Chapter 1
When James Carter disappeared from the wedding for the ninth time, his buddies were betting on how many seconds it would take for me to lose it and wreck the place.
From the engagement party to the wedding photoshoot, all the way to the day we were supposed to get our marriage license...
Whenever he was supposed to show up, he'd get a call and vanish.
Today, at the wedding, I took off my veil and sent everyone home. Didn't make a fuss. Didn't cause a stir.
Nick Woods, acting as the ringleader, made a scene, dialing James right in front of everyone. "James, every time you stand Ashley up, she goes ballistic. But today she's so calm. You don't think she's cooking up something big, do you?"
James's voice came through, breathless. "Jo's not doing well. She needs someone. Ask Ashley to wait, and keep the wedding going."
This same act had played out eight times over the past three years.
But this ninth time, I wasn't going to play along anymore.
*****
"Ashley's not going to smash things today?" Nick spread his hands toward his buddies behind him, a smirk on his face.
"Last time, you didn't make it three minutes before you smashed the flower wall. This time, the scene's bigger. I'm betting you'll flip the table in two minutes," he said to me.
Someone nudged him. "Come on, Ashley's face is dark."
Nick shrugged it off. "She'll blow up, and James will smooth things over with a little coaxing like always."
A little coaxing. Turns out, every time I lost it, they thought it was just another drama among friends, nothing serious.
My bridesmaid came over and tugged at my hand. "Ashley, should we give James a call?"
"No," I said, turning to the planner's desk. "Sorry, everyone. The wedding's off."
The wedding planner froze, her walkie-talkie still in her hand. "But Mr. Carter said to keep everything ready as planned."
She glanced at my wedding dress, and finally couldn't hold back. "Our team spent three months making this dress. Mr. Carter checked in every week, keeping close tabs."
Suddenly, I remembered what the makeup artist had mentioned last night. "Mr. Carter made sure the neckline wasn't too low, because he noticed a small scar on your chest and didn't want you to feel uncomfortable. Honestly, Ashley, your fiancé is so considerate!"
That scar was one I gave to myself while locked in the bathroom after James disappeared from our engagement party.
He made sure it was hidden, but he never bothered to remember how it got there.
I looked down at my mermaid dress. The skirt was adorned with delicate hand embroidery, and the sequins sparkled under the lights.
It was truly stunning. But the irony stung.
Thinking back, Jo could call him away for something as trivial as a twisted ankle or a fear of thunder. Once, he left me while we were waiting in line at the registry office because she had a stomach cramp.
Each excuse was more ridiculous than the last.
But no matter what, James's reaction was always the same. He'd drop me and run straight to her.
He obsessed over every detail of the wedding dress, but when it came to the wedding itself, he missed it nine times and showed up exactly zero.
He put all his passion into the planning, but showing up never mattered.
Every time he came back, James pulled out the same old story about how Jo once saved his life, begging me to understand, to cut him slack, and to accept his stubborn need to never ignore her.
Seeing I wasn't about to smash anything, Nick called James instantly. He put it on speaker.
A woman's voice came through. "I feel so awful, Jimmy... Can you stay with me, please?" Her voice was clingy and frail.
Jimmy's voice came, low and hoarse. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here with you."
Nick gave me an awkward, wry wink. "James, is Jo's sickness really something only you can fix?" he asked.
James's voice turned clearly irritated. "Enough with the nonsense. Tell Ashley I'll come back as soon as I'm done here."
The call ended.
James's message popped up on my phone. [Jo still needs me for a bit longer. Keep everyone entertained. I'll hurry back as soon as I can.]
Then another message came through. [Today's our wedding day. Don't get upset. Be good.]
Staring at those words, I couldn't help but scoff.
Eight times in three years, and every single time, it was the same old crap.
I'd had enough.
I closed the chat and pulled up a number I hadn't dialed in three years.
My finger hovered over the screen for a long moment before I finally typed: [Does what you said before still count?]
After sending it, I gathered up my skirt and headed for the door.
Behind me, Nick's voice rang out, sounding panicked. "James! Ashley's actually leaving this time. She didn't break anything."