I put a hand on her shoulder. “Tess, answer me a question. Why are you getting married today?”

“Huh?” Her brows narrowed.

“Why are you going through all of this?” I asked again.

“For Caleb.”

I nodded. “Exactly. Do you think he would care if you have a little pimple on your cheek on your wedding day? Do you think he can see anything other than the girl who he loves so much walking down the aisle for him?”

Silence.

Finally, she shook her head. “No. He doesn’t care about those things.”

“See? Then why are you being so restless? You’re doing this for him, and if he doesn’t have any problem with your pimple, then shouldn’t you just leave it and enjoy the most important day of your life?”

“You’re right. But… what about the photos?”

Cassie rolled her eyes beside me while Mom pinched the bridge of her nose. If we didn’t leave now, we’d be late.

“We can always edit them, Tess. It won’t be visible in the camera much. And if it does, then we have a solution. Now can you calm down so we can leave?”

“It’s your turn, hon,” Dad said to me, with Tess’s arm around his as they waited for their turn to walk down the aisle.

After all the bridesmaids skipped off ahead, it was the turn for the maid of honor. Me.

Nodding, I took a deep breath and stepped ahead. The entire church was decorated with white and pink roses, bright lights and small chandeliers that hung above the red carpet I walked down. The pace of the slow music around the gleeful ambience didn’t match my pounding heart. As if I was the one here who was getting married, not my sister. The flutters in my tummy went berserk as soon as I stepped into everyone’s sight. But it wasn’t the stares or cheers that made my heart thump, it was the man my eyes searched for.

Returning everyone’s smiles, with my chin held high, I walked down the aisle with poise. Caleb stood there with his usual bright smile as he nodded at me, which I returned with my own. Tobias and some other of his friends stood beside him, all in well-groomed black tuxedos. But there was a certain person I was looking for.

The groom’s best man.

And then I saw him.

Flaunting a creased forehead with his eyes on his phone, he walked up to Caleb and stood beside him. And when those gray orbs lifted and caught mine, I stopped breathing for a moment.

As if subconsciously, he took a step ahead. The frown on his forehead disappeared as his gray eyes glided down my body. His lips parted. An emotion that flashed across his face directly hit my already fluttering heart.