Chapter 2

By the time I stepped out of the fitting room, no one was looking at me.

Gabriella was crouched beside Ned, gently handing him tissues to wipe his eyes.

She stayed down there next to him, cracking corny little jokes to cheer him up, until Ned finally burst out laughing.

Only then did Gabriella laugh too.

"Vivian's out."

Ned caught sight of me from the corner of his eye and got to his feet at once, looking over my new groom's suit with approval.

"See, I told you I had good taste. It really does fit him well."

Gabriella took one glance and frowned.

"It fits, sure, but it doesn't look as good on him as it does on Ned."

"So stop being so picky about it."

"If the groom's suit looks good, the problem is the person wearing it."

Ned's brow creased and he quickly cut Gabriella off.

"That's a little harsh. You'll hurt Vivian's feelings."

"Vivian, don't listen to her. This groom's suit really does suit you. As for the white…"

"Don't worry about it. The wedding's only one day. Just tough it out for a bit."

I turned and looked Gabriella straight in the eyes.

"Tell me the truth."

"Do I really look good in this?"

Gabriella was still carefully folding Ned's clothes on the couch.

"You look good in anything."

That perfunctory.

Just because Ned had said one offhand thing, she took it to heart and acted on it right away.

But the wedding I looked forward to, the one that mattered to me, was nothing more than a game in her eyes, something to brush off.

Now the whole thing just felt pointless.

I didn't say anything. I went back into the fitting room, changed out of the groom's suit, and picked up my briefcase.

"Something came up at work. I'm heading out."

Gabriella just gave me a flat glance.

"What a workaholic."

"If Ned weren't helping you out, when would you ever find the time to plan a wedding?"

Gabriella grumbled, and Ned quickly smiled and smoothed it over.

"It's not like today's the first day Vivian's been this busy. He loves his job. Everybody knows he's a career-driven workaholic."

"Overtime on a normal day is fine. Just remember to show up on time the day of the wedding."

"Even if you don't come, it's not a big deal—"

Gabriella's lips curved up.

The look she gave Ned was too complicated for me to read.

"Isn't he here for that?"

"Teasing me again!"

Ned laughed and gave Gabriella a light kick.

Gabriella got worked up too, lips curling as she went for Ned's ticklish spots.

I couldn't stand watching the two of them tumble into another round of it.

I turned and went outside to get a car.

The weather was scorching. Ten-odd minutes later, still no driver had accepted the ride.

Ned got a phone call and had to leave suddenly.

Gabriella grabbed the car keys without a second thought. "I'll drive you."

Ned shot an awkward glance at me, standing there in the doorway. "No need. You should drive Vivian first."

"It's fine, he's used to getting his own rides."

Gabriella walked off toward the parking lot without looking back.

She didn't care in the slightest why I'd been standing out here this long.

"Besides, his office isn't far from here. He can walk back in a few minutes."

Then she went ahead and opened the passenger door herself.

As Ned ducked in, she kept her palm over the top of the frame, careful he didn't bump his head.

That passenger side used to have the "husband's seat" label I'd stuck on it.

At some point it had been torn off.

Even the cushion I always used had long since been quietly tossed to the back seat.

Only in that moment did I see it clearly.

It wasn't just the groom's suit.

The passenger seat, it turned out, hadn't been mine for a long time either.

Ned waved to me through the window. "Vivian, we're taking off."

Gabriella hit the gas, leaving nothing behind but exhaust.

The messages on my phone buzzed twice more.

It was HR pushing for an answer.

"Mr. Simmons, have you decided? There's only one overseas assignment slot left…"

I gave a self-mocking little laugh, then replied.

"I've decided."

"Sign me up. I accept the assignment."