“One day, you’ll have your own fairy tale.”

“A man who’d put me before everything else?” I snort. “That’s fiction, Archer.”

After the ceremony, the couple turns around and walks down the aisle as husband and wife. I swipe a few more tears and smile at Lola when she passes and winks at us. Then, Crystal walks by and says, “Miller, you have to come with us for pictures.”

She turns to me with a smile. “I’ll see you at the reception, Claire. You look beautiful, by the way.”

“What did you do to my family? They seem to like you.”

“I’m likable.”

“Yes, I now see you can actually be accommodating to others. We need to apply that to your attitude at work.”

“Ha, I don’t tell you how to run your company. So you don’t tell me how to behave with my coworkers.”

“Miller, let’s go,” his grandfather calls him.

He kisses my cheek and leaves.

Twelve

Miller

“Where’s Claire?” Lola asks, waving at me. “I wanted a picture with the two of you.”

“She’s not family,” I remind her.

Fuck, it’s going to be a nightmare when I tell them we broke up. I should wait a couple of months and just make excuses for why Claire can’t visit them.

“Oh come on, she’s like family,” Lola says. “We adore her. Where did you meet her?”

“Devon introduced us,” I say absently, thinking about Claire and the way she cried during the wedding.

She seems so confident and secure in herself. Yet, a part of her feels lonely. It’s heartbreaking. No one puts such an incredible person first. She’s been doing that for my family this weekend. I wouldn’t doubt she does it for her family.

“He deserves a big gift for introducing you to such a great girl,” Mom says interrupting.

“She’s a woman, Mom,” Lola protests.

“I thought you two met at a cafe,” Grandma says, giving me a scrutinizing look.

“We were at a cafe. Devon introduced us,” I add, afraid they’re going to catch onto the lie and see Claire as a liar.

“Either way, Claire is lovely. I’m so glad you found her,” Mom says, brushing off the inquisition.

“She gave me a few recommendations about my moisturizer,” Grandma adds, patting her face.

“She gifted me the lip gloss she was using yesterday morning when I saw her in the lobby waiting for you,” Mom continues to gush about Claire.

“You have to bring her home once we get back from Cancun,” Dad adds.

“That’s a great idea, Winston,” Mom praises him.

Great, I feel as if I’m going to be breaking their hearts when I tell them it’s over. My own heart deflates as I realize the end is near.