It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her to slow down, but that’s not what we’re here for. We’re here so she can escape, and however she needs to do that is her choice. I wouldn’t be surprised if she broke out her own stash and rolled a joint right here.

I pick at the food because it seems like a shame to let it go to waste, and wait for her to speak.

“I guess if I had to run away from my own wedding, we could’ve picked a worse place.”

“I’m so sorry, Cricket.” I kick off my sandals and curl my feet beneath me on the large sectional sofa. I lean into her and wrap an arm around her shoulders.

She shakes her head. “Don’t be sorry. You didn’t do it. My sister fucked me. Or should I say, fucked me and Hunter.”

I swallow the bile that rises in my throat at the thought. If Karma had done that to me, I’d have been hard-pressed not to shred her face with my claws. Latent jealous instincts push to the forefront when I think of her potentially putting her hands on Lincoln.

“Actually, I should say she fucked both our men.”

Cricket’s comment takes me aback, because I’d already forgotten to care that Karma had been cheating with Ricky—while we were married. I can’t actually muster up a single drop of jealousy to waste on that.

Huh. So that’s the difference when you find the right man. You’re willing to go to war to keep the one you love.

If I needed any further proof that what I have with Lincoln is completely and totally different, that would be another piece.

But tonight isn’t about me. It’s about Cricket.

“I know, but I still hate it most for you. Tonight and tomorrow were supposed to be everything you’ve ever wanted, and she ruined it.”

Cricket shrugs, and I release her. “If you want to know the truth . . . it all felt wrong.” She glances away, but I catch the guilty look on her face.

“What do you mean?”

“The Gables, the fancy setup, all those people Mrs. Havalin invited that I didn’t know. I didn’t want that. I just wanted Hunter and me and something simple.” She pauses to take another sip. “Maybe Karma did me a favor. This wasn’t going to be the wedding of my dreams. It was turning into a nightmare. You heard how she was at the rehearsal. It was awful. It took everything I had not to run out and call it off then.”

Guilt that I didn’t stand up sooner to Mrs. Havalin swirls in my belly. But part of me wonders if there’s something more important that Cricket isn’t saying.

“Do you still want to get married?” I ask, and her forlorn expression crushes me. “Oh, Cricket.” I wrap both arms around her as tears tip over her lids.

“I just let it get too far. I absolutely want to marry Hunter, if he still wants me after tonight. But not like that. It wasn’t me. But I didn’t want to give Mrs. Havalin any more reason to disapprove of me, so I just let her do what she wanted. I didn’t want to rock the boat.” She hiccups as she finishes.