What Happens at a Wedding: A Short Story Anthology

by Lucy Gage

  I’m probably supposed to be upset about this.

  But I’m not.

  I know she’s as stuck in the past as I am. Emmitt hasn’t told me much, but what little he’s given me over the years makes it evident she hasn’t exactly moved on either. A small handful of failed relationships, no one who has lasted. That’s got to mean something, right?

  I have no idea. But I have to hope maybe, just maybe it does.

  “Please tell me you have your cell phone,” Sunny pleads.

  Well shit.

  Way to burst my bubble.

  “Yeah,” I say, the disappointment evident to my ears. And from the way she raises her brows as she looks up at me, I’m guessing she heard it too.

  “Call someone to come let us in.” She rubs her arms and I wish I hadn’t taken my suit jacket off. I’d offer it to her now if I could. Her scent would have been on it when she gave it back. And if nothing else, I’d have at least left here with that.

  Reluctantly, I pull my cell out of my pocket. As the screen lights up, the little red battery reading one percent catches my eye and hope fills my chest.

  Damn, I’m pathetic. Hoping my phone will die just so I can stay locked out on the roof with my ex girlfriend. Desperate times, man.

  “It’s almost dead,” I say, turning it so she can see.

  “Then hurry,” she says through clenched teeth.

  I take my time, scrolling through my contacts list for Emmitt’s name even though I know it’s in my recent call log. Finding it, I hit send and pray to the gods he doesn’t answer.

  “It’s ringing,” I tell Sunny, catching her watching me. She turns, focusing her attention toward the skyline. The call goes to voicemail and I smile. Thank you thank you thank you.

  At the beep, I leave a message I really hope he doesn’t get for a while. “Uh, hey, Emmitt… It’s me. Malcolm. My phone’s about to die, but I’m up on the roof. With Sunny. And we’re… locked out. If you—” That’s all the more I get out when my phone powers down.

  “Well,” I say, tucking my phone in my pocket. “It died, but I left him a message.”

  “This is a nightmare. It could take him hours to check his messages.”

  God willing. And He seems to be on my side right now, so…

  “I’m sure someone will notice one or both of us are missing. When we don’t come back, Emmitt will see the missed call and voicemail from me. They’ll find us.”

  Sunny rolls her eyes and steps away as if she doesn’t want to be too close to me.

  “So what do you want to do while we wait?”

  She shoots me a dark look. “I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to make awkward small talk and pretend…”

  “Pretend what?” I ask, shrinking some of the distance she made between us.

  “That we’re friends. That we don’t have this shitty past. That you didn’t just up and take off on me, breaking my fucking heart.”

  I wanted this. I wanted to talk to her. But seeing the pain in her eyes and hearing the hurt in her voice kills me.

  “Sunny—”

  She holds up a hand, silencing me. “Don’t you dare. Don’t give me some bullshit apology or weak excuse or ridiculous reasoning. I deserved at least a phone call. A text. Something. The last I knew, you were transferring schools. You were going to move in with your dad and stay in Ohio.” She presses a hand to her chest. “You told me to apply here too. So we could be together. And. Then. You. Left. Me.” Her gaze falls to the ground. “Broken. You left me broken.”

  My teeth grind as I clench my jaw. Every word out of her mouth is a knife to my heart. I left us both broken, but I did it for her.

  “If you changed your mind, if you didn’t love me anymore, you should have told me.”

  That snaps me out of my silence. “That’s not what happened.”

  “Then what happened, Malcolm? Were you bored? Did you need something I wasn’t giving you? Was there someone else? What was it that I didn’t do for you?” She shakes her head angrily. “No. Never mind. Don’t even answer that. I promised myself I wouldn’t do this. I don’t care anymore. I moved on. I’ve been fine without you.” She walks away from me, her arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

  I try to sort my thoughts in my head, but all I can focus on is her thinking I stopped loving her. Of course that’s what she thought. She deserved an explanation, she’s right about that, but I knew she’d see through a lie. And if I told her the truth… she never would have let me go.

  “I didn’t stop loving you,” I call after her.

  She glares at me over her shoulder, her scoff audible.

  “I didn’t stop loving you,” I repeat. “Not then. Not now.” She pauses, keeping her back to me, so I continue. “I found out about your early admission to Harvard, Sunny. That you were going to give it up. Settle for community college. For me.”

  She finally turns, her eyes moving over my face. “Who told you? Emmitt?”

  I hesitate, unable to find my voice. Unwilling to hurt her more. And the truth will hurt her.

  “Who told you?” she asks again, her voice demanding. “Emmitt promised he wouldn’t tell. He had no right. No right. That was my decision to make. Not his.”

  “Emmitt didn’t tell me!” Fuck. “It doesn’t matter how I found out. I couldn’t let you throw everything you worked so hard for away. If I allowed that to happen, then I didn’t deserve you anyway. I loved you enough to make sure you fulfilled your dream.”

  Her eyes shine with moisture. “You were my dream, you idiot.”

  I shake my head. “No, I was a distraction. Harvard was your dream.”

