“Morning, ladies,” he greeted with that effortless, disarming smile that always made Mother swoon. “I brought the remaining centerpieces.”
Mother clapped her hands together in delight. “Lord in heaven, this man has impeccable manners. I still can’t quite believe you managed to catch him, honey.”
“He caught me,” I corrected her gently, smiling across the room at him.
Lacey remained completely quiet, her eyes flicking upward just long enough to lock gazes with Ethan. Something in that fleeting, silent exchange twisted uncomfortably in my stomach. I quickly brushed the feeling aside, telling myself they were simply future in-laws sharing a family joke.
Ethan immediately set to work unpacking the glass vases, casually mentioning how his cousin could easily DJ our entire reception for half the market price. He constantly knew someone who “owed him a favor.” At first, it made him sound resourceful and generous, until a lingering pattern revealed that he was always keeping score, quietly collecting invisible debts from everyone around him.
“You’re stressing yourself out over nothing,” Ethan said, stepping close and placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “It’s going to be the most perfect day.”
“I just want everything to feel right,” I murmured.
“It will,” he promised, before glancing past my shoulder directly at Lacey. “Won’t it?”
Lacey offered a slow, crooked smile that was undeniably beautiful yet deeply unsettling. “Oh, trust me—it’s going to be completely unforgettable.”
Mother snorted into her coffee cup. “Well, y’all better save some of that sharp sass for the dance floor tomorrow night.”
Later that evening, long after the house had quieted down, I sat out on the front porch watching the fireflies dance across the yard. Ethan had texted me a photograph of the finalized wedding cake design—a towering three-layer confection adorned with delicate sugar magnolias.
I smiled at the screen, but the gesture felt hollow. Looking back at that quiet porch sitting, I deeply wish I had known the truth then: the real surprise waiting for us was not going to be sweet at all.
Unraveling at the Seams
By the frantic morning before the wedding, my nerves were completely frayed. My hair smelled strongly of hairspray, lingering anxiety, and Mother’s favorite remedy for stress: a slice of lemon pie. The h
