I carefully held my head in my hands, making sure not to smear any makeup, and closed my eyes to focus.

I could do this. I would do this. I couldn’t hurt Trey, could not stand the thought of humiliating him so publicly. And my parents… They were so stoked about this wedding, so proud of their daughter, the rising country star who’d landed the biggest catch in recent history. And the money they’d spent… I’d been struggling with that on a good day. The total for this wedding was well into six figures. I had plenty of money of my own, and Trey and I had footed the bill for some things, but my dad was old-fashioned that way, plus stubborn, and had insisted on giving me an unforgettable wedding.

I couldn’t let any of them down. I wouldn’t.

Sucking in a deep, maybe slightly steadier breath, I looked up to see Drea and Tim at the door, in each other’s arms, speaking quietly enough I couldn’t make out the words. But I could decipher the tone. It was… so full of love. And smiles. And mutual caring and—I don’t use this word lightly—adoration.

Tim caressed Drea’s cheek, peered into her eyes, and kissed her.

God, that kiss.

That kiss was filled with so much obvious love, and I knew in that instant that I had never been kissed like that. That kiss was not what Trey and I had ever shared, and in that instant, I faced the truth.

Trey might be the kindest, most likable man in the world, but he and I would never share the kind of love Drea shared with Tim.

Bile rose in my throat and I leaned forward, hoping to not pass out. I heard quiet goodbyes and love you and see you after, but it was distorted, as if I’d fallen into a hole I couldn’t climb out of. I gasped, imagining there wasn’t enough air, and when Drea had closed the door and turned back to me, a contented, blissful sort of smile on her face, I licked my lips and fought to swallow down the bile.

Her smile vanished in an instant, and she rushed toward me. “Ev?”

I stood, filling my lungs with another breath, and met her eyes. Shook my head. “I can’t do it. I can’t marry Trey.”

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Acknowledgments

Many thanks to:

Jim Davies, my “fire guy,” who helped with firefighting details and answered random, vague questions when I didn’t know enough to ask more directly.

Sean Downey, my “beer guy” who was also patient with weird, vague questions about brewing and breweries and brewski.