Red

Facing the Heat

"What do you mean someone was watching us?"

We immediately left the lake after I freaked out. Evan grabbed our clothes and the blanket he brought but we didn't even bother getting dressed. He led me directly to his truck that was parked about a mile off behind some trees. We got in the truck soaked, dripping water over his seats and after he started the engine, he pulled off onto the road. I had no idea where he was driving but the further we got away from the lake, the calmer I started to feel.

"I got a text Saturday night after you dropped me off from an unknown number."

"Saturday night?! And you're just telling me about it now?"

"I was trying to tell you about it before, but things kept coming up. That's originally what I wanted to talk to you about tonight when we went to the lake."

"Jesus, Hannah! You could have told me over the phone!" He was mad. He only ever called me Hannah when he was mad. It was always either Red or Valerie. He pulled the truck into the parking garage of his condo and turned off the engine.

"Are you mad at me?" My voice was small, I meant for it to sound angrier, more accusatory, but the feelings in my chest squeezed every bit of energy out of me. I didn't like that he was angry with me. I had grown weak with the feelings I started developing for him.

"Give me your phone, I want to see the text." He ignored my question intentionally and my heart dropped as I handed the phone over to him. Just as he opened the message, my phone buzzed signaling another incoming text and I watched his jaw clench as he read it over.

"What does it say?" He handed the phone back to me and tossed his head against the head rest with a hand to his forehead, looking exhausted.

I looked down at the screen to see an image of us in the lake. My arms were wrapped around his neck, my head thrown back with his lips on my chest. Under the photo was another attached message that said:

Unknown: Getting so hot you needed to take a dip? It's only going to get hotter from here.

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The day of mom's wedding was really rushed. Everyone woke up somewhat late and we all had to hurry to get dressed and get things prepared for the servers with the food and cake. Then the guests started to arrive, people were everywhere, and it felt like the tiny house I grew up in had suddenly got even smaller.

"Han, what are you doing down here? Go help your mom with her dress!" Lydia was running down the stairs with a wild look on her face.

"Alright. I'm going." I held the train on my dress as I ran up the stairs, almost knocking down a bewildered Lacey.

She eyed me up and down before giving a look of approval, "He's going to drop dead when he sees you."

"You have no idea." I exhaled deeply and kept walking past her until I entered my mom's bedroom to see her looking very frazzled.

"Oh, Hannah! There you are. Help your mama with this zipper, will you?" I stood behind her as she looked in the mirror and pulled the zipper up her back. "What do you think of my hair? Lydia did it. It seems all of our girls are incredibly talented." Her hair did look amazing in a side braid with light pink highlights in the front that matched her dress.

"You look gorgeous, mom." I smiled at her through the mirror and placed my hands on both of her shoulders. Her left hand reached up to cover my right one and a genuine smile overcame her pink lips.

"I'm so excited. I want to get down there already! How many people are here so far?"

I peeked out the window into the back yard and attempted to take attendance but failed. "Too many to count." I turned back to her, "I thought you said you didn't want a big wedding, mom."

"I didn't. Most of those people are from Patrick's side of the family and he insisted they all had to come."

I looked back out the window at all of the guests mingling and found myself looking for one specific person. Unfortunately, he wasn't there yet, and my heart twisted inside my chest. Why is everyone here except for you?

"Who are you looking for?" My mom's voice sounded suspicious, and I knew what she was thinking about. Zachary.

"Nobody. Just observing the guests."

A knowing smile was on her lips when I faced her again. I hated giving her the wrong idea when the truth would tear her heart out.

I peeked out the window again just in time to see Evan strut up to the altar to get everyone's attention. He was heart-stopping in his dark suit with a light blue tie. He demanded everyone's awareness just by the way he looked.

"I think I see a little drool there." I'm not sure when Lacey had come into the room but when she reached out to wipe my mouth, I startled, not even hearing her come up behind me.

I swatted her hand away, "Get outta here."

"Only if you come with me, its time."

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My eyes found Evan as soon as the back door opened, and I was waiting for my cue to start walking. The song my mom chose, A Thousand Years by Christina Perri started playing and my heart started pounding when my aunt Felicia – my dad's sister – handed me a bouquet of flowers. The door opened and I took my first steps out onto the lace pathway. With my nerves going haywire, one would think I was the one getting married.

My eyes locked with Evan's as I continued down the aisle in time with the song. His eyes travelled down to take in the dress, and I could see him visibly swallowing, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. A smile twitched in the corner of my lips as I looked away toward the altar and finished my journey and turned to watch Lacey and Lydia each take their turns. The entire time I could feel Evan's gaze on me, and my face burned, probably looking identical to my hair.

The song changed after Lydia took her place behind Lacey and mom could be seen in her light pink dress stepping through the door and making her way down the aisle with Jacob on her arm to give her away. I peeked over at Patrick who held a similar gaze to the one that Evan had when he saw me. That's when it hit me. I met Evan's gaze again just as Jacob handed mom over to Pat. His eyes never left me, and I felt myself melting into a puddle when the intensity of his feelings hit me like a brick to the face.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sign of God – and in the face of this company – to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony."