My father laughed. “Well, looks like we’re here. You ready, honey?”
“Ready.” I felt calm and comforted by my little chat with my father. It made me realize this was only the beginning of a long road ahead for Max and me. But together, we just might get through anything.
I scooted forward on the seat, and my dad reached for the door. A few news crews approached, but I’d been expecting them.
“Go ahead. It’s okay,” I assured my father. He was no fan of these people whatsoever.
The limo driver opened the door, and my father got out. He held out his hand, and I took it, carefully extracting myself so I wouldn’t catch the veil or dress on anything.
Once outside, the news crews crowded us, lobbing their questions. Not wanting to see them or ever look back on this day and remember them, I looked at my father and focused on his glowingly proud eyes. Nothing else mattered. Not even the crowd of onlookers who’d gathered across the street.
Almost to the open double doors, I spotted our photographer waiting, crouched a few yards inside, kneeling in the aisle.
I did it. I made it. Easy sailing from here. I glanced down and noticed my empty hands. Crap. “I forgot my bouquet. Be right back.” I turned and scurried back to the limo parked curbside and grabbed my bouquet from the seat inside.
Halfway back to the church door, another news crew rushed me.
Fuck, no. Not these guys. They were the same assholes who’d shown up at my apartment when Max and Patricio had gotten into a fight. They were one of those TMZ type programs, only they lacked any morality whatsoever—spying on people through windows, reporting any rumor they heard regardless of the damage they caused. These guys were vermin.
“Lily! Lily! Have you seen the photos yet, Lily?” the scumbag yelled. “How do you feel about your fiancé having an affair with Adeline Taylor?”
I gave the man a disgusted look. What an asshole. Seriously, what kind of person runs up to a bride and asks about her groom’s exes? I kept on walking.
“Are you going through with the wedding? Did you know he spent the night at her hotel last night and didn’t leave until ten this morning? Have you seen the photos of the two of them kissing at the Blue Electric last night?”
His words stopped me in my tracks, and my shock only encouraged them. The Blue Electric was the club Max had been at last night for his bachelor party.
No, no, no. What did he just fucking say? I stared at the ass-faced reporter standing in front of me with a sadistic smirk on his lips as his crew filmed my reaction. They hoped I’d cry for the entire world, didn’t they?
Maybe I would.
“Tell me, Lily, how does it feel?” He urged the cameraman closer and shoved the microphone an inch from my face. “How does it feel to know your fiancé cheated on you last night, the night before your wedding?”
I tried to blink away my tears, but his words felt like a red-hot fire poker through my collapsing heart. After everything that had happened, every tear shed, every moment of struggle, and the promises made, I couldn’t believe it had all led to this: emotional annihilation.
The bastard cheated on me?
What did you expect, Lily? Princes don’t fall for frogs. Not in real life. He wanted to have a beautiful life, a perfect life. He wanted a beautiful wife and beautiful babies. I couldn’t give him those things.
I dropped my bouquet, smoothed down the front of my white dress, and lifted my chin. “It feels like shit.” I turned away from the church, ignoring the roar of the press, and got into the limo. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I had heard my father calling me, but I couldn’t face him or anyone. I felt crushed. Crushed beyond all belief.
“Drive!” I told the chauffeur.
“Is something the matter, Lily?” I looked up at the familiar face in the mirror.
“Callahan? Where did the other driver go?” I barely remembered what that guy looked like because I’d been so distracted with the wedding, but I knew someone else had driven us to the church.
“The other driver will take your family to the restaurant. Mr. Cole wanted me to drive you two after the ceremony for privacy purposes.”
Like sex, I assumed. Wow, what a thoughtful sonofabitch.
“Miss Snow, what’s going on? Why aren’t you inside?” Callahan asked.
“I’m not getting married. That’s why. Can you take me to my apartment, please?”
“Of course, Miss Snow. But…are you sure?”
“Your boss cheated on me last night with that fucking bitch Adeline Taylor. So yeah, I’m sure.”
Callahan gave me a look. “Mr. Cole was with me all night, Miss Snow. I promise. I drove the entire party to their hotel myself, and I…” He made a strange face and wiggled his head a little.
“And what?” I snapped.
“I carried Mr. Cole to his room. He was passed out drunk.”