Deceiving Lies (Forgiving Lies 2)

“Okay, then someone catch this, I’m not going to look where I throw.”

“Wait! What are you throwing?” Maddie shrieked and turned toward the door just in time to catch the package sailing through the air.

“Crackers.”

“Why crackers?”

“Rachel said she didn’t feel good. Make her eat those,” he said, and then shut the door.

Maddie eyed me through the mirror, and I’m sure Candice would have been doing the same if her face wasn’t near my butt at the moment. “You don’t feel good?”

“I just got a little queasy earlier, I’m feeling better, but those will help.” Oh Lord how those would help. “It’s just nerves.”

She handed me the little package and I quickly opened it up and popped the first one in my mouth just as Candice jumped up.

“Okay, it looks perfect!”

I turned in the mirror and smiled at my underwear. “So cute,” I said through a mouthful of cracker.

It was a white thong with a thick band of see-through material, ruffled on each side of the band, and a mix of cotton and lace for the rest. But the best part was the satin bow that covered anything that shouldn’t be seen. Thong or not, I still wanted it covered.

The girls made me finish the crackers before they helped me put on my dress, and as soon as I saw the completed look, with my hair in a low bun off to the side just as Maddie had done it in the dress shop, an overwhelming feeling of peace settled over me.

My mom would have loved to see me like this, my dad would have been proud of the man I had chosen. And now, I couldn’t wait to get to that ceremony so I could finally become his wife.

“Naked or not, we’re coming in,” Mason said as the door flung open.

“Mason!” Candice and Maddie scolded him, but he just shrugged.

“You look beautiful, Rach,” Eli said and pulled me close to whisper in my ear. “And I really don’t like that guy.”

“He’s harmless, I promise.”

“Uh-huh.” He gave Mason a look as he stepped back, and Mason stepped in to get his hug.

“For real, the dude hates me!” Mason hissed at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “But you look gorgeous, Kash is gonna die when he sees you.”

“Thanks, Mase.”

I watched Eli and Mason leave with Maddie and Candice, and then turned to see Candice’s dad, George, tearing up.

“No, no! Don’t cry. Because if you cry, then I’m going to cry, and I so can’t cry right now, George!”

“I know, I’m not crying. It’s just dust or something.” He wiped at his eyes and held his arms out for me. “So proud of you, baby girl. Your mom and dad would’ve been too.”

I hugged him hard before releasing him. “I know they would have.”

He blinked a few times before turning away. “Damn dust.”

“Yeah . . . damn dust,” I said and fanned at my face so the tears gathering in my eyes wouldn’t spill over.

“Come on, let’s go do this before the dust ruins my makeup.”

My head jerked back and I looked at him before busting out laughing. “Oh yeah, your makeup would definitely be all over the place.”

Putting my arm in the crook of his, I let him lead me out of the room, and we waited until it was our turn to walk down the aisle. The second my eyes found Kash standing at the end of it, my body warmed and my heart took off. He was standing there in black slacks, a light gray button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and a black suit vest. He looked amazing, but what I couldn’t take my eyes off was the huge smile that spread across his face as he watched us walk toward him.

The second my hand touched his, I took what felt like my first real breath since we’d left the dinner last night.