Chapter 4

After I sent the location, I called the wedding coordinator.

"The ceremony time stays."

"But the motorcade—"

"Someone's coming to get me."

At 7:51, William called again.

"I'm out of the hospital! I'm on my way to you!"

"Don't bother."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like."

He froze for two seconds, then his voice shot up.

"Elisa Swanson, don't play games with me! There are five hundred guests sitting in that hotel. You're going to throw away both families' faces?"

"When you drove the whole motorcade off to pick up another woman, did you think about those five hundred people?"

"I already apologized, didn't I? I'm on my way back right now! What else do you want from me?"

"I told you. Don't bother."

His voice dropped all at once, an edge of panic in it.

"What do you mean, don't bother? You're not marrying me?"

I didn't answer.

"Elisa Swanson! Spell it out for me!"

I hung up. The messages started pouring in.

[Just calm down]

[Let's talk this through, don't do something rash]

[I'm already on the road, twenty minutes at most]

[You want me to get on my knees and beg you? Fine, I'll kneel the second I get there]

[Cara's just my sister, is this really necessary?]

The eleventh message.

[Is your mom next to you turning you against me?]

My father saw that one.

He said nothing. He only picked up the boutonniere he'd taken off earlier, set it gently on the table, and turned and walked out.

7:58.

William called again.

Antonia glanced at me. "Answer it?"

"Answer it. Speaker."

"Cara! I'm downstairs at your building!"

The blare of the motorcade's horns came through the window.

I walked to the window and looked down.

Twelve Rolls-Royce Phantoms, finally lined up neat and even outside the building.

William jumped down from the lead car.

His suit was creased, his tie crooked, his hair a wind-blown mess.

He tipped his head back and shouted up at the building.

"I'm here! Come down!"

Then the passenger door opened.

Cara got out.

She stood beside the Rolls-Royce, one hand on the car door, the other on a crutch.

My mother stared down at the street, her voice forcing its way out between her teeth.

"She's still here?"

Down below, William was still shouting.

"Cara! Hurry up! We're running out of time!"

When I didn't come down, he charged straight into the lobby.

Pounding on the door.

"Open up! Cara! We'll talk at home! Let's get to the hotel first!"

I opened the door.

He saw I was still in the wedding gown, and for a second his face eased.

"Come on, downstairs, there's still time—"

"I already told you. I don't need you to come get me."

"Then who's coming? You said you couldn't take the subway."

Just then, from outside the window, a sound came closer and closer.

A low, rolling drone.

The windows all through the building began to shake.

The look on William's face froze solid. He spun and rushed to the window.

In the sky, nine silver helicopters, flying in formation, closing in slowly.

On the body of the lead one, a huge LED screen glowed with a line of red letters.

So bright in the sun you couldn't keep your eyes open.

My phone rang.

Kevin's voice came through the receiver.

"Nine. Not a single one missing. Come on down."

I looked at the ash-white color of William's face.

I looked at the vast shadow those nine helicopters cast, spreading slowly over his twelve Rolls-Royces.

I spoke calmly.

"You're right. I really can't take the subway."

"So my groom is coming to get me in a helicopter."