ribs with her elbow and I had the impression she might have had a couple of drinks too many. I wasn’t judging. If I was getting married in a place this beautiful amongst such a great crowd, I’d have indulged too. “We’re glad she decided to bring you. She’s been a bit down lately with the whole baby thing, so it’s nice to see her laughing and having a good time.”
My eyebrows drew together. “Huh? Baby thing?”
“Gotta run, Peter!” Vanessa picked up the skirt of her white dress. “There are shots to be shooted!” She frowned. “Shooten? Shoot?”
“Just shot,” I said.
She pointed at me. “Yes! Shot!” She grabbed my hand and started dragging me over to the bar. “You need one too. Come on now. You can’t say no to the bride. Bartender, we need another tequila! I brought a Peter!”
Chapter 24
Katie
Hailey reached out and took my hand. Her fingers were warm and clammy, and she looked entirely uncomfortable sitting in her floral-printed dress in the third row from the front at the outdoor ceremony. Jackson was on her other side and he flashed Peter and me a smile as we took our seats near the aisle.
I leaned over to her. “Do you want to switch with us so you’re sitting on the aisle, Hailey? You can make a quick getaway if you have to pee or whatever.”
“No, I’m good,” Hailey said, shaking her head. She plucked a white lace fan from where it hung off the back of the chair in front of her. With a dramatic flip, she opened it up and began fanning her face. “I just want to get out of this heat. It’s a beautiful wedding and all, but if I had balls, they’d be dripping with sweat. I’d leave a puddle on this seat.”
I snorted.
“Charming,” Jackson muttered.
Hailey shot him a death glare. “Shut it, Jack. Do you have an extra twenty-five pounds weighing you down? Because I do, and on top of that, I have tiny feet playing ping pong with my insides, and my feet are bigger than your—”
“All right, all right.” Jackson chuckled nervously and put a hand on her shoulder. He began massaging gently. “Take it easy there, sweetheart. I know you’re uncomfortable. As soon as the ceremony is over, we’ll get out of this heat and get you some ice water.”
She shrugged out from under his hand. “Stop talking to me like I’m an uneasy cow lining up for slaughter.”
Jackson paled and looked over at me for help.
I shook my head. “Don’t look at me.”
Even though I felt sympathy for Hailey, I also felt a pang of jealousy because I would never feel those things. I would never know what it was to carry my baby inside me. I would never be able to complain about my aching feet and ankles and pinched nerves and tender breasts, and I wanted all of those things. Or rather, I wanted what came after enduring those things.
The pair of them continued to bicker as I turned to Peter and retrieved a fan for myself from the chair in front of me. The day was pretty hot, especially for the fall in California. I supposed it had to do with the lack of air flow that passed through these parts of the gardens. There was no gentle breeze, just the midday sun beating down on us from above. I fanned myself as my hairline started to grow damp with sweat.
“Are you comfortable?” I asked Peter.
He nodded and leaned back in his seat. He looked handsome in his white button-up shirt and khaki pants. His brown belt matched his shoes and the leather watch on his wrist. He’d slicked his hair back, but as it dried, it became a little unruly, and his wavy texture returned. I liked it better this way.
“I’m good,” Peter said. “The heat has never bothered me that much.”
“Lucky for you,” Hailey muttered on my other side.
I laughed nervously and hoped Peter didn’t take it seriously. The poor girl was uncomfortable. All she needed was to sit in an air-conditioned room and put her feet up while she sipped on cold water, but that wouldn’t be within her reach for a little while yet.
Peter tapped my thigh and leaned into me. “So Kim helped them plan this and she’s the maid of honor?”
I nodded. “Yep. She refused to let them hire a different wedding coordinator and insisted she do it all herself. I mean, can you blame her? Look at what