“Yes, it was!” Spencer pressed her hands over her eyes. “You were right, Han. I shouldn’t have suggested we stay in Cape May. It’s why I went into the water after her. I felt responsible.”
“None of us is responsible,” Aria urged. “We all loved her. We all wanted to protect her. And we thought we would keep her safe, all together in one hotel room. It just didn’t work out that way.”
Hanna pulled them in again. It felt so good to hug them. It was what they should have done at Emily’s funeral. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. They’d all loved Emily. They’d all wanted the best for her.
Suddenly, Ramona appeared on the scene and let out a screech. “What the hell, girls?” she bellowed, inspecting Hanna’s smeared makeup. She pressed the mouthpiece of her headset closer to her ear. “Is Janie still here? Get her over to the back vestibule so she can fix the bride.”
The makeup artist arrived promptly and began dabbing a foundation-filled sponge on Hanna’s cheeks. Everyone moved down the corridor to where Ms. Marin was waiting to walk Hanna down the aisle. Hanna’s flower girl, Morgan, waited there, too, looking like a little fairy in her white tulle dress. A cornflower-blue sash accentuated her eyes, and her long, light-brown hair had been pinned in a ballerina bun. When she saw Hanna, Morgan let out a squeal and gave her a hug. “You look so pretty!” she cried.
Hanna grinned happily at Morgan, and then turned to take her mom’s arm. Spencer peeked out the door at the ceremony area on the lawn. The doors were open halfway, bringing in the bright, late-day sunshine, and Hanna could just make out the swells of the harpist Ramona had hired.
“There are tons of people here,” Spencer whispered. “Including Hailey Blake and that cute guy from that new cop show.”
“And Mike’s already up there,” Aria reported. “He looks so nervous. Although I don’t know if it’s because he’s marrying you or because he’s going to soon be surrounded by a ton of Hooters girls.”
“You’re having Hooters girls?” Spencer looked confused.
Hanna giggled. “Long story.” Then she looked at her friends, suddenly realizing something. “Listen,” she said. “I want you guys to be part of the wedding procession. As my bridesmaids.”
Spencer and Aria exchanged an excited look. “Are you sure?” Aria asked.
“Of course I’m sure.” Hanna thought about the headbands she’d bought for them, back at home. She wished she could retrieve them, but there wasn’t enough time—and maybe that was okay. Instead, she grabbed two bouquets of flowers from the terra-cotta pots lining the mansion’s doors, plucked a few stems from each, and wove them into the girls’ hair. She placed the rest of the bouquets in their hands. “Here.”
Aria looked like she was going to cry again. “This means so much, Hanna.”
“I’m so glad you’re doing this,” Spencer whispered. “It’s what Emily would have wanted.”
“I think so, too,” Hanna said.
The harpist broke into the opening strains of Pachelbel’s Canon in D. Ramona frowned into her headset, then looked at the bridal party. “We’re ready.”
“Go,” Hanna whispered, nudging Aria to start down the aisle. A few beats later, Ramona gestured for Spencer to go. And then it was Hanna’s turn. Shaking, she grabbed her mother’s elbow and took small, even steps, her head swimming. She wasn’t sure she breathed until she was a few paces in, when she looked up and saw Mike in the most gorgeous tux ever, standing under the little tent, his eyes wide and his lips parted. His expression was a cross between loving adoration and the look of a horny, Hooters-loving adolescent who was dying to tear the dress off her.
Hanna breathed and laughed and maybe started crying again, overjoyed that he was there, and that he was hers. Her friends were back. Her mom was at her side. Hundreds of faces lit up as they turned and caught sight of her. Suddenly, Hanna felt a sense of overwhelming peace. Getting married before the trial verdict was delivered, no matter what the jury decided—it had been the best decision ever.
Everything, for once, was absolutely perfect.
24
DOES SHE STAY OR DOES SHE GO?