Nixon
I hadn’t seen or spoken to Charlie in three months. Turning up on her doorstep was a ballsy move, but I didn’t know what else to do.
Graduation the day before had been freaking painful. Having to explain to my college buddies and their families that I’d dumped my hot fiancée was hard work. My parents’ humiliation was impossible to miss. They put on brave smiles, but their silence in the car on the way home had been deafening.
I’d let them down.
I’d let them all down for a girl they didn’t even like.
And I’d never felt so justified.
Clearing my throat, I ran a hand through my hair and walked up the front steps.
“Please still be living here,” I whispered, suddenly aware that there was every chance Charlie may have left and moved in with that boyfriend she’d told me about, or moved back to Montana, or skipped the country altogether.
The possibilities were endless.
It sent a lightning bolt right through me and I ended up pounding on the door as soon as I reached it.
“Charlie?” I called when no one answered.
Rubbing my chin, I knocked again, my knuckles stinging in my desperation.
“Excuse me,” someone said. “Hey, excuse me!”
I spun around and found a short lady with gray curls and wrinkles around her eyes peering out her front door.
“Can I help you?” She frowned.
“Oh.” I pointed my thumb over my shoulder. “I was just looking for Charlie.”
The lady’s forehead wrinkled.
“Charlotte Watson. I thought she lived here.”
“Sorry, but she moved out about a week ago.”
“Oh.” I nodded, looking down to hide my searing disappointment. “Do you…do you know where I might be able to find her?”
“I’m pretty sure she’s at her wedding today.”
“Her wedding?” The words were like a broadsword slashing straight through me.
“Yeah, I heard them talking as they carried their stuff away. All wedding chatter. Excited for the big day. You should have seen the diamond on her finger. It’s beautiful.”
I couldn’t breathe.
It couldn’t be happening.
“Are you alright?” The screen door creaked as the lady opened it a little wider and stepped out to check on me.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I clipped, shooting down the stairs before she could reach me. “Thank you for your help.”
I tried to run to my car, but my legs felt like slugs. My hand shook as I unlocked the door and slipped into the driver’s seat.
“Shit.” I whispered, gripping the wheel and unleashing a shout. “SHIT!”
I banged the wheel until I was a puffing mess, then rested my forehead against it.
I was too late.
The love of my life was going off to marry some guy who had given her diamonds.
“She’s not even a diamond girl!” I yelled, hating that he didn’t know her well enough.
A diamond on Charlie was laughable. I couldn’t even picture it. If I ever had the chance to marry her, I’d slip a moonstone or an opal ring on her finger, something untraditional and perfect for her.
Why’d she say yes?
Was it a reaction to my engagement?
Did she do it because she thought I didn’t want her anymore?
“You can’t do this, Charlie. I want you. I want you!”
Snatching my phone, I started hunting for her number. After ten minutes, I finally found it on the All About the Bride and Groom website. I dialed the number and tapped my finger on the wheel…while it went straight to her voice mail message.
“Dammit!”
I gripped my phone and went to throw it on the seat when another idea hit me.
Pulling back up the website, I called Sarah, the girl who’d been working with us to plan Shayna’s big day. I dreaded speaking to her, but hopefully she’d have a good idea where I could find Charlie. Hell, if Charlie was getting married, she would have planned the damn thing.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Sarah. It’s Nixon. Nixon Holloway?”
“Hello?” She spoke a little louder.
“Sarah? Can you hear me? I’m looking for Charlie.”
“Charlie? She’s on her way to St. Patrick’s for the wedding. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch who this was.”
“St. Patrick’s in town?”
“Hello?”
I gritted my teeth, fighting the urge to scream into the phone.
“Hello? Sorry, I can’t really hear you.” She let out a disgusted huff. “Justin, my phone’s acting up again.”
There was a scuffle of noise, and then Justin was in my ear. “H-hello? Can you hear me?”
“Yes, can you hear me?” I shouted. “Is Charlie getting married?”
“Hello? It must be bad reception,” Justin mumbled. “My phone was acting up before too.”
“Shit,” I muttered, giving up and dropping the phone onto the passenger seat. I leaned my head back.
St. Patrick’s. If it was the place I was thinking of, it was a big-ass cathedral-like church.
“So not Charlie,” I muttered.
How could she do it?
I couldn’t let her do it.
I loved her too much to let her fall into the same trap as me. Even if she didn’t want me, I still had to stop the wedding. Or at least I had to see her face and know for sure that she wanted to marry this guy.
Lurching forward, I fired up the engine and nearly laughed when “Crashed the Wedding” blasted through my speakers.
There was that music again, telling me what to do.
Turning up the volume, I revved the engine and powered my way into town.
The map on my phone led me to St. Patrick’s easily. I parked up on the curb, not even bothering to lock the car as I sprinted up the wide concrete steps and busted into the church.
As soon as I reached the aisle and saw her standing there in a lavish white gown next to some tall guy in a penguin suit, I yelled, “Stop! Everyone stop!”