We Planned Nine Weddings, All Canceled For His Superstitious Childhood Friend Chapter 02

We Planned Nine Weddings, All Canceled For His Superstitious Childhood Friend Chapter 02

By the time I reached the hotel lobby, I remembered I had left my wedding shoes behind.

I could leave everything else behind, but not those shoes. Grandma had stayed up late night after night, making them for me by hand, stitch by stitch.

I turned around and headed back to the bridal suite.

Just as I reached the door, I heard voices inside.

“Sienna and Mara aren’t even built alike. How does that dress fit Sienna so perfectly?”

“You forgot? It was made to Sienna’s measurements.”

I froze.

That explained why the dress had been so tight I could barely breathe when I first tried it on.

I’d told Julian the sizing was wrong, and he immediately reassured me that the designer would fix it.

But right before the wedding, the designer told me the dress couldn’t be let out.

When I wanted another dress, Julian fought me on that too, telling me to lose a little weight and make this one work.

For six months, I dieted and worked out for that wedding and that dress, going hungry until my stomach cramped and never daring to eat an extra bite.

The whole thing was ridiculous.

From the very beginning, that dress had never been meant for me.

My hands clenched. I shoved the door open.

One of Julian’s oldest friends spotted me and gave Julian a thumbs-up.

“You called it. Not even five minutes, and she came back all on her own.”

My best friend cut in.

“All right, enough. Mara just needs a little time to come around. I’ll apologize to everyone for her. Come on, cut Mara some slack and let it go.”

I couldn’t be bothered to argue. I went straight to the garment bag and searched for my wedding shoes.

They were gone.

Just then, the curtain to the changing area opened, and Sienna stepped out.

“Julian, these are too small. They’re pinching my feet.”

My gaze locked on her feet.

She was wearing the pearl-beaded wedding shoes Grandma had made for me.

A sharp ache went through me, but I kept my voice steady.

“Sienna, give me my shoes back.”

Sienna looked at me innocently.

“Mara, I really love these. Couldn’t you just give them to me?”

“No.”

“Take them off. Now.”

The best man pointed at me.

“Julian, look at her. Sienna puts on her shoes and she acts like it’s life or death!”

My best friend tugged on my sleeve.

“Since when are you this petty?”

“And seriously, you were going to wear old shoes with your wedding dress? That’s embarrassing.”

Julian glanced at the shoes on Sienna’s feet.

“Enough. They’re just shoes. If you like them that much, I’ll buy you ten pairs or a hundred. Let Sienna have this pair.”

My eyes burned.

“I only want this pair! My grandmother made them for me!”

His friend burst out laughing.

“Did you hear that, Julian? They’re just her grandma’s old shoes, and she treats them like an heirloom!”

“You can take the girl out of the sticks, but you can’t give her class. She’s been in the city for years and still has none.”

Sienna bent to unfasten the strap, immediately putting on a wounded expression.

“Mara, I didn’t know your grandmother made them…”

She yanked off the too-small shoes, leaving them misshapen, then stood barefoot on the carpet and held them out to me.

“Here.”

A pearl hung crooked from the toe, swaying as she held the shoes. The upper had split open from the rough handling, exposing the lining.

My eyes stung.

Julian’s mother snapped.

“Oh my God! The bride can’t be standing here barefoot before the ceremony. That’s terrible luck!”

“Julian, what are you waiting for? Get a warm washcloth and a towel. Clean Sienna’s feet.”

Julian didn’t hesitate.

He went straight into the bathroom and came back with a warm washcloth and a towel. He helped Sienna sit, dropped to one knee, and gently wrapped a hand around her ankle.

Sienna flushed.

“Julian, don’t… everyone’s watching…”

Julian didn’t care that everyone was watching. His every movement was gentle, and his eyes held a tenderness and concern he had never shown me once in ten years.

I stood there, going colder by the second.

No one knew better than I did how obsessive Julian was about cleanliness.

When I was hospitalized after a car accident and couldn’t shower, he had frowned and left the sponge baths to an aide instead.

Now he was on one knee, personally cleaning another woman’s bare feet.

One of his friends laughed.

“Still embarrassed? Remember those stupid party-game dares? You two were always ending up asleep in each other’s arms. I’ve still got the pictures.”

He pulled out his phone and made a point of waving it in front of me.

In the photo, Julian and Sienna were asleep tangled together, arms wrapped around each other far too intimately to pass for friendship.

Sienna hurried to stand.

“Mara, don’t get the wrong idea. There’s really nothing between Julian and me.”

“Don’t move.”

Julian caught her ankle before she could stand.

“Your feet aren’t dry yet. The floor’s dirty. Don’t step down.”

He carefully dried both feet before finally looking at me.

“I’ll explain this later. Don’t make a scene here.”

I held the ruined shoes against me and felt myself go cold inside.