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Saturday, September 1—London
After I’ve made my decision to go through with the wedding, it all spirals out of my control. The hair stylist inserts fresh pink roses in my hair, the makeup artist gives my cheeks a last minute brush of color, and before I know it, the wedding march is playing and I’m at my father’s side, walking down the long, long aisle. I hold on to him, hoping this walk will be over soon and willing it to last forever at the same time. So I’m not marrying my first love; almost no one does. Nothing wrong with that. I focus my attention on Richard’s adoring face. I don’t deserve you. The treacherous thought slips out of my head.
I’m such a fraud. Richard’s face is glowing with love, and not two minutes ago, I was contemplating leaving him at the altar to chase after another man.
We reach the front of the chapel and my dad gives my hand to Richard. I hold tightly onto Richard’s strong arm, trying to stop mine from shaking. I try to plaster a confident smile on my face. Richard leads me to our spots in the center of the aisle and the minister opens the ceremony.
“Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here on this beautiful day to celebrate the union of Gemma and Richard in matrimony…”
Right, there’s no turning back at this point.
As the ceremony progresses, increasingly frequent shivers of panic spider walk down my spine. My palms begin pooling with sweat and I try to inconspicuously dry them on the skirt of my dress. I hope no one notices.
“…In the time that Gemma and Richard have spent together, they’ve built the sturdy foundation for a lifelong relationship…”
Now, seriously. We’ve been together barely a year. It hardly qualifies as a sturdy foundation. Lifelong relationship. It gives me pause; I’m committing myself to Richard for life. It’s not on a day-by-day basis anymore; it’s forever. Forever! Tiny beads of sweat make their appearance on my forehead. Why are those huge yellow lights pointing right in our faces? Are they trying to melt us?
“…May you all remember and cherish this ceremony, for on this day, with love, we will forever bind Gemma and Richard together…”
This forever thing again. Why does he keep repeating it? Isn’t once enough?
A noise behind us distracts me. It sounds like the chapel’s front door opening. Some late guest maybe. I’m tempted to look back, but I’m afraid that if I see an open escape route, I’ll take it.
My corset’s too tight. I can’t breathe. Oh gosh, I’m going to pass out. I can’t breathe. I need to get out of this dress; I need out. Out, I need out.
“If there is anyone in attendance who has cause to believe that this couple should not be joined in marriage, you may speak now or forever hold your peace…”
“STOP,” I yell at the top of my lungs, surprising even myself. “I can’t do this,” I whisper. Aw, it feels good to say it aloud. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
The minister stares at me in shock and there’s a collective intake of breath from the guests. I look at Richard, petrified. I can already see the sad drop of his brows and read the resigned pain in those beautiful eyes. I can’t stand that I’m the one who’s doing this to him, so I look away. The door, I need to get to the main door. I want to run away and never stop running. I gather my skirts in my hands ready to make a run for it, turn toward the chapel’s front door, and my heart positively stops as I spot Jake standing in the middle of the aisle, looking at me as if seeing me for the first time.
Just like that, the rest of the world disappears, and it’s just the two of us, staring at each other. I take in all the details of the face I know so well. I see the boy who stole my heart so many years ago standing before me. My first love, my first everything. The only man I ever truly loved. And I do know him, and he does know me. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed, I can read it in his eyes. In a moment, everything changes. My heart swells in my chest, suddenly too big, too full of love to be contained. I look Jake in the eyes and a million unspoken words fly between us, the whispers of our past and the promises of a future together.
Jake’s lips curl up in an uncertain smile, hopeful maybe, before he says, “You sort of stole my opening line there.”
Something half-way between a sob and a chuckle escapes my lips. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Richard moving a step backward. I dare to look at him again and find his features set, resigned.
“Is this the bloke you told me about the first night we met?” he asks.
“Yes, Richard. I-I’m so, so truly very sorry…”
“It’s not your fault. I knew you weren’t ready to marry me. I could tell from the moment I asked.” His shoulders sag. “I just hoped that if I made it perfect for you, you’d eventually want it as much I do. But you don’t. You never have.”
“Oh, Richard.” I hug him tightly. “One day you’ll make one girl really lucky,” I whisper in his ear. “I’m just not that girl.”
“I know. I’ve known for a long time. Go, be happy,” he whispers back.
I let him go, gather up my skirts again, and sprint down the aisle toward Jake. I take his outstretched hand and together we run out of the chapel into the sunset.
***
Outside, Jake stops behind me and pulls me backward. “If I have to wait another second to do this…” He cups my face and leans his forehead against mine. “I’ve missed you so much, I love you so much.” He presses his lips to mine in a passionate kiss before I can say anything. My knees buckle underneath me and I grip his arms to stay upright. If one could die of happiness, I’d be heading to heaven.
Jake pulls back. “When I found out you were getting married, I got so scared. I told myself I’d leave you alone, that I wouldn’t come here today, and before I knew it, I was in the car driving here.”
“Jake, I know. I wanted to crash your wedding when I found out, but I couldn’t. I-I love you. I love you. I love you.” He kisses me again.
“You really wanted to crash my wedding? How? What happened?”
“Later,” I tell him, looking over his shoulders at the chapel door as the first stunned guests flood out. “Let’s get the car and get the hell out of here, now.”
He takes my hand again and drags me forward to his car. We’re almost there when someone screams my name. I turn around and see Amelia running toward us holding her long skirt in one hand and dragging my honeymoon suitcase behind with the other. She catches up with us in the parking lot and throws her arms around my neck.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she whispers in my ear. “I was wrong.”
“It doesn’t matter, it’s all good now.” I beam at her.
“I can see that.” She smiles back at me then at Jake. “You stole the bride.”
He gives her his best mischievous grin.
“Make her happy,” Amelia says.
“Will do.” Jake nods. “I’ll get the car,” he says. “Give you girls a minute.”
Amelia seems about to cry. She hands me the suitcase and takes from her shoulder my purse with my phone, wallet, and passport inside. “After being a runaway bride myself, I thought you might need these.”
“Thanks. Tell my parents I’ll call them soon. And please say sorry to everyone.”
“You don’t worry about a thing, I’ll take care of everything here. Now go and be happy.”
Jake backs the car next to us and I climb in the front seat, waving goodbye one last time as we screech out of the yard, sending gravel flying behind us.
“Any idea where we’re going?” I ask.
Jake looks at me then back at the road. “There’s a flight leaving for Hawaii in two hours. If we hurry, we can catch it.”
“Are you sure you didn’t plan this?”
He gives me that wicked, lopsided grin I love so much and winks at me.
I take Jake’s hand and look at the road ahead, unable to wipe a huge smile off my face. “Woo-hoo. Hawaii, here we come.”