Maid of Honour (The Wedding Series #1)

Thirteen

