UNEDITED
*You have to read The Truth About Faking before reading this novella!*
This is a novella about Jake and Gemma's wedding and the events leading up to it.
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Gemma
My nerves are on edge today. After Jake and Cassian's run yesterday, we had another meeting with Quail's Gate to go over the final details of our wedding. We also stocked the fridge of the Lake House up with booze and post-wedding snacks. As for the wedding and dining part, I know everything is set up perfectly. This winery is perfection and I will be giving a five-star review when everything is over.
As I sit in the powder room, I twiddle my thumbs. I'm wearing a silk robe that's a light-pink and is decorated with black lace. Penelope has been meticulously applying my makeup for the past forty minutes and my nerves are beginning to get to me. What if I trip and fall while I'm walking down the aisle? What if I make a fool of myself while we're exchanging vows? There are so many things that could go wrong that I'm beginning to stress. I need a shot of tequila or something stronger to calm my nerves.
"Take a deep breath, Gemma," Penelope murmurs. The brush in her hand glides smoothly over my cheekbone as she contours my face. "Walking down the aisle as the star of the wedding is a lot of pressure to handle, but I know you're going to be great. Besides, I've made a deal with Cassian."
I feel the corner of my mouth twitch. "And what is this deal, exactly?"
She steps back to inspect the lines of makeup all over my face. When she's pleased with what she sees, she nods and grabs a makeup blender from her bag. She begins to blend the streaks of makeup together. "If you fall," she explains. "Cassian is going to come rushing to you and pretend to trip over the grass, falling on his face. It will take away some of the embarrassment."
I snort. Leave it to Cassian to try and make things better. "As much as I love Cassian for trying to help, tell him he doesn't need to do such a thing. It may hurt his ego too much."
"I'm sure his ego can handle it," she muses. "But I'll let him know."
We ease back into silence and my anxiety comes back to the forefront. This wedding has been planned for months, which should ease away some of the tension building up in my system – I've had months to prepare for this day! But while all the other days have gone by fast, today feels like it's inching its way forward. It's painstakingly annoying. Morgane and Hanna have only been gone for about ten minutes, searching for a bottle of champagne that we can split before we all walk down the aisle and before Jake and I tie the knot, but it feels like they've been gone for five hours. Every time I glance at the clock above the vanity, I want to cry. I just want to get this part of the wedding over with and party late into the night with my husband, family, and friends.
"If you keep moving," Penelope says, "I'm going to end up poking your eye out." She steps back and crosses her arms. I know I'm beginning to annoy her, but I can't help myself.
Getting to my feet, I shake out my restless arms and legs, wandering in circles for a few seconds. When I lay my eyes on the door, I realize what needs to happen. I know it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding, but I need to talk to Jake. I need him to calm me down before I lose my mind and cause Penelope to throw her hands up in the air, telling me to find someone else to do my makeup.
