38. Mira

38

MIRA

"Are the flowers here yet?"

Taylor doesn't even look up as she nods. "Yes."

"And the cake?"

"Chilling in the downstairs fridge as we speak."

I worry the lace of my dress between my fingers. At this rate, all the beading on the front of my gown is going to be gone by the time the ceremony starts. "Oh, crap. The catering! I didn't order?—"

"Tablecloths," Taylor drawls. "You thought of that last night, texted me in a panic, and I bought some at Home Goods on my way over this morning. There are only four tables, so I won't even ask for reimbursement. I am nothing if not generous."

I sigh, but it does nothing to loosen the knot of anxiety in my chest. Even with all of the help I've had at my disposal, it's been there all week.

"Girl, breathe." Taylor inhales slowly and exhales, but I can't even pretend to follow her. It's hard when I'm too busy hyperventilating.

Me being on the verge of a mental breakdown is why Jemma and Rachelle decided to be anywhere other than this room, I'm sure. That… and I asked them to double-check that all of the bulbs in the string lights are working.

The realization hits me all at once.

"Oh, God, I'm a bridezilla! I need to go grab Jemma and Rachelle. They should be in here, not working in the backyard."

Taylor blocks my path to the door and shakes my shoulders. "Don't make me slap you, Mira. It will smear your makeup."

"And it would hurt."

"And it would hurt," she agrees. "Though that's not my main objection. Also, it's your wedding day and the only thing I should be doing is pinching you because you feel like you're in a dream! That's the kind of blood, sweat, and tears I've put into calling up every favor I've been saving with businesses all over the city to make this wedding happen on time."

"God, you're right." I go to clap my hands over my face, but I stop when I remember the painstaking work the makeup artist put into my eyeshadow. So I end up staring at my palms. "Everyone has put so much work into this, and I'm so stressed I haven't even thanked you all."

Taylor wrenches my hands away. "No, you're so stressed that you haven't even enjoyed it! You've gotta stop and smell the flowers, Mimi."

She leads me towards the tall, gold-framed standing mirror in the corner of the guest room we've commandeered as the Bridal Suite.

Zane and a horde of hockey players moved most of our stuff from the condo to the new house a couple days ago. Most of the boxes are unpacked, but this room was left intentionally bare. Today, when I arrived, there was a velvet sofa, the gilded mirror, and the softest robe I've ever felt in my life. From Z was the only thing written on the note left behind.

Zane stayed over at Daniel's last night. It's only been eighteen hours since I last saw him, but it's almost embarrassing how much I miss him.

Taylor jerks me to a stop in front of the mirror and stands over my shoulder. "Look at yourself."

For the first time all day, I do just that.

There wasn't time for a custom wedding dress, but I found the perfect off-the-rack gown at the first boutique we went to. Zane loves my sundresses so much that I went for something without a lot of structure. Sheer tulle straps flow into a lace bodice with floral appliques that trail down the flowing skirt. Even if I'd had a full year to search for a dress, I still think this is the one I would have chosen.

The makeup artist took my half-sarcastic direction of "totally natural, but ethereal and flawless and angelic" very seriously. My skin is glowing. And for the first time in a week, my hair is in thick waves over my shoulders instead of a tangled knot on top of my head.

I smile. "I look?—"

"Absolutely fuckable," Taylor finishes. "Too hot to handle."

"Taylor!"

She shrugs shamelessly. "I call ‘em like I see ‘em, darling, and Zane is going to lose his mind when he sees you."

At that moment, someone knocks on the door. Taylor throws herself in front of me like a shield. "I don't care how convincing you think you are, lover boy, you can't see her until the wedding!"

"What? Zane has been trying to see me?" I instinctively start to look for my phone before I remember Taylor stripped it off of me first thing this morning. The same way Daniel, apparently, stole Zane's phone.

The door cracks open and Daniel's face appears. "It's just me and—" His eyes go wide at the sight of Taylor in her bridesmaid dress. Taylor chose the strapless version of the silk rose dresses I selected and Daniel seems to approve wholeheartedly. "You are a goddess, Tay. Absolutely gorgeous."

"You're supposed to compliment the bride, idiot." Taylor rolls her eyes, but her cheeks are a brighter pink than they were a second ago.

Daniel pivots to smile at me. "You are radiant, Mira. Can we come in?"

"‘We'?"

He throws the door wide to reveal that my hallway is absolutely stuffed to the brim with a thousand pounds' worth of hockey players.

"We aren't supposed to see her!" Davis covers his own eyes and throws a hand over Reeves's while he's at it.

Jace just stretches onto his toes to give me a wave over their heads. I laugh and wave back.

"Jace, avert your gaze!" Davis barks.

