I nodded, the conversation over, and then I stood and walked to his office door, taking a moment to wipe my face before I opened the door. I glanced back at the big, broken man at that desk, and in that moment, I didn’t recognize him at all.
“For the record,” I said, standing tall. “Even if you do get help — and you will — I will never forgive you for this.”
And with the most painful decision of my life made, I turned my back on my father and shut the door on everything I ever thought my life would be.
Noah
I wasn’t going to go.
I swore on my father’s grave, on the Bible that I was not going to go to the wedding.
There was no reason to go. My mom was right — I needed to walk away from Ruby Grace, from what we had, what we could never have, and leave her behind. I had to let her start her new life with another man, because that was the decision she had made.
It was set in stone.
I was set in my resolve.
And for the past two weeks, I’d told myself I wasn’t going to go to that wedding — no matter what.
But all of that changed last night.
I had stayed late at the distillery, working overtime for as long as Gus would let me before he finally kicked me out and made me go home. I’d been at the distillery more than anywhere, trying to throw myself into work so I could take my mind off the impending wedding. I couldn’t go ride Tank, couldn’t go to the treehouse, couldn’t go anywhere I used to find solace — because now, all I found in those places were memories of her.
When I finally made it home, it was well past sunset, and I noticed a white envelope half tucked under my front door as I twisted my key in the lock.
I bent to retrieve it with a frown, and that frown had deepened when I read in small, neat script on the front of it:
Read this before tomorrow. It’s important.
My heart had leapt into my throat, and I instantly thought it was a letter from Ruby Grace.
I’d flown inside, thrown my shit haphazardly on whatever surface was nearby, and torn into the envelope with greedy hands, greedy eyes, a greedy heart. But, the letter wasn’t from Ruby Grace at all.
It was from Betty.
And in that letter, she’d revealed the missing piece to the puzzle I’d been trying to solve since the moment Ruby Grace left me in the rain at the treehouse my father built.
That letter was tucked into the inside pocket of my tuxedo, and as if it possessed the courage I needed to walk through the church doors, I brushed a hand over my chest where it was hidden, taking a deep breath. My eyes scanned the large wooden doors of the church — the ones I had walked through nearly every Sunday morning since I was born — and I wondered how they could look so foreign.
Inside those doors, there was an aisle lined with flowers and twine — both of which I’d helped Ruby Grace pick out.
Inside those doors, there were hundreds of people, nearly the entire town of Stratford, and then some.
Inside those doors, there was a man waiting at the end of the aisle for the woman I loved.
And inside those doors was the woman I couldn’t let go of.
My breath was surprisingly steady as I finally found the will to open those doors, like I knew what I was going to do when the reality was I didn’t have a fucking clue. But, I extended one steady hand for the wedding program being offered to me, took my seat at the end of the back left pew, and I waited.
I was practically invisible to everyone inside, and in that moment, I was thankful my entire family had declined the open invitation to the wedding. I knew they had done so on my behalf.
None of them knew I was here today.
The other wedding guests were all chattering with their friends or families or dates, commenting on the beautiful decorations or the stunning music coming from a harp player near the organ at the front. It was a shushed sort of chatter as we all waited for the ceremony to begin.
And it would.
In less than ten minutes.
It’s too late, the realistic part of my brain warned me as I sat there, both hands on the wedding program, eyes cast toward the altar. She’s marrying him. Today. There’s nothing you can do.
But, there was something more powerful floating inside my chest, calming my breaths, easing my racing heart. It fluttered and filled me from the inside out with an inexplicable anticipation, like something epic was about to happen.
Hope.
I recognized it faintly as time warped and faded. I couldn’t even be sure I was truly in the church — that’s how detached I felt from my being. It wasn’t until the moment I noticed a familiar pair of eyes watching me from the third pew that I came back to the moment.
Betty smiled, casting me a wink. I returned her smile, and it was as if that notion alone brought on all the jitters I’d been surpassing. My heart thundered to life in my chest, my hands shaking where they held the program, and I swore my feet were about to move without permission from my brain to hightail us out of there just as the harp died and the organ began to play.
The same camera crew that had followed Anthony and Ruby Grace around the Soirée was scattered throughout the church, cameras pointed in all different directions, with one free moving around the church and capturing the chatter before the ceremony. That camera moved to the center of the aisle, crouched low and out of view once the familiar hymn filled the air.
Pastor Morris stood at the altar now, smiling, his eyes scanning the crowd as he nodded silent hello’s. Ruby Grace’s mother was escorted down the aisle by an usher, but Anthony’s parents were nowhere to be found. I frowned, wondering where they were, but didn’t have time to process it much before a door opened to the right.
Anthony walked through it, along with some guy I didn’t recognize. He stood next to Anthony and Pastor Morris at the altar, which told me he was the best man, but I couldn’t keep my focus there for very long.
Because it took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to fly down the aisle right then and pummel Anthony’s grinning face with my fist.
He stood tall and confident at the altar, wearing a light gray tuxedo with a coral pocket square and bow tie. His hair was neat and styled, his jaw freshly shaved, and to anyone else in that church, he looked like the perfect groom. He looked like what every girl had ever dreamed of when they pictured their wedding day.