  Sunny crosses her arms over her chest. “God, Malcolm, you sound like my dad.” Her eyes widen and then immediately narrow. “It was my dad. He told you about Harvard.”

  “You should have told me, Sun.”

  “There was nothing to tell. I knew what I wanted. I knew what I was choosing.”

  “What you were giving up,” I correct. “Eventually, one day, you would have resented me.”

  A puff of dry laughter leaves her lips. “I’ve resented you for the last four years.”

  “Yeah, but at least you resented me from Harvard instead of my bed.”

  “Fuck you, Malcolm. Just… fuck you. You ripped my heart out and think you can justify it by pretending you did it for me?”

  “I did do it for you. Do you think it didn’t kill me to leave? I wanted to be with you. I wanted to fucking marry you. Do you really believe I didn’t think about you every single damn day? You were the first girl I ever loved. I loved you so much, I wanted you to have the thing you worked your ass off for. And if you think I don’t still love you, you’re wrong. You can hate me all you want, but I don’t think it’s possible for me to ever stop loving you.”

  She pushes me. Hard. Her hand forming a small fist she beats into my chest once, twice, three times. I let her. I deserve it. Anything and everything she throws at me.

  “I’m sorry.” It’s all I can say. It’s all I can think. All I can feel. “I’m so sorry.”

  She stops hitting me, but her hand remains against my chest. I close my fingers over it, sliding my other hand around her back. It’s bittersweet to hug her. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I love you. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m so sorry.”

  She tips her head back, shaking it side to side. Her eyes filled with emotion.

  “I wasn’t good enough for you, Sunny. You have always been so much better than me. You deserved more than I could offer. How I handled it was stupid. I fucked that up. But please believe that I did it for you and I never ever meant to hurt you. I am so sorry.”

  “That’s my dad talking, Malcolm. How did you let him get into your head so deeply?”

  Probably because everything he said were thoughts I had already been struggling with.

  “What I deserved was happiness and you did that for me. Not Harvard. You.”


  I press my forehead to hers, inhaling her into my lungs. Her words have always had the ability to cut me to the bone.

  “I’ve spent the last four years working to make something of myself,” I say. “I worked two jobs, saving every penny I could. I finished school with two different degrees in digital design. I’m not completely there yet, but I’m trying. So that I might be deserving of you some day. I don’t know if that will ever be possible, especially after how I handled things, but if you give me a chance, I will spend the rest of my life trying.”

  “You deserve happiness too,” she whispers.

  “That’s what you are, Sun. My light. My joy. My everything.”

  She shifts her head, her lips hovering just out of reach of mine. “I wish I hated you.”

  “You should.”

  “But I don’t.”

  “I still love you,” I say.

  “Prove it, Malcolm. Show me.”

  I press my mouth to hers and she moans, opening for me. Euphoria fills every cell in my body. Who knows what will come of this? If she’ll forgive me. If this is her offering me another chance or this is just a way to find closure. Whatever it is, I’m going to take it. I’m going to live in the moment and thank my lucky stars for each and every second.

  I pull her closer and her body melds to mine. Her fingers sliding between us as she pops the button on my pants, making it clear what she wants. So I give it to her. I lift her, her legs wrapping around my waist, and lean her against the door.

  She goes to work on my shirt, working each fastener one at a time and all I can do is stare at her, unable to believe this happening.

  If this is all I get, it’s more than I deserve.

  When she finishes with my dress shirt, she goes back to my pants, tugging the zipper down and freeing my hard cock. She strokes me, her hand moving up and down my length. I honestly thought I would never feel her touch again.

  “Please,” Sunny says, her eyes meeting mine.

  One word. That’s all it ever took to break my willpower with this girl.

  Malcolm slides my panties to the side and then he’s inside of me.

  I throw my head back against the metal door and moan, trying to move against him. It’s not enough. I need him deeper. I’ve missed him so much. It’s never been like this. Not with any other man. Malcolm is the only one who can make me feel completely undone.

  His mouth slides along my neck as he thrusts into me. I tangle my fingers into his hair, tugging and pressing.

  “You feel so good,” he rasps. “So good. So good.”

  Tears seep from beneath my closed eyes. He left me. But he tried to do the right thing. He didn’t think he was good enough. How could he ever think that? He was everything. Everything. He made me a better person. He offered me new perspectives and challenged me. Because of him, I began looking at things differently. Finding joy in everything I did. He was my heart.

  And he’s back.

  No, he never said that.

  He’s here for a wedding.

  But he asked for another chance.

  What does that mean?

  His teeth sink into the sensitive spot between my neck and shoulder and I lose all coherent thought.

  Oh, fuck.

  This feels incredible.

  I want this.

  Forever.

  “Malcolm,” I cry. “Fuck. Yes. Please.”

  “I know, Sun. God, I know. I love you. I love you. Please forgive me.”

  I try to nod. I’m not sure I pull it off. “Just don’t stop.”

  Don’t stop.

  Don’t stop.

  His lips find mine once again and I can’t get enough of his taste in my mouth. This is how it should have always been.

