I Object [gxg]

17. The Wedding: Cold Feet Edition

This time, the drive to the chapel isn't ominous. I don't have a ton of dread sitting like stones in my stomach. I'm finally the maid of honor Nessa deserves. I'm finally the friend she's deserved all these years.

That's not to say I'm just magically thrilled, but I'm getting over it. I'm getting over her, and I think that's okay.

As usual, when I peek inside, Cam is the only Mariani in sight. I give him a nod as I usher Nessa into the dressing room. Maybe he's like me—maybe his playful flirtation is just a cover for loneliness.

I unzip the bag holding Nessa's long white dress and smile. This time when I help her into it, I won't be wishing I could help her out of it.

"Lana?" Nessa asks, and I hear the tremble that softens her voice.

I look up. "Yeah?"

She turns to me. "Do you think Connor loves me?"

"What?" How is that even a question? "Of course he does!"

She just looks up at me, unsure. She doesn't believe me. She doesn't believe years of Connor's devotion.

"What makes you think he doesn't?" I ask. I don't mean it to sound like she's absurd, but my shock doesn't translate well.

She shrugs. "I don't know, it's just...sometimes he pulls away. Like, I'll take his hand and he lets it happen for a few seconds, but he suddenly gets an itch. Or we'll be talking about the future, about having a family or something, and he just goes completely silent."

I frown. That doesn't sound like Connor.

"I know this is the worst time to finally be questioning it, but I didn't want to think that maybe I shouldn't go through with this," Nessa babbles. "But now that it's actually here, I don't know if I should without knowing for sure. I don't want to be a statistic in five years."

"Nessa," I say, firmly taking hold of her upper arms. "I know for a fact that Connor loves you. A disgusting amount. Trust me, even a jealous time-traveling witch couldn't get him to not love you."

Her lips twist. "Then why does it feel like he's having second thoughts?"

"I don't know, Nessa, are you having second thoughts?"

"Are you saying I'm projecting?" she asks.

"No," I say quickly. "That's not what I meant. I just—this is coming out of left field for me." You just met each other yesterday.

She looks away.

"Look, I'll go ask him right now, I'll prove it to you," I decide, finally letting go. I march outside, my jaw set. It's ironic, right? This is exactly what I've been trying cause every cycle. A breakup. A never-fall-in-love. And now that I've accepted it, now that I genuinely want this wedding for her, it's falling apart.

"Connor!" I bark as I step into the chapel. He's at the front of the room, milling around behind the altar, but his head snaps up at my shout.

"What's wrong?" he asks, fingers trailing on the altar's wood as he steps around it.

I take a deep breath and decide to just jump right in. "Nessa is having second thoughts because she thinks you don't love her."

He pauses. "Second thoughts? As in she might not go through with the wedding?"

"Yes." He doesn't sound all that broken up about it. Conflicted, maybe—but that conflict implies that part of him wanted this.

He stares at the carpet for a several long seconds before lifting his gaze. "And what are you doing out here?"