But I knew the truth.
I knew the evil things he’d said about the best woman in the world, knew the pain he’d caused her, the way he’d treated her like some pawn in his game of life.
And now, thanks to Betty, I knew about the deal he and his father had made with Ruby Grace’s parents.
That was what upset me the most. Anthony may not have owed Ruby Grace anything, but the fact that her parents could trade her hand in marriage in exchange for some debt to be paid off made me physically ill.
My fists tightened around the wedding program, all but crushing it. A couple I didn’t recognize in the same pew as me eyed the crumpled up piece of paper in my hands before casting me a worried glance, to which I just offered a tight smile, relaxing my shoulders a bit.
Breathe, Noah.
A flower girl was the first down the aisle, and she sprinkled daisy petals behind her, smiling shyly at everyone in the pews.
Next was Mary Anne. Even though she’d been gone for a few years, it was impossible not to recognize her. She had the same red hair as her mother and sister, the same button nose, the same freckles dotting her cheeks. She was taller than Ruby Grace, though, and her features were less bold, somehow. She looked older than she actually was, but when she smiled, I saw the resemblance like they were twins.
The last one down the aisle before the bride was Annie, the flowers in her hands balanced on the swell of her belly in the creamy, coral dress that she wore. Her smile was sad, though she tried to brighten it as much as she possibly could as she scanned the pews. I kept my eyes on her, heart thundering as I realized who would be the next dow
n the aisle.
When Annie reached the altar, she turned.
And her eyes locked on me.
She paled, her pink-painted mouth popping open just as the organ changed tune and the congregation stood.
All the blood rushed to my face before draining completely as I numbly rose to my feet, turning to face the back of the aisle along with everyone else. The organ played, and I adjusted my tie, forcing one calm, cooling breath as the doors to the church swung open.
The first thing I saw was a long, slender hand clutching the grey fabric of a tuxedo-clad arm. Her nails were painted a neutral pink, the tips white, and she held onto that arm like it was the only thing holding her to the Earth.
One step, and then I saw the long, flowy, cream skirt of her dress, outlined by the leg she’d taken the step with.
Another step, and the bouquet I’d helped her decide on came into view — a brilliant gathering of daisies and roses, surrounded by fresh baby’s breath and dusty miller.
Three steps.
That was how long I was able to keep breath flowing into my lungs.
That was how long I was able to keep blood pumping to my organs.
Because on the fourth step, Ruby Grace came completely into view, and everything stopped.
The time that had stretched and warped as I waited in the church before the wedding began paused altogether, the music fading, lights dimming except where they shone on her. I didn’t even notice her father, the arm that she clung to — not when she was in full view. It was all I could do to take all of her in, every inch of her glowing beauty wrapped in that silky, cream wedding dress. Her cheeks were high and rosy, her lips painted a dusty rose, the freckles from our days in the sun breaking through the foundation that powdered her face. Her long, copper hair was braided on each side, the length of it twisted and tied in a knot at the back just below where her veil sat like a halo. Those hazel eyes I’d loved to stare into all summer were as bright and golden as the sun that peaked in behind her before the church doors shut again, and it was as if that sound slammed me back to reality, slammed time back into motion, slammed my heart back into its race within my rib cage.
I didn’t even notice her dress.
I didn’t care.
Because it was that woman I was here for, not the dress she wore — and if I had it my way, if everything worked the way I hoped, that dress wouldn’t mean anything after today, anyway.
Ruby Grace wore the same solemn smile as Annie had as she walked down the aisle, slowly, her father rubbing his hand over where she held his arm in assurance. With his face ashen and long, I wasn’t sure if was assuring her or himself.
Ruby Grace didn’t notice me as she walked by. In fact, she seemed to be in some sort of daze, some sort of dream.
Or nightmare.
The crowd ooooh’d and awww’d as she passed them, women dabbing at their eyes with handkerchiefs as the men smiled in wonder and awe.
I had no doubt she was the most beautiful bride to ever walk down that church aisle.
When she reached the end, Pastor Morris asked who gave her hand in marriage, to which her father responded that he did. He kissed her cheek, made an attempt at a smile that fell flat, and then, carefully, he passed her hand to Anthony.
Ruby Grace handed her bouquet to Annie, and Annie whispered something, nodding back toward me. My heart fell to my stomach as Ruby Grace turned, and just as Pastor Morris told the congregation they may be seated, she found me.
She blinked.
I blinked.
Her lips parted.
I smiled.
And then, I sat along with the rest of the crowd, and her eyes stayed glued on me.
Pastor Morris was already speaking, launching into what a beautiful day it was for such an occasion, but Ruby Grace couldn’t take her eyes off the back pew. She blinked, over and over and over, her bottom lip trembling, and it wasn’t until Pastor Morris said her name that she tore her eyes away, swallowing as she turned her focus to Anthony.
“Anthony,” Pastor Morris said, smiling at the groom before he turned his eyes to the bride. “Ruby Grace. It is with great joy that I stand here with you today, surrounded by your loved ones as we celebrate the unity of two hearts becoming one.”
