Chapter 4 - The Final Countdown
The next morning, the September sun rose in a brilliant, cloudless sky over Ashford House. The coastal breeze carried the scent of salt and manicured lawns.
At 10:00 AM, ten minutes before guests began arriving, there was a sharp knock on my hotel room door.
I opened it to find Claire standing there, wearing her silk getting-ready robe, her hair half-styled, her makeup professionally applied to cover the blotchiness from her late-night tears. Standing a few feet behind her in the hallway was our wedding coordinator, Sarah, holding a clipboard and looking anxiously between us.
""Grant,"" Claire whispered, her voice tight and desperate. ""We need to talk right now.""
I checked my watch. ""We have ten minutes before guests start walking down to the chapel, Claire.""
""I spoke to my parents,"" she said quickly, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind her, leaving Sarah stranded in the hall. ""I told them we had a massive argument last night. They agree we were stressed out. They agree that canceling everything over a moment of weakness is insane.""
I stared at her in utter disbelief. ""You told your parents you cheated on me?""
""No! I told them we had a massive fight about our future!"" she hissed, stepping closer and grabbing my lapels. ""Grant, listen to me. I just spoke to Sarah. The guests are parking. The string quartet is tuning up. My mother is already crying tears of joy in the front row. You cannot humiliate me in front of one hundred and seventy-six people.""
""Ten minutes earlier,"" I said softly, reciting our timeline, ""you looked our wedding coordinator in the eye and said, 'Start the ceremony.'""
Claire froze. ""What?""
""When Sarah came to your suite fifteen minutes ago to ask if you were ready, you told her to proceed. You thought I was bluffing. You believed that the sight of our families, the flowers, the photographer, the dress, and nearly a year of planning would make me protect your reputation. You thought you had me cornered.""
Her lower lip trembled, and for a split second, the facade cracked. ""Grant... please. Do this for us. Do this for the last three years.""
I gently unhooked her hands from my jacket lapels and stepped back.
May you like
""The last three years ended last night at 11:45 PM,"" I said. ""Go put on your dress, Claire. Your father is waiting to walk you down the aisle.""
Before she could speak another word, I turned around, picked up my leather overnight bag, walked past Sarah in the hallway, and headed out toward my truck.
