Pretend We're Over (Pretend 2)

We start walking forward, away from Brittany, who can no longer call us out for talking while we walk.

“I’m sorry,” I try again.

“Now’s not the time,” Millie says through a clenched smile. I notice that her hand is barely touching my arm, trying to pretend I don’t exist at all.

“Please, we need to talk. I’m so sorry.”

“Little late for that.”

“I’m sorry. Let me buy you a drink and apologize for real.” We are close to the end of the short aisle. We are about to run out of time together, and I can’t have her glaring at me the entire ceremony.

“I don’t need a pity date right now.”

“It’s not a pity date. It’s—“

And then it’s too late. She’s walking away from me toward her spot near the altar, and I’m left standing in front of my brother.

“Why is Millie glaring at you like that?” Kade asks.

I glance over, and I feel the full fury of her. Fortunately, it gives me an excuse to really take her in, instead of trying to come up with words to apologize. Her strawberry blonde hair is curled and pulled back on one side with a sparkly clip. Her face is painted, but it’s tame compared to what it was last night with the red lipstick. The dress falls straight on the women behind her, but hers curves in at her waist before swelling out over her ass. Did she walk in heels? I glance down at her feet and smile. She’s wearing white Adidas tennis shoes.

Millie notices that I’m smiling at her, which only deepens her glare. I fucked up, but making it up to her is going to be fun.

“No reason,” I answer Kade, feeling happier than I have in a long time. I just found someone who is going to make this weekend bearable. Tomorrow I can go back to my normal life.

The music changes, and we all turn as Boden leads Oaklee down the aisle. Oaklee’s parents died a few years ago. She doesn’t have a brother, so Boden decided to walk her down the aisle himself. Just another thing that feels off about this wedding.

I turn my sights back on Millie when the happy couple reaches us. She’s no longer looking at me. In fact, she seems to be trying to look anywhere but me.

I smile wider. Why didn’t I notice it before? I know Millie and I had a rough start, and we don’t belong together, but that won’t stop us from enjoying tonight. I let my tongue run around my mouth like a warm-up for what I plan on doing to her body later.

“Do you take this man to be your husband?” The minster has been talking for a while, but I haven’t been paying attention. I’ve been too busy undressing Millie in my head and imagining all the sounds she’s going to make tonight when I get her back to my hotel room.

“Ah,” Oaklee grabs her stomach.

That breaks me from my daydreams as I stare at her. I may not have been to rehearsal, but I know the appropriate response to that question is, ‘I do.’ And from what I can tell, Oaklee hasn’t said the magic words yet.

The room is silent as everyone stares at Oaklee.

Boden’s head tilts slightly, but otherwise, he doesn’t move. He doesn’t so much as mutter a single syllable to ask her what’s wrong.

Oh god, oh god, oh god. This moment drags forever. I hate uncomfortable silence. I want to speak, do something to fix it. That’s what I would do at work: jump in and save everyone. But I’m not at work. This isn’t my life. And I don’t get involved in fixing relationships, just people.

My eyes flick from the back of Boden’s head to Oaklee. She swallows hard, as she releases Boden’s hands and grabs at her neck like she can’t breathe. Her face turns green. She’s about to be sick…

And then she runs. She takes off like a sprinter back down the aisle. Her dress is hiked up, and her heels are clanking loudly with each step against the hard floor.

“Fuck,” Boden mutters under his breath, before running after her.

And then twenty groomsmen and bridesmaids are left standing in front of a congregation of almost two hundred without a clue what to do.

Millie steps forward. “The flu has been going around, and—“

In June? Not believable, Millie.

“And this morning, Oaklee woke up with a small fever.”

I chuckle, yea, she was hungover from last night.