I leaned back a little. “I need to speak with Rachel.”
“It’s bad luck to speak with the bride!” one of the other girls shouted from the room.
I rolled my eyes. “Rachel, I need to speak with you.” I narrowed my eyes at Ophelia. “Alone.”
Ophelia turned around to look at Rachel. I still couldn’t see my fiancée. I had the urge push open the door and make the decision for everyone. But then Rachel spoke.
“Girls, can you leave us for a minute?”
Four women dressed in the same pink outfit strode out the door. Ophelia stumbled on her heels and one of the girls suggested getting her some water so she could walk down the aisle without falling over.
“I’m going to stay behind the door,” Rachel said.
“That’s fine.”
“So, what did you need to talk to me about?”
I took a deep breath and just went for it. “Are you a virgin?”
There was a long pause on the other side of the door. With each passing second, tension built in my shoulders.
“Parker, why are we discussing this now? We have like, thirty minutes before we’re married.”
“Answer the question, Rachel.”
“Why does it matter, anyway?”
“Because it does.” I needed to know if I was marrying a liar.
She scoffed. “Parker, go get ready. And send the girls back in here so they can help me.”
The door closed in my face, and I stared at the wood grain, which was inches from my nose. My breathing was heavy and instead of opening the door and demanding she give me an answer, I headed back to my room, already knowing what that answer was.
Ten minutes later, the event planner for the wedding venue came into my room and announced that it was time for me to head outside. My entire body was numb and my legs were on autopilot because I ended up shaking hands with the officiant and Ophelia’s brother, then looking out at my friends and family. Well, all but one of them.
My breathing was loud in my ears and drowned out the string quartet as Rachel’s bridesmaids came down the aisle.
Then the change in music signified the start of Rachel’s walk down the aisle. Everyone turned to look at her, giving me a moment out of the spotlight. My heartbeat pounded so hard that I could see the rhythmic movement under my shirt.
When I looked up, I had to do a double-take. I blinked and saw Sienna in front of me, wearing a white dress. I smiled broadly.
The officiant’s voice filled my ears. “Parker, do you take Rachel to be your wife?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sienna
When Parker left, I sat there for what felt like hours. It turned out to be only fifteen minutes. When I got up, my legs were stiff and they were filled with pins and needles. I grabbed my phone and called Tony.
I plopped onto the couch and numbly stared at the blank television. I heard Tony’s motorcycle pull into the driveway. I heard each step he took up the walkway. Then he knocked on the door.
“S’open!” I called.
Tony came into the house. “Sienna?”
I threw my arm up and waved him over.
He knelt down beside the couch. “Shit, it didn’t go well?”