  “All these years,” I say, more tears falling.

  He’s kissing my cheeks, wiping away the streaks of salty moisture. “I know. I’m a fucking idiot. I’m so sorry. I love you.”

  He keeps saying it.

  Keeps showing it.

  But what if he leaves me again?

  I can’t bare it twice.

  “I’ll do whatever you want,” he pants, hips still moving. “You want me to beg, I’ll beg. You want me to move to Massachusetts, I’ll move. I’ll fucking crawl on my hands and knees all the way there. Please fucking forgive me.”

  Yes. That’s what I want.

  But how do I trust him again?

  He tugs on my ear with his teeth, his breath on my skin, plunging into me so hard, so deep. “Please. I can’t walk away from you again. I can’t. I’m not strong enough. I’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy of your love. Forgive me.”

  My heart breaks open. Or maybe it freaking heals. I’m so scared and so happy at the same time. He’s all I ever wanted. Somehow, I need to make him understand that.

  I grip his face between my palms and kiss him, putting everything I feel into it. “I have never stopped loving you,” I breathe against his lips. “I forgive you.”

  “Tell me you’ll give me a second chance.”

  “Yes,” I moan. “Yes. Just stay with me. Don’t fucking leave me again.”

  He’s sweating and smiling and moisture fills his dark eyes. “Never, Sun. Never.”

  I hold the hem of my dress and drop into my chair next to my husband. Wow. My husband. I can’t believe I’m married. And I can’t believe my best friend has missed half of my reception. She’s going to be so mad if she doesn’t get a piece of cake.

  “So how long are we going to leave them up on the roof?” I ask as I place a kiss on Emmitt’s cheek.

  He glances at his phone before he tosses back the last of his champagne. “The night’s still early. I say we give them at least another hour.”

  “Really?” I ask, scrunching my nose. Emmitt does the same, imitating me before leaning in to brush his lips against mine. “It’s kind of chilly tonight.”

  He wiggles his brows, grinning. “Good. They’ll have to keep each other warm.”

  I tip my own glass, looking at him over the rim. Either that or they’ll kill each other. My money’s on Sunny. She’s small, but she’s scrappy when she needs to be.

  “Okay, but we can never let them know we purposely left them locked out there.”

  He extends his pinky and I wrap mine around it. A promise that cannot be broken. “We’ll save it for their wedding day toast.”

  Cheryl McIntyre is the author of the bestselling Sometimes Never series, as well as the Dirty series, Infinitely, Dark Calling, Villain, HARD, and Love Sex & Other Games. She resides in Ohio with her high school sweetheart, their two sons, one daughter, and a fur son.

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  Just Our Luck

  Copyright © 2018 by Vanessa Morse

  All rights reserved.

  Crumb0419@bellsouth.net

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or
locales is entirely coincidental.

  To Chad, No matter what suprises life throws at us, I’m lucky enough to share each moment with you. I love you 5. -Crumb

  “What a beautiful place for a wedding! Norah, isn’t this place lovely!” I yelled across the pond of the small estate to my twin sister. Norah was the maid of honor for her best friend, Talia’s wedding, and I was lucky enough to score an invitation…six degrees of separation or something crazy like that. Sometimes I guess it paid to be part of a duo, an identical duo. Today, I was cashing in.

  “I cannot wait to see you in your dress, Talia!” I gushed as I skipped over to where they were sat. Talk of flowers and food and music, I pulled a chair out and plopped down next to them. My elbow propped on the table, fingers tucked under my chin and eyes wide as I took in the conversation around me. I was positively smitten with the entire ordeal.

  “What colors are you having? Have you chosen the flowers yet? How about your bridesmaids?” I couldn’t contain my curiosity as samples of fabric and lace draped across the table in an assortment of pastels to jewel tones. “So many choices…” I started when Norah held up her hand and flashed a wide-eyed warning, her lips pursed like she was containing bees behind them.

  “Shut. Up.” She gritted between clenched teeth before turning back to Talia and resuming whatever they were discussing.

  I rolled my eyes and exhaled an exaggerated sigh. Dramatic? Maybe. But I was excited, weddings always gave me starry-eyes and gooey insides. I loved weddings. The romance of it all just made my heart flutter, and my mirror image was ruining all the fun of it for me. I skimmed my fingers along one of the light linens, the pattern of lace equal parts delicate to intricate. Norah snapped her hand out to smack mine, the tips of her fingers sharp against my knuckles. “Ouch!” I yelped, “What was that for?”

  “Quit touching things.” She whispered through clenched teeth. I stuck my tongue out in defiance and stood.

  “Fine, I’m going to look around some more. Talia, this place is perfect!” I smiled at the Bride-to-Be and walked off. Anything was better than sitting next to my sister while she pretended to be excited for Talia’s big day. She was the worst possible choice for a maid of honor. I was surprised Talia even asked her, best friend or not, Norah was so uncomfortable amidst all that satin and lace I could feel her apprehension in my bones. Yet, there they sat. Talia went on and on about where the chairs would be set, what kinds of hors d’oeuvres would be served, to when the cake would be cut.