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SARAH SPUN AROUND IN her fluffy hotel robe, holding her arms up in the air. “That was the best freaking massage of my entire life. Dear God, after that, I’m totally booking a couple’s massage for us on our honeymoon.”
“I agree,” Morgan said, collapsing down on the king-sized bed in Sarah’s hotel room. “That was amazing. We should’ve done brunch afterward though. With all the food, mimosas, and the hour-long massage, I need a little siesta.”
“Then take a power nap,” Sarah joked. “The makeup artist will be here soon to unpack things and set up, and we’ve got our hair appointments.”
“Did you decide to wear a veil?” Bree asked.
“Just for the ceremony—and did you see these cute little dangly earrings I got?” she asked, crossing the room to the dresser. She held them up for Morgan and Bree.
“Cute!” Bree said. “Oh, I think that’s the makeup artist at the door. I’ll go let her in.”
Sarah walked back and forth in the bedroom, continuing to talk to Morgan, who was still lounging on the bed. “Okay, so we’ve got all the last-minute stuff, right? My mom will be coming up here later on, too. She booked her hair appointment with whoever Rebecca usually sees. The cake was delivered to the restaurant; the florist texted that she’s on her way....”
Morgan sat back up. “You’re flushing! I never thought I’d see you as a blushing bride.”
“I’m excited!” Sarah said. “It’s all finally happening.” She glanced over to the closet, looking at her wedding gown hanging there. “God, just a few short hours, and I’ll be walking down the aisle. I just want everything to be perfect, you know?”
“It will be,” Morgan assured her.
“Oh, I forgot to text Ryan back earlier,” Sarah said, grabbing her phone. His message was still on the screen.
I can’t wait to make you mine, baby girl. See you soon.
Sarah quickly thumbed a response.
See you at the end of the aisle! xoxo
“Men have it so easy,” she said. “Ryan’s basically got nothing to do to get ready—shower, shave, and throw on his uniform. We’re spending the entire day getting ready.”
“Special delivery for Ms. Foster!” Bree said in a sing-song voice. She walked in carrying a vase of white and red roses and a small velvet box.
“Oh!” Sarah squealed, jumping up. “Guess it wasn’t the makeup artist.”
She took the flowers and set them on the dresser, opening up the little card with shaking hands.
I love you forever.
Ryan
Opening up the small velvet box, Sarah saw that there was a gorgeous heart pendant encrusted with tiny diamonds. Her heart pounded in her chest as she lifted the necklace up and undid the tiny clasp. “This is gorgeous,” she breathed. “It will go perfectly with my wedding gown.”
“He’s so romantic!” Morgan said.
Sarah clasped it around her neck and looked at herself in the mirror. “It goes perfectly with my fluffy robe,” she joked.
“Oh, there’s the makeup artist,” Bree said as there was another knock on the door.
“And there’s my phone! I bet it’s Ryan texting again.” Sarah grabbed her phone and scanned over the text from the hairdresser. “Oh, I need to run upstairs a minute to see the hairdresser.”
“What? No, tell her to come down,” Bree said, walking back into the room. “Everyone else is here.”
“Okay.” Sarah texted the woman back and then waved hello to the makeup artist. A few minutes later, the hairstylist arrived with her supplies, looking somewhat flustered.
“Is everything okay?” Sarah asked as the woman came in and nearly dropped what she was carrying.
“Yes, of course,” the woman assured her. “I just had to bring everything down from my own room.”
“What’d you need your own room for?” Morgan asked as she settled into her chair. “This suite is huge.”
“I just thought it might be too crowded in here, but you’re right, this is fine,” she said, excusing herself to answer her cell phone.
A few minutes later, Sarah sank into a plush chair as the hairstylist began to curl and spritz her hair. She wanted to wear her hair down, so that it could blow in the breeze, but the woman was seriously performing miracles. She turned to look at herself in the mirror, amazed at how soft and flowing it looked.
“And now the veil?” she asked.
“Right here!” Morgan said, grabbing it from the dresser and crossing the room.
“Are you sure we should put it on now?” Sarah asked. “What about my makeup?”
“It’s fine,” the makeup artist assured her. “I can clip it back if needed, and I promise to be careful. Let her finish and get it secured, and then I’ll get to work.”
“Okay,” Sarah said, taking a deep breath. Her stomach was beginning to flutter with nervous butterflies. This was all really about to happen. She was excited and thrilled yet nervous, too.
An hour later, her bridesmaids were zipping her into her wedding dress. It was exactly the beachy, ethereal look she was going for. She almost wished she and Ryan had arranged to do photos before the wedding while everything was picture perfect, but she couldn’t wait to see his face when she walked down the aisle.
She nervously smoothed her gown and examined herself in the mirror as Morgan and Bree got dressed. A few minutes later, her bridesmaids emerged from the living room in their dresses.
“Eek! This is really happening!” Sarah said.
“It is!” Morgan said. “It’s time, hun!”
“I’m going to run down and check to make sure the photographer is here,” Bree said. “I think Ryan and his groomsmen are in the lobby getting ready to head down to the beach. Once they’re outside, we can go wait down there.”
“Okay,” Sarah said, her heart racing. It was crazy to be so nervous all of a sudden. She was marrying Ryan, the man of her dreams. There was absolutely nothing that could go wrong now.
“I’ll wait here with Sarah if both of you want to go check on things,” the hairstylist said as she packed up her equipment.
“Yeah, that sounds good. Sarah’s mom was planning to come up here, so I’ll go look for her in the lobby,” Morgan said.
Sarah snuck over to the balcony to look outside as her friends headed out of the hotel suite. She could see the canopy arch on the beach where she and Ryan would marry, with the white tulle blowing in the ocean breeze. Flowers were scattered about, and white folding chairs were set up for their friends and family to watch. Her father would walk her down the aisle, and then that would be it.
She and Ryan would say their vows and be married.
A knock on the door caused her to turn, and a moment later, her hairstylist was walking over with a small tray of food. “Why don’t you have a little something to eat before the ceremony? You looked a little bit nervous. Crackers and tea?”
“That sounds perfect,” Sarah said. “Did you order this?”
The woman nodded, and Sarah took the tea kettle and poured herself a cup, smelling the aromatic scent as it filled the air. “This smells heavenly,” she said, raising the cup to her lips and taking a small sip. The taste was slightly sweeter than she expected since she hadn’t added any honey or sugar, and she wondered if it was some herbal blend she hadn’t tried before.
“Hmmm, I think I hear someone at the door. Have another sip, and I’ll be right back.”
Sarah nodded, taking a tiny sip to settle her suddenly quaking stomach. Her palms began to sweat and skin started to feel clammy. Suddenly she knew something was very, very wrong. The world started to spin, and she grasped for the dresser.
“I need help,” she said weakly, her knees buckling.
The tea cup fell to the ground, the hot liquid staining her white dress. She heard a male voice in the background and tried to stand up, but her legs wouldn’t cooperate.
The entire world faded to black.