Anthony smiled at Ruby Grace, but she couldn’t muster so much as a grin. Her eyes floated back to me once more. She blinked. Then, she faced Anthony again.
“Marriage is an honorable sanction, instituted by God,” Pastor Morris continued, but his words faded out when Ruby Grace looked at me.
Again.
Annie nudged her from the back, but she kept her eyes on mine, her brows folding together, lips parting.
Anthony frowned when she took too long to look back at him, and he followed her gaze. When he saw me in the back pew, he scowled, lips flattening into a tight line. He cleared his throat, squeezing Ruby Grace’s hand in his own to pull her attention back to him.
She seemed to do so reluctantly, and even when she was facing him again, she wore the same worried look.
Come on, Noah, I silently pleaded with myself. Stand up. Say what you came to say.
I didn’t know what I was waiting for — a sign, perhaps. Or maybe the classic line from Pastor Morris — Should anyone have just cause why these two should not be wed, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace.
But those words never came.
Because in the next breath, Ruby Grace shook her head, pulled her hands from Anthony’s, and whispered something that looked a lot like “I can’t do this” from where I was sitting at the back of the church. She looked at her father in the front pew, words no one could hear exchanged between them in that weighted gaze.
Then, she reached down, bunched her dress in her hands, and turned to face the congregation.
She locked her gaze on mine, and my heart kicked hard and painful in my chest.
She took a step.
I stood.
Then, amidst the gasps and murmurs of four-hundred Stratford residents, Ruby Grace Barnett was a runaway bride.
And I was her getaway car.
Ruby Grace
Chaos.
It was all chaos as I ran down the aisle, as best I could in my designer heels, with my veil flowing behind me and my eyes locked on Noah Becker in the back pew.
Somewhere in the distance, I heard my mother scream out my name. I heard Anthony call out for me. I heard the gasps, the oh my’s, and, somewhere through it all, the distinct melody of Betty’s signature laugh.
None of it mattered.
The only thing that did matter was the man, now moving out of his pew to stand at the opposite end of the aisle, with a smirk on his face and his hands tucked into the pockets of his navy blue suit. Those hands slipped out of his pockets just in time to catch me as I threw myself into his arms, and then my hands were in his hair, and my mouth was on his.
And everything went silent.
Somewhere in my consciousness, I knew there was still chaos all around us. There had to be a flurry of gasps and screams coming from every which way. The Mayor’s daughter was kissing Noah Becker at the back of the church she was supposed to be marrying another man in. But in that moment, all I could hear was the drumming of my heart in my chest, the relieved sigh from Noah’s lips as they met mine, the steadying of my own breath. I wrapped myself around him tighter, and he pulled me in closer, as if to tell me it was all okay now, that we were safe, that it was all over.
But it was far from the truth.
“Noah,” I whispered, pulling back and pressing my forehead to his. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I never should have left, I never should have done that to you. I was lost. I was confused and scared,” I explained, shaking my head as my eyes glossed over, the tears breaking loose before I had the chance to stop them. “I didn’t know what to do. And there was so much I couldn’t tell you, or at least, I thought I couldn’t tell you. But I can’t walk away from you. I can’t walk away from us.”
Noah quie
ted my words with another kiss, sliding his hands up to frame my face before he locked his eyes on mine. “You never have to.”
I smiled, but the tears kept coming, and I leaned into Noah’s touch as he thumbed them away. “I can explain,” I said pathetically. “My father…”
“I know,” he interrupted, searching my eyes. “It’s okay. I know.”
I frowned. “You do?”
He nodded.
“How?”
Noah smirked, looking somewhere over my shoulder, and when I followed his gaze, Betty smiled at me from the crowd of horrified faces.
Sneaky old woman.
I turned back to Noah, eyes glossing over again. “I’m sorry it took me this long to be brave.”
He scoffed. “Please. I’m sorry it took me so long to stand up and say what I needed to say here. You beat me to the punch. Didn’t even let them get to the part where they ask if anyone objects to the marriage so I could stand up and steal you away like they do in the movies.”
“Betty would have loved that,” I said, one tear slipping free. “But you can’t steal something that’s already yours.”
Noah wiped that tear with his thumb before it could fall past the apple of my cheek. With a gentle smile, he slid his hands back into my hair as he angled my chin up. But, before he could press his lips to mine again, he was ripped away from me as a fist crashed violently into his jaw.
“Noah!” I screamed, covering my mouth in horror as he fell backwards into the pew. People scattered away from him, from where Anthony now stood towering over him, chest heaving, eyes wide and terrifying.
“You sonofabitch,” he seethed, pointing one hard finger down at Noah. “How dare you kiss my fiancé on our wedding day? Are you insane, or do you just want me to kick your ass in front of this entire town?”
“Now, now,” my father said, joining us all at the end of the aisle. He placed his hands on Anthony’s shoulders. “Language, son.”
Anthony shrugged him off, his eyes wild, but he blinked several times, then, as if he remembered we were the center of attention for the entire town.
On the Rocks Page 25
