Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

IVY

"Please," I take a deep breath. "tell me you're kidding."

Ally, my best friend since I was five years old and terrified of speaking up for myself, takes my hand in hers. "I wish I were."

"Oh." I spin quickly, hoping to find a rock to crawl under.

"Do you want Shane and I to talk to the guests?" There's a hesitation in her voice as her eyes dart from her boyfriend back to me. Ally and Shane have been dating on and off for what feels like forever since high school. "We don't mind, it would keep you from-"

I use my 'something old' to dry the tears from my face. It's my grandmother's handkerchief she carried at her wedding, my mother at hers, my sister at her wedding, and every woman in my family since my grandmother.

Finally, I turn around and plaster a smile on my face. "No, I'll do it."

"We don't mind, Ivy." Shane touches my arm, speaking softly.

I gather my gown in my left hand and toss my bouquet at the chair in the corner before walking toward the door. "No, I've got this."

Walking through the corridor, my stomach clinches, and I stop long enough to close my eyes and take a deep breath. As I try to steal my nerves, I begin to sway, and all I can think of is that when the doors open this time, they'll be whispering about me out of sympathy instead of commenting on my beautiful gown.

"Whoa." I hear myself mutter as my ears begin to ring and the lights darken.

I've got you. “I’m wrapped in a warm embrace. The closeness makes my heart flutter, knowing that Will has come to his senses and is here with me. My head lulls as my feet leave the floor, and a breeze sweeps over me.

The cool air immediately makes me feel better, and I breathe freely again. I can't believe I'm on the verge of passing out or at least hitting the floor face-first.

""How's that?" A wet compress touches my neck and startles me enough to make me aware of my surroundings. But once I turn to face the sweet-smelling exhaled words and open my eyes, I'm thrust back into reality.

"Oh!" I gasp. "It's you, Colter."

"Sorry." He frowns, which helps to darken his stunning blue eyes.

If I have to be honest, Colter was the love of my life… when I was twelve. We grew up together, in a sense, because he's two years older and is my brother's best friend. He's supposed to be Will's best man, but we see how that turned out, right?

"Don't be," I pat his chest, hoping to come across like I'm okay and not about to fall into a million pieces. "I'm glad it's you."

"Do tell?" His smile stretches across his perfectly molded face; Colter's jawline could injure a girl.

I let my head fall back again and sigh heavily. "Better you than me racking up a murder charge."

"I see. I'm the lesser of the two evils." He helps me to the seat next to him, and it's not until then that I realize I've been resting on his lap and against his chest this entire time.

"Dear God, man. I've been sitting on you this entire time?" I gasp with fear and embarrassment.

Again, he smiles, but this time, there's a hint of the mischievous boy I used to know so well. "I wasn't complaining."

"Shut up!" I slap his thigh. Yeah, the rock-hard one my ass was just riding.

"Well, I wasn't, and I didn't want you to fall or possibly slip if I sat you down and you weren't expecting it." Colter's face softens, and I remember why I was close to a panic attack.

The tension in my shoulders suddenly returns, and my stomach roils. "I suppose I need to get in there and do this thing."

"You don't owe anyone anything." He touches my hand, glancing down briefly. "My car is right there; I'm happy to get you outta here right now."

I nod, knowing he's right, but also, this is my mess to take care of right now. "Start the car, I'll be right back."

"I'll have the door open." He pats my hand and releases me to go do my thing.

I stand, though wobbling, and walk toward the front doors. As I grab the handle, I look over my shoulder to watch as Colter jogs over to his car. He's always been so good to me, even when Will and I had our big blow-up a few weeks back.

"I should've known then he would follow through with this," I grumble and pull the door wide.

"Are you alright?" Ally asks as soon as I enter the foyer to the Grand Ballroom at Lioncrest.

"I'm good; I need to get this over with." I motion toward the door, and she takes the lead. Holding it open for me, she gently pats my back as I walk down the aisle and to the front of the congregation.

Clearing my throat, I draw in a deep breath and turn around, facing around and their looks of dismay and wonderment. I hate this, and I can honestly say I hate Will for doing this to us. But some gifts come as heartache before turning into something beautiful.

"Hey, y'all." I force a smile. As I look around the room for a friendly face, it hits me that Will's parents are nowhere in sight. Son of a bitch, even they knew and didn't have the decency to tell me.

"I suppose I should explain the delay, but to be honest, I can't. It's as much of a surprise to me as it is to you that there'll be no wedding today. Will has decided that I'm not for him, and as much as I'd like to know myself, I can't give you any other reason.

"I apologize for this inconvenience, and in the next weeks, I'll be returning your gifts and kindness in some way. Thank you." I fist my gown in both hands and break for the door.

Ally and Shane hold the doors wide for me, and I sprint back through the foyer. I push the entry doors open, and as sure as his word, Colter sits with his car running and ready for me to slide in beside him.

"Where to?" Colter turns to me as I struggle to buckle my seatbelt over my dress.

"Well, there's a reservation waiting in Bald Head Island." I shake my head in disbelief. My dream wedding destination was The Biltmore in Asheville, and since we’re both working, we planned our honeymoon close to home. "I'd prefer not to waste it since it’s non-refundable."

"I'll need to grab some shorts if we’re going to the beach." He side-eyes me. "That's if you're asking me to go with you?"

My mouth drops open, yet I am considering him going with me. After today, I'm gonna be the talk of the town, and we are good friends. "What the hell, c'mon. I'll also need to swing by and pack something for myself."

"I thought you'd never ask, but how about we ditch going by our homes and just hit the mall and get what we need?" He glances over and smiles.

"I need my passport and wallet." I flex my fists, hating that I forgot them.

Colter smirked and reached into the console between us. He holds my things up, shaking them in the air. "I grabbed them from Ally while you talked to the guests."

"Thank you," I say, reaching for my wallet. I hold Colter's hand longer than necessary until he looks at me again. "I have no other words right now except for thank you."

Colter nods, and I release his hand. "It's okay; you'd do the same for me."

"Please!" I roll my eyes at him. "We all have bets on when you will announce that you're never getting married and how long the PowerPoint will take to explain your reasoning."

The fact that it's so spot on for him makes me start giggling; I take a chance to peek over at Colter and begin laughing in earnest at the 'deer caught in a headlight' facial expression, knowing I'm spot on. He finally starts to shake his head and can't help but join me laughing the entire way to the mall.