All's Fair in Love and Las Vegas

Chapter Seventy-Four

       Blaring music. People murmuring, whispering. An overwhelming scent of flowers. My senses are roaring back at me, and not in a good way. I feel dizzy. And sick. I could vomit, pass out, or maybe just die on the spot. My heart was pounding so loud I could hardly hear anything else.

        The doors swept open for us, after Clay and Kylie had left. My stomach dropped at the roomful of people, people who were all dressed better than I was. Some of the people were smiling, others curling their lips in disdain. I managed to find Gracelynn in the crowd, drinking in her encouraging smile.

        All the while, Grayson was next to me, and I could tell that he wanted to reach over and squeeze my hand. But all he did was murmur under his breath, "I know they all have eyes on you, but right now it's just you and me. That's all that matters."

        "Okay," I whispered through small, shaky breaths. 

        He lightly kissed my cheek, making me blush in front of the five hundred or so people in the room. It was sweet though, and somehow it gave me a burst of courage.

        We slowly moved forward, taking deliberate steps. I was disheartened to see that I didn't know anyone from Arlington in the crowd. I knew it had been a long shot, but I'd invited some coworkers and a couple other friends to the wedding. I didn't blame them for not coming to an event on the other side of the continent in a foreign country for a girl they didn't know all that super well.

        Of course, Kylie and Nina would forever be the exceptions. They both looked absolutely stunning, and I kind of wanted to strangle them both in hugs. They really were the best friends a girl could ask for, especially a girl in my position. After everything I'd been through, they were still happy to listen and support me. Together, they were the unbeatable bridal party.

        Kylie was already crying, tears clinging to her mascara and her lip trembling. I gave her a look, telling her that none of this was real. She shook her head, insisting that this was the most romantic thing she'd ever witnessed. Internally, I sighed. 

        My smile bloomed even wider than before, however, when my gaze landed on Laura. She was paler than a ghost, her lips turned down in horror. I laughed a little to myself, knowing that not only had I gotten rid of her dress, but I looked absolutely beautiful wearing my own.

        Some of my delight drained away as we stepped up to the front of the room. This would be the hardest part: keeping my composure through the speeches. It wasn't anything too long, our vows were short and blunt, and the written speech that the pastor had been given wasn't very deep. Grayson and I had had fun writing it, making up all sorts of romantic fluff about our meet-cute in Barcelona.

        I passed off my bouquet to Kylie, who was still in full waterworks mode. Grayson took my hands again, intertwining our fingers. I saw him smile at my nails, which I'd left unpainted. One more imperfect beauty standard for Laura to seethe over. 

        "Dearly beloved," the pastor announced.

        I wish I had some beloved, I thought sadly. Kylie, Nina, and Grayson were great, of course, but my mother would've been the perfect finish. She always said that if I had a wedding, she would've made me a princess for a day, waiting on my hand and foot and making me brighter than a shooting star. Now she wasn't here, and this marriage was all a sham.

        Grayson squeezed my hand, sensing my despair. I gave him a quavering smile, but he squeezed again, this time more urgently.

        Crap, I was supposed to be talking.