I Prepared For My Wedding, Only To Be Shut Out Of My Own Bridal Suite Chapter 04

I Prepared For My Wedding, Only To Be Shut Out Of My Own Bridal Suite Chapter 04

The door finally opened, and there was Sloane.

Wearing the white silk bridal robe I’d had custom-made. Across the chest, in small embroidered letters, was the word ‘Bride’.

Her eyes were red. Everything else was camera-ready: flawless makeup, fresh curls.

She’d never been asleep. She’d spent the whole morning sitting in my suite, in my robe. And Bennett had stood guard outside that door for twenty-five minutes like it was his job.

Sloane ducked her head. “Maren, I’m so sorry. Bennett was worried I’d get cold, so he gave me the robe.”

Bennett didn’t explain anything. He pulled the garment bag out of my mother’s arms and shoved it into mine.

“Room’s yours. Get in there and change. Three minutes is plenty.”

My mother stared at him like she didn’t know him. “She isn’t even in her dress yet. You want her walking down the aisle in three minutes?”

Bennett checked his watch. “We’re already behind. Three hundred people are waiting for her.”

“No first look, no speeches. She goes in the side door, straight to the altar. Plenty of time.”

Then he turned to the coordinator. “Tell them to open the doors. Bride’s coming in three.”

I stood there holding the bag, not moving.

“Who said I was going in there?”

The last of his patience drained out of his face. “Maren. How long are you keeping this up?”

“You got the room back. Sloane’s out. What, three hundred people keep waiting down there until you feel better?”

I laughed. “I’m the one who delayed this wedding?”

“Does pointing fingers fix anything now?”

He dropped his voice. “You know what the venue cost. The coordinator, the catering.”

“Both families are down there. Your parents put six months into this. You walk out now, you’ll embarrass them in front of everyone.”

His mother hurried over too. “Maren, he gave you the room. Just let it go.”

“Go get changed, and we can all pretend none of this happened.”

I laughed again.

Bennett’s shoulders dropped, like he’d won. “Okay. Enough of this.”

I laid the garment bag back in his arms.

“I’m not changing.”

The relief died on his face. “What does that mean?”

“I’m not marrying you.”

The radio gave a flat, mechanical beep. “Ninety seconds to bride entrance.”

Bennett stared at me like he could make me take it back.

“Maren. Think hard. You walk out of this hotel, and our seven years ends today.”

He thought that would stop me. After seven years, he still thought it would.

I nodded, slow and small.

“Okay.”