Escape With Me (Love With Me 1)

“Cassie did,” Brianna replied. “She stole the sexy bartender.”

Julia's eyes went wide, and she grinned. “Seriously? That's fantastic.” She wrapped Cassie up in another hug.

“Is it seriously that impressive that I went out with a guy?” Cassie asked her three friends.

The three of them glanced at one another and Janessa nervously shifted her feet.

“I'm going to be straight with you,” Brianna said, putting her hands on Cassie's shoulders. “Yes it is.”

Cassie's mouth opened, but no words came out.

“What Brianna means is...” Julia paused and thought for a moment. “She means yes. But, it's just because you've been working so hard. Your job is important to you, but you do let it dictate a lot of your life.”

“I think you needed this vacation,” Janessa said gently. “And we're all just glad that you took the chance. You look so happy today.”

As much as Cassie wished they were wrong, she knew they weren't. She'd been so focused on her career and work that she'd let her personal life slide. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone on a date that wasn't work related.

She was glad she was letting herself take this chance. The way that Wyatt made her feel was worth it.

“If everyone could come over here, we'll start going over how this is going to work,” Kyle called out, motioning the groups of people waiting to step forward. “The sooner we have this figured out, the sooner we can go eat.”

“Time to practice getting married,” Janessa told them. She grinned and did a little happy dance. “I'm so excited.”

Together, the four of them headed down the beach to where the ceremony was going to be held.

“I am not walking with him.”

Lorna stood in the center of the what was going to be the aisle and crossed her arms. She shot a disgusted look at the poor groomsman she was humiliating.

“Lorna...” Janessa pressed her fingers into the bridge of her nose.

“I don't look good with him,” Lorna explained. “He's too short for me. And fat. And do you not know how to shave your face or brush your hair?”

Lorna gave the poor man an eye roll.

The man was around five feet four inches and was stout, not fat. His hair was messy, but that's because it was windy on the beach and everyone's hair was a little messy. No one was dressed up except Lorna. Even the groom had a two-day stubble beard going. All the groomsmen did.

It was utterly shallow and incredibly unfair of Lorna to say anything.

“That's the way we have this planned,” Janessa tried to explain. “You come down the aisle with Chad. Then Cassie and Ben. Then Julia and Steve. Then Brianna and John. Then Katy with Max. Then me. It's been planned this way for weeks.”

“Well, I don't care. I won't do it.” Lorna crossed her arms and looked stubborn. Everyone in the bridal party glanced around, unsure of what to do next. The bridal planner just stared at Lorna, her mouth working like a fish but nothing coming out.

Cassie sighed. “I'll switch.”

Janessa looked relieved. “You will?”

“Of course.” Cassie smiled at Chad. “We'll have fun.”

“Okay. Cassie, change places with Lorna, and we can continue,” the bridal planner announced. Janessa mouthed a thank you to Cassie behind Lorna's back.

Lorna fluttered her eyelashes at Cassie's escort and puffed out her chest, obviously proud of her new arm candy.

Cassie and Chad took their spots at the back of the beach as everyone reset. The 'aisle' was marked with stones and tomorrow there would be rows of chairs leading to the spot on the beach where Janessa and Kyle would say their vows.

“I'm sorry about Lorna,” Cassie said as they waited for the planner to motion them forward.

“Eh, it's okay,” Chad told her. “My girlfriend told me all about her. I'm trying not to take it personally. Thanks for doing what you did.”