“We’re only going to get married once, Gina,” he said. “Let’s make it magical. I have my students coming in to take our photographs. It’s going to be wonderful.”
“Is that your version of extra credit?” I asked my fiance as he scrolled through his laptop.
“It’s more like me allowing them to give us a wedding present.”
That was one of the things I loved most about Leo. He had been a wildlife photographer for years, constantly flying to the best game parks. But after an accident on a safari a few years ago, Leo had decided to stay local and teach at a college instead.
It was his passion for capturing moments in time that hooked me.
Music started playing from somewhere, and I was brought back to my nightmare.
Jessica, the bride.
My chest tightened. My ears rang.
And guess what?
My sister turned and flashed me a smug smile.
“Oh!” She clasped her hands together. “You’re early! I thought I’d have everything sorted before you got here. Well… that ruins the surprise.”
I couldn’t even process what she was saying.
“Surprise?” I echoed, my voice hollow.
Jessica sighed dramatically as if I was the problem here. As if I was the one ruining something special. As if I was the one who was raining on her parade.
“Gina, come on,” she said. “Why waste a perfectly good setup? Two weddings in one! Genius, right, sis? And you know how Ben has been pushing me to get married lately.”
My stomach dropped.
“You… so you didn’t just show up in a wedding dress? You planned on getting married at my wedding? Are you insane?”
She tilted her head, pouting.
“Mom said that ‘insane’ isn’t a word we use, Gina,” she rolled her eyes. “Be nice. And come on, don’t be so selfish!”
Selfish?
Me? At my own wedding? The one place I was supposed to be selfish and controlling?
That word lit something inside me. Something angry. Something dangerous.
Jessica had spent her entire life taking from me. From borrowing clothes and never returning them to stealing my ideas and passing them off as her own. She would even whisper lies to get our parents on her side.
But this?