"I'm not the one marrying her, dumbass. Plus, Daniel already saw her."

Daniel puffs up his chest. "As is my right as the best man."

They jostle back and forth, all of them trying to squeeze into the narrow hallway.

"You swear there isn't a groom hiding between all that muscle?" Taylor peers into the group with narrowed eyes. "If Zane sneaks his way into the bridal suite, my best friend is going to have a eunuch for a husband."

"We solemnly swear." Daniel raises his hand in a scout's honor salute, Reeves crosses his heart, and Davis kisses two fingers and blows it towards the sky.

Jace just shakes his head at the men with their eyes closed and pushes past them into the room. "We're alone. And we wanted to talk to you."

I must be trained to expect bad news because my stomach flips. "Is everything okay?"

"Absolutely not," Davis announces, still shielding his eyes with one hand and using his other to clumsily bat at Jace and Daniel. "We came in here to do something sweet, but these asshats are just pissing all over tradition. I said, Avert your eyes, gentlemen!"

Jace throws up his hands in exasperation and turns his back on me as Daniel winks and does the same. So now, I'm staring at four broad, tuxedo-clad backs.

Davis sighs in relief. "There. Now , everything is fine."

"Superstitious moron," Jace mutters under his breath. "Well, I was going to say that you look lovely, Mira, but apparently, that's against the rules."

Reeves raises a hand. "I'll say it! You look lovely, Mira. Zane is going to lose his mind."

"That's what I said!" Taylor gasps. "Absolutely fucka?—"

I'm glad no one is looking because I slam an elbow into Taylor's side and shove her back towards the couch. Her opinion does not need to be repeated to the groomsmen, thank you very much.

"Anyway," Jace carries on, "we just wanted to come as a group and tell you how happy we are that this day is finally happening."

"‘Finally'? We got engaged a week ago," I remind him.

"Yeah, but Zane has been a grouchy sad sack for years," Davis offers. "The man was miserable and didn't even know it until you came along."

I want to argue. I almost convinced myself this morning that marrying Zane is too selfish. I'm clearly bringing chaos into his life.

But if his best friends don't see it that way, maybe I'm not ruining Zane's life after all.

Daniel sighs. "What this graceless oaf is trying to say is that Zane has never been happier than he is with you. We're thrilled to be here to support you both."

The lack of sleep and excitement are clearly getting to me because I have to blink away tears that threaten to ruin my mascara. "Thanks, guys."

"Also," Reeves adds, "Zane is our boy, but we'll absolutely kick his ass if he fucks things up with you."

"Amen to that!" Taylor calls from the couch.

I laugh. "Thanks for that, too, I guess."

"Okay, that was sweet, but you all need to go." Taylor jumps up and ushers the men out the door. "We have bridal duties to attend to. No more men allowed."

As soon as the men are back in the hallway—and Daniel cracks the door open one last time to blow a kiss to Taylor—she slams the door shut and leans against it. "I'm gonna be honest, they kind of stole my thunder."

"Were you also planning to tell me that Zane has never been happier?"

"Please." She rolls her eyes. "Zane is fine, but you know you are my number one—then, now, and always. The only person whose happiness I care about in this relationship is yours. Which is why—" She looks uncharacteristically serious as she takes my hands. "—I'm also so happy that this day is finally happening."

"Again, just to reiterate, we've only been engaged for one week."

"But I've been watching you put yourself last for years." Taylor gives me a sad smile. "Up until a few months ago, you never showed any interest in dating."

"That never stopped you from trying to set me up on terrible dates."

"I would've respected your pledge to singlehood if I hadn't been able to see how lonely you really were."

Tears prick the back of my eyes again. I chew on the corner of my mouth to keep my chin from wobbling.

"I know I'm the here-for-a-good-time-not-a-long-time friend in this relationship. I take my duties to keep the mood light and never take things too seriously very seriously." She folds my hands against her heart. "But I want to tell you that you're my best friend in the world, Mimi. Even when I knew you were keeping secrets from me. Even when you were scared of your own shadow and refused to buy new furniture."

I laugh, a tear finally slipping free.

"Even when you'd run off and bail on me for months at a time." She gives me a quick, stern look that softens just as fast. "You've always been the best, most loyal person I know. I'm so glad you overcame the bullshit your family put you through so you can finally get the happily-ever-after you deserve."

Before she can even finish, I throw my arms around her neck and squeeze.

"God, you are a real softy now," she teases, squeezing me back.

She isn't wrong. But I'm not sure I mind.

"You're my best friend," I whisper. "I love you."

"I know." She draws back and swipes her fingers under my eyes, cleaning up my mascara. "Now, pull yourself together, woman. We've got a shotgun wedding to get to."