30. Aiden

CHAPTER 30

AIDEN

T hese shoes don't fit me. They're brand-new and the leather is so stiff it's digging into the backs of my heels, and they don't fit. It's not stopping me pacing, though. It's pacing or throwing up — and I'd rather deal with the blisters.

What do I do if she doesn't come?

Katie told me yesterday that she wouldn't be surprised if Candice left town before the ceremony. She laughed it off as if she was joking, but it's sickeningly plausible. Candice never wanted all this shit. I promised her we wouldn't have to do it like this, but when my mother gets her hands on something, it's her way or nothing.

I wish I could talk to Candice. I want to know if she's okay.

A twinge of guilt hits me in the stomach. I should have talked to her more over the last month. I've barely seen her at all except for business meetings, and she is really good at keeping a professionally straight face in front of other people. I have no idea how she does it. I'm being torn apart. Is it the same for her? Is she tormented by decisions, by wondering what the future will be?

It's not that I haven't tried. I wanted to meet for lunch a bunch of times over the last month but each time I got a weak excuse. The last time I saw her was at the rehearsal last weekend, and by now I know exactly what her forced smile looks like.

Is something that's going to be so great for business really worth breaking her for?

I'm being dramatic. Of course she'll show. She knows what this means for us. It's one day of discomfort for a whole lifetime of success. Mettie's means the world to her, and unless she's come up with another brilliant plan to save herself, I think she'll follow through.

I hit the far wall again and turn, wincing at the sharp pain in my foot. I'm pretty sure I'm drawing blood at this point.

Beyond the doors, there's the burbling of guests. It's mostly my business acquaintances and people who would be offended not to have been invited to this exclusive, big-deal event, but Candice invited her parents and a handful of her friends too. Kelly's her maid of honor, wearing an awful salmon dress. I've never understood why they can't make nice-looking bridesmaids' dresses, and unfortunately ours are no exception.

There's a murmuring of laughter from the crowd. The violinist pauses before launching into another tune that sounds like it's come from the top-ten list of most generic wedding music for solo violin. I'm pretty sure I hear a glass smash. I'm pretty sure no one's meant to be drinking yet.

A door creaks open behind me, and I jump on seeing Nicholas sliding into the room. "How is it out there?" I ask, wincing at my own desperation.

He chuckles, laying a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, kid, I was nervous before my wedding too."

"I'm not nervous," I say, too fast. Nicholas nods in disagreement. He's not exactly wrong but he's not exactly right either. I don't think it's normal to worry that your bride isn't going to show up because you rushed her into doing something she didn't want to do.

I know I'm not supposed to have, but I sneaked a look at some of her wedding-dress pictures. My mother's laptop is remarkably easy to hack when I know all the passwords. Candice was pulling this face of utter repulsion in all of them, even the ones where she was meant to be smiling, and that made me smile way more than the dress itself. Honestly, I don't think they've ever made a nice wedding dress. But Candice is always herself.

It's what I love most about her.

Nicholas withdraws his hand, and his face turns somber. "Look, Aiden, I need a word with you. I have to tell you something."

Icicles start forming in my gut, stabbing and freezing all at the same time. "What?"

"I need you to be honest with me here. Do you want to marry this girl?"

"Yes!" I say, panic bubbling up inside me. "Fuck. I do, I swear." My throat closes up around the last word, making me choke, making my head spin so much I feel like I might be about to die. I fling my arms out like I'm falling, like I'm trying to grab on to anything at all to keep me here on the ground.

Finally, I hit something real — Nicholas grabs my arm and leads me to the wall to lean against it. He smiles knowingly, and bile rises in my throat like I'm about to vomit. The whole world falling away from me, I slide down the wall so I can hit some solid ground. "Don't worry, Aiden. I have good news."

"What?" I say, desperate, quiet. "She's coming after all?"

"Me and the boys were up late every night this week, and you'll be delighted to know that we've found a viable way around the marriage. You can still merge, but you'll never have to see this girl again, and best of all, it's actually going to be a better deal than marital rights anyway." He beams like he's delivered me the best news I could ever want.

Sick and dizzy, I bury my head in my hands. "We're calling it all off?"

Nicholas shrugs. "You say the word, and this nightmare will be over."

"Nightmare?" I echo. Nothing makes sense right now, but one fact is becoming startlingly clear in my mind — not one person around me believes that I care enough about Candice to marry her. And I know in my heart that they're right. If I really cared, I wouldn't have done all this. I'd have listened to her. I'd have found another way to keep us both afloat and let our relationship flourish in our own time.

I have made a terrible, terrible mistake.

"Aiden, you don't look at all well. Let me get you a glass of water."

"No!" I jump to my feet, wobbling precariously. "I mean, have you told her yet? Does she know that the wedding is canceled?"

"The wedding isn't canceled," says Nicholas, his face falling into that hard line it always does when he thinks I'm not listening to him. "Not until you give me the word."

"Does she know?" I press. I must look frantic — I feel frantic. Every atom of my body is shaking.

"Know what? About the loophole?" He holds his hands out as if trying to calm a wild horse. I take a breath, making myself stand still, and nod. "Not yet, I think, but I imagine that someone's going to inform her soon."

"Where is she?" I demand. Nicholas hesitates, and I grab the top of his arm, frightening us both with my intensity. "Where is she? Please."

"The guest hotel."

"Which one?"

"The Oaks. It's on Jubilee Boulevard. It's not that far."

I nod, absorbing the information. Every second counts now. If someone tells her before I can get there to explain, she'll run for sure. And if she runs now, especially now that she doesn't have to marry me, I'm never going to see her again. I have to get there. Now .

I stumble towards the door, running my hand through my hair.

"Aiden," says Nicholas in the same way you tell a disobedient puppy to stay. "What are you doing?"

"I have to go," is the only explanation I offer.

"What about the guests? The wedding? Is it canceled? Is that what you want?" he calls after me, bellowing as I wrench open the door and trip over my own feet escaping.

"Yes!" I yell back. "Cancel it all!"

Nicholas yells something else after me but I don't hear it over the slamming of the door or the pounding of blood in my head. All I know is I need to get to Candice. I need to talk to her, now.

I run out into the street, loosening my tie so I can undo the top button that's strangling me. Waving frantically, I try to hail a cab, but there's traffic everywhere and Saturday-afternoon tourists milling around, looking at me like I'm crazy. This is getting me nowhere. I pull out my phone and with shaking hands punch in the address to The Oaks. Fifteen minutes' walk.

If I run, I can probably make it there in five.

Without another thought, I grip my phone tightly in my hand and sprint in the direction of the arrow on the map, praying that I'm not too late.