By this point, every other guest was up. Those around me moved away, allowing everyone to see the girl who’d just gotten dumped. I knew the only person who had it worse than me was the man up front. For the first time since I’d gotten there, I truly looked at him: tall, ivory skin, short dark hair, piercing green eyes watching his bride run from him. He stood there so still, so shocked, I almost forgot my own pain.
Why hadn’t I seen the signs?
Eli
Even if I lived to be one hundred and fifty, I would never forget that March 1st. It was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life. After two years of dating, I had finally asked the Hannah Michaels to be my wife.
We had met as medical interns at New York Presbyterian, and on the first day she’d had the attention of every straight male at the hospital. What was sexier than beauty and brains? She was dedicated not only to her work, but also to her patients. The Hannah Michaels… My Hannah was soft, sweet, focused, and precise. No matter what goal, she worked to achieve it; I liked that about her. Whenever we were around each other, we just clicked. She and I were so alike on so many levels, there were times we would end up finishing each other’s sentences. We became close early on, but didn’t actually start to date until we both became attendings.
I couldn’t imagine dating anyone else.
“You nervous?” My younger brother, Logan, placed his arm around my shoulder as I stood in the dressing room.
I shrugged him off, fixing my cuff links. “Why would I be nervous?”
“Eli Davenport is finally taking the plunge. I just can’t believe it. I thought you guys were never going to get married.” He pushed me out of the way to fix his tie.
I smacked him over the head.
“Really? Even today you two fight?” My mother sighed, coming into the room. Her gray-auburn hair was cropped at her shoulders, and her soft green gown kissed the ground as she came close and pulled me into a light hug. The tears in her eyes were already starting to build.
“Ma, he's getting married, not dying.” Logan chuckled.
She gave him a glare. “Now.” She frowned, looking to me. “Are you sure about…this?”
“Mom.” I held on to her shoulders; she was being ridiculous. “You like Hannah. I like Hannah. Why wouldn’t I be sure? You're finally getting the daughter you always wanted.”
“I know.” She placed her hand on my chest. Even with heels, she was still a full head shorter than me. “I just can’t shake this feeling. Who knew letting you go would be so hard?”
My mother and her dramatics, I’d thought. If only we had listened to her gut.
“You still have me,” Logan added, proving he was more like her than our father.
We both looked at him before turning away.
“Wow! Okay, I see how it is,” he muttered before walking toward the door, leaving our mother laughing.
“If your father was still with us, I’m sure he would have been proud of the man you’ve become, Eli. I know I am.” She wiped away a few tears.
I wasn’t sure what else to do but give her my arm. I was never the affectionate one, but that day I went through so many different emotions.
She held on to me tightly as we entered the grounds. She and Hannah had gone crazy with the decorations, but they really enjoyed it, and I honestly didn't care. I just wanted to skip to the important part.
I stood in front of all our family and friends with Logan to my left. Finally the music started, and my gaze shot toward the doors of the mansion, waiting for them to open. I had known she would be beautiful, but she was absolutely radiant.
God, I’m so lucky.
With every step she took, the grin on my face grew, until her hand was in mine.
“You look beautiful,” I whispered.
She smiled, but didn’t say anything in return. In that instant, as the pastor began to speak, all the moments we’d ever shared together played in my mind: the very first time we met…our first operation together…first kiss…first night… Everything ran though my mind like a movie, the highlights of our life.
And this is just the beginning of so much more. Today is—
“Hannah,” someone called.
Hearing her name pulled me from thoughts. My head snapped to the man standing in the aisle with his hand outstretched to my soon-to-be-wife.
“Sebastian?” Logan questioned beside me.
Sebastian… The man calling out to my Hannah was Sebastian Evans, one of Logan’s closest friends. We weren’t close, but I knew of him.
“Hannah,” he called again.
Enough! My mind hollered as I took a step forward, but it was too late.
Hannah released my hand. She let go and never looked back as she ran toward him.
I stood there, too shocked to move or speak. That moment was hell on earth.
For hours, I could not speak. My mind was blank. I tried to understand, but my brain, my heart—both were shot. I leaned on the balcony of the dressing room, staring out at the ocean until the sunset. Only then did I regain function of my body, and I ran. Stupidly, I ran out toward the front. All the guests, with the exception of family and the cleaning crew, had left. When I got outside, I saw my brother ripping the “Just Married” sign from the Bentley.