don’t say no again.”
Ally was more confused and getting angry. “Jesse…”
“Do you remember the night we went camping the summer after you graduated high school?” With Ally’s nod, he continued, “You told me the most romantic thing any man could do was plan an entire wedding for you in secret and surprise you with it. You didn’t want the stress of worrying about caterers and florists. You wanted your wedding to be a huge surprise so you could just enjoy it… as long as you were sure that you were ready to spend the rest of your life with that man.”
The memory flooded Ally’s mind, the two of them sitting cross-legged in her purple tent, on her pink sleeping bag, looking into each other’s eyes. Her fingers flew to her lips. Her heart pumped so hard in her ears, she almost didn’t hear his next words.
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