on Anthony’s shoulders. “Language, son.”
Anthony shrugged him off, his eyes wild, but he blinked several times, then, as if he remembered we were the center of attention for the entire town.
He turned to me, then, straightening his bowtie before he reached for my hands. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get back to the altar.”
“No,” I said, tugging my hands away.
His eye twitched, but he smiled, looking around us nervously. “Baby, this is madness. Come on. Everyone came here for a wedding today.”
“Well, they won’t be getting one from us.”
Anthony’s eyes narrowed, his voice a low whisper as he stepped into my space. “Ruby Grace, you’re embarrassing yourself.”
“No, I’m embarrassing you,” I corrected. “But, I don’t care anymore.”
“Get your ass back up to that altar,” he seethed, pointing to Pastor Morris, who was watching us like we were all demons personified.
Dad’s brows rose at that, and Mom reached for me from behind, tugging me close to her and Mary Anne. She said something under her breath, something that sounded a lot like what did you do?
“Alright now, that’s enough. I think we all need to go our own way for now, cool down, catch our breaths.”
“No, what we need to do is get your ungrateful daughter back up on that altar,” Anthony seethed once more, stepping into Dad’s space until they were nose to nose. “This family has been nothing but a pain in my ass since this wedding was announced. Now, I’ve had enough of this. We can edit this all out of the tapes, but your daughter is marrying me today.” He turned on Noah again. “And this sonofabitch will be kindly escorted out by my team.”
The security that traveled with Anthony as he filmed his documentary stepped forward from the back on that cue, grabbing Noah by the lapels of his jacket where he still laid sprawled on the ground and ripping him up to stand again.
“Leave him alone!” I cried.
I heard the flurry of gasps and murmurs as Anthony exposed himself to the congregation. He couldn’t keep his cool any longer, and I didn’t have it in me to care about keeping his cover anymore, either.
“He’ll be fine,” Anthony murmured, smoothing out his tuxedo as Noah struggled against the security. “Now, let me escort you back down the aisle.”
The entire town of Stratford watched with rapt attention as the scene unfolded. I was surprised no one had popped popcorn and started passing it out. Of course, no one had left, no one had done anything but stare and hold their hands over their mouths, some even had their camera phones out filming this shit show.
They loved the scandal — no matter the cost.
“You don’t even love me, Anthony!” I tried to reason, shaking my head and pleading with him. “I heard you say so yourself on the phone with your father. I’m a trophy, a piece of your perfect political puzzle. Please,” I said on a whimper. “Just let me go.”
“That’s absurd,” he said, shaking his head like I’d made it all up. “I would never say any of that.”
I stood taller. “I’m not marrying you.”
“Oh, yes, you are,” he said, grabbing my arm.
“Don’t touch my daughter,” my father interjected, stepping between us and peeling Anthony’s fingers off my arm. “I think she’s made her decision very clear.”
“Oh, has she now?” Anthony asked, lowering his voice. “And what about our deal? What about the debt you can’t pay, Mayor Barnett? Maybe you should fill her in on that before you let her make a decision.”
“She already knows,” Dad answered.
His voice was strong, loud and steady, as if he didn’t hear the growing murmur of the congregation over what Anthony had just revealed. My father looked at me, then, his eyes determined, and he nodded.
That nod told me more than any words could.
“What’s he talking about?” Mary Anne asked from somewhere behind me. I turned, seeing the confusion on her face, and my heart broke for my older sister. She’d been in the dark, living in Europe with no clue of the chaos going on back home.
I’d explain everything to her later.
For now, I had a dad who needed me.
Anthony’s face was unreadable as I reached forward, threading my arm through my father’s. “I do,” I reiterated. “I know everything — including your plans to cheat on me as soon as this whole wedding was over, if you haven’t already,” I spat. “Classy, by the way.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“And as far as my father’s business goes, we’ll handle that