“That’s your sister?” asked Mariah.
“Yes. She’s the one who gave me the courage to do this.” A frightening thought occurred. “I hope no one says anything about me being pregnant—I haven’t told my folks about it yet.”
“No worries.” Steph checked her face in the mirror. “Cole threatened us with certain death if we spilled the beans to your parents.”
“Ready to go?” asked Mariah.
“I can’t believe this is really happening,” Brooke said, her mouth getting dryer by the second.
Laurie frowned, coming to put an arm around her waist. “It’s only happening if that’s what you want. You can change your mind right now. Call the whole thing off, if that’s what you want. You’re way more important than any old bet.”
With her eyes trained on the hem of her dress, Brooke felt three sets of eyes boring into her forehead. She looked up, with as much courage as she could muster. “No, nothing’s changed. I want to do this. I feel good about it.”
“Are you sure?” Laurie asked. “You look kind of green.”
“Nothing a saltine won’t fix.” She ripped open another packet and stuffed one of the two crackers into her mouth in its entirety.
“I can’t wait to meet your sister.” A smile bloomed on Mariah’s face as she flanked Brooke’s other side, herding her toward the door. “On the way down, I’ll give you the heads-up about your future mother-in-law.”
“Why? Is she against the marriage?”
Mariah laughed, shaking her head. “Not by a long shot.”
CHAPTER 12
“Don’t lock your knees,” Finn murmured. “You look like you’re about to pass out.”
Cole shifted his feet to get the blood flowing. His antiperspirant seemed to be failing, despite the frigid air conditioning. Standing at the front of the hotel chapel with his three friends, he tried to avoid direct eye contact with anyone in the miniscule audience consisting of Steph, Laurie, his anxious parents, and Brooke’s beaming mother. The gentle strains of the string quartet playing through the ceiling speakers did little to calm his nerves.
“I’m worried about Brooke. I have no idea what my sister told her.”
“Whatever it was, it didn’t change Brooke’s mind. You’d know if she backed out.”
“You’re probably right, but I wanted to talk to her before we started. Your wife insisted it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, so Brooke doesn’t even know about my uncle.”
“She’s not going to care if your uncle does the ceremony instead of the guy the hotel hired.”
“But my uncle is a pastor—that’s going to make it feel more real.” Cole tried, without success, to talk without moving his lips
“It is real.” Finn gave him a you’re-losing-it look.
“I know, but she wanted it to be a casual, civil ceremony. That way she wouldn’t feel as guilty when we got divorced. Then the families decided to come, and I pushed her into buying a dress and having the ceremony here.” He scanned the opulent chapel, complete with an intricate, painted ceiling gilded with gold. “I didn’t realize it would be so fancy. She’ll hate it, and she’ll probably go ballistic when she realizes Uncle Jack is an ordained minister.”
“You didn’t know your uncle was coming. Brooke won’t be upset with you.”
“But I don’t want her to be blindsided.”
“You could’ve told your mom no,” Finn mumbled.
Cole glanced at his mother, whose disapproving gaze was trained on him. She sent him a scolding frown and mouthed, “Stop talking!”
He gave a fake cough behind his hand and muttered, “One doesn’t simply say no to my mother.”
Finn chuckled. “Yeah, I get that. Mum’s the same way. It’s easier to agree with her in person and do whatever I want when she’s gone.”
“Exactly!”
“Maybe you can smooth things over when you get home,” said Finn.
Home… we haven’t even discussed our living arrangements.
The double doors in the rear of the chapel swung open, and Cole’s pulse kicked up a notch. Mariah stepped into view, sporting the same wicked grin she’d worn when she sauntered off a few hours earlier. With a single long-stemmed red rose in her hands, she moved down the aisle and took her place on their uncle’s right, her narrowed gaze never leaving his. What was she up to?
He was still staring at her when Brooke’s sister arrived at the front of the chapel, wearing a strapless green cocktail dress. In contrast to his own sister, Harper gazed at him with bright, adoring eyes, like every other female fan. He wasn’t worried about her, though. She wouldn’t be so doting once she got to know him, and his mystical public aura wore off. She wouldn’t like him any more than Brooke did.
An elbow jabbed in his ribs.
“There she is,” Finn whispered.
His eyes went to her, a vision in white in the rear doorway. For a moment, he forgot to breathe. He’d known Brooke was beautiful, but now, with yards of silky white fabric draping in graceful folds, a stark contrast to her olive skin and the shiny dark locks, she was nothing short of exquisite.
His chest swelled with some weird feeling. It must be pride. Fans would go wild for her when they saw the pictures. No doubt, the publicity would increase stock values, as well. For a temporary bride, he’d chosen well.
“It’s funny,” Finn murmured. “From the way you’re gaping at Brooke, one might think you had feelings for her.”
Cole snapped his jaw closed. “I don’t.”
