fool years ago.”
“Don’t—” She pulled one hand free and placed a finger on his lips. “The past is best left dead and buried. I’m trying to only focus on the future.”
They’d been through this already.
He held her close. “I don’t ever want to make you cry unless you are happy.”
“I know. So don’t be gloomy. I didn’t want my nerves from earlier to rub off on you. Oops—left my sunglasses in the chapel. I’ll be right back!” She gave him a quick kiss and trotted across the parking lot.
Sami was heading to her convertible. “I guess you’ll get a ride from Luke?”
Krista nodded. “I’ll catch up with you when I get back to Nana’s.”
“No problem. I’m going to hit the pool back at the house.” Sami hugged her.
“You did good tonight.”
“Thanks. I’m glad this part’s over now. If only we remember what to tomorrow.”
“I just hope I don’t forget when to take your bouquet and all that.”
“Who’s reassuring whom here?” Krista gave Sami a wave. “Go on, I’ll see you at the house.”
Krista entered the chapel and felt peace wrap around her. The past few days—no, months—had been a roller coaster of highs and lows, mania and quiet. Now she knew why marriage was only supposed to happen once. She couldn’t remember on which pew she’d laid her glasses.
The door that led to the reception hall opened, and Jeff entered. Her stomach lurched as if she’d just hit the downhill slope of the roller coaster.
“Kris-Kris.”
“Hi, Jeff.” She regarded him carefully. “Um, thanks for supporting us. It means a lot.”
“I knew you're not cracked up on me being here. But Luke's my oldest friend, and I'm his.” He clutched the edge of a pew.
“I respect Luke’s loyalty to you as a friend—”
“I told you I felt lousy for what I did back then.”
“And I—I’ve forgiven you.” The words sounded feeble to her ears.
A spark ignited in Jeff’s expression. “You ought to know I didn’t make Luke’s choices for him. He was a big boy who knew exactly what he was doing.”
The words hit her like a punch, but she forced herself to recover and hold his gaze. “That’s right, he did. But you knew he and I were a couple. It’s taken years to rebuild what was destroyed between us.” Krista’s chest tightened as if a vise were pressing on her rib cage. Stop, stop. You're not a Bridezilla, not a victim.
She struggled to breathe.
“He really does love you.” Jeff glanced at the altar as he spoke.
“I know.”
“No, I mean, he’s changed. And—I envy him. Just don’t put him on some kind of pedestal. That’s a lot of pressure for a guy.”
“You’re in no position to give me that advice.” She spotted her sunglasses and swooped down on them with one hand, then jammed them onto her forehead.
“He’s still human. And cheaters cheat.” Her own words, back at her.
“But he’s not the same guy you knew.”
“Forget I said anything. It seems once you get religion, you can do no wrong.”
“I’ve got to go.” Krista hurried outside to Luke’s Chevy and opened the front passenger door.
“Find them?” He asked as she slid onto the seat.
“Yes.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I—”
The rear door to the extended cab clicked open. “Here I am.” Jeff entered the vehicle.
Silence hung in the air like a wet blanket dragging down a clothesline. Krista faced the window. Jitters, just jitters. And now she smarted from Jeff’s words, and worse, her reaction to them. Jeff couldn’t be right. What did he know about choices except to make wrong ones? She felt Luke’s hand squeeze hers in the darkened truck. Hurry, Saturday, hurry!
SIX
The sun hung in the west as if it were waiting just for Krista and Luke to watch it sink. The canvas of the evening sky had been painted with a hint of rich pink at the horizon that blended into purple then a deep indigo. Krista moved a little closer to Luke in the driver’s seat as they headed for
“Don’t—” She pulled one hand free and placed a finger on his lips. “The past is best left dead and buried. I’m trying to only focus on the future.”
They’d been through this already.
He held her close. “I don’t ever want to make you cry unless you are happy.”
“I know. So don’t be gloomy. I didn’t want my nerves from earlier to rub off on you. Oops—left my sunglasses in the chapel. I’ll be right back!” She gave him a quick kiss and trotted across the parking lot.
Sami was heading to her convertible. “I guess you’ll get a ride from Luke?”
Krista nodded. “I’ll catch up with you when I get back to Nana’s.”
“No problem. I’m going to hit the pool back at the house.” Sami hugged her.
“You did good tonight.”
“Thanks. I’m glad this part’s over now. If only we remember what to tomorrow.”
“I just hope I don’t forget when to take your bouquet and all that.”
“Who’s reassuring whom here?” Krista gave Sami a wave. “Go on, I’ll see you at the house.”
Krista entered the chapel and felt peace wrap around her. The past few days—no, months—had been a roller coaster of highs and lows, mania and quiet. Now she knew why marriage was only supposed to happen once. She couldn’t remember on which pew she’d laid her glasses.
The door that led to the reception hall opened, and Jeff entered. Her stomach lurched as if she’d just hit the downhill slope of the roller coaster.
“Kris-Kris.”
“Hi, Jeff.” She regarded him carefully. “Um, thanks for supporting us. It means a lot.”
“I knew you're not cracked up on me being here. But Luke's my oldest friend, and I'm his.” He clutched the edge of a pew.
“I respect Luke’s loyalty to you as a friend—”
“I told you I felt lousy for what I did back then.”
“And I—I’ve forgiven you.” The words sounded feeble to her ears.
A spark ignited in Jeff’s expression. “You ought to know I didn’t make Luke’s choices for him. He was a big boy who knew exactly what he was doing.”
The words hit her like a punch, but she forced herself to recover and hold his gaze. “That’s right, he did. But you knew he and I were a couple. It’s taken years to rebuild what was destroyed between us.” Krista’s chest tightened as if a vise were pressing on her rib cage. Stop, stop. You're not a Bridezilla, not a victim.
She struggled to breathe.
“He really does love you.” Jeff glanced at the altar as he spoke.
“I know.”
“No, I mean, he’s changed. And—I envy him. Just don’t put him on some kind of pedestal. That’s a lot of pressure for a guy.”
“You’re in no position to give me that advice.” She spotted her sunglasses and swooped down on them with one hand, then jammed them onto her forehead.
“He’s still human. And cheaters cheat.” Her own words, back at her.
“But he’s not the same guy you knew.”
“Forget I said anything. It seems once you get religion, you can do no wrong.”
“I’ve got to go.” Krista hurried outside to Luke’s Chevy and opened the front passenger door.
“Find them?” He asked as she slid onto the seat.
“Yes.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I—”
The rear door to the extended cab clicked open. “Here I am.” Jeff entered the vehicle.
Silence hung in the air like a wet blanket dragging down a clothesline. Krista faced the window. Jitters, just jitters. And now she smarted from Jeff’s words, and worse, her reaction to them. Jeff couldn’t be right. What did he know about choices except to make wrong ones? She felt Luke’s hand squeeze hers in the darkened truck. Hurry, Saturday, hurry!
SIX
The sun hung in the west as if it were waiting just for Krista and Luke to watch it sink. The canvas of the evening sky had been painted with a hint of rich pink at the horizon that blended into purple then a deep indigo. Krista moved a little closer to Luke in the driver’s seat as they headed for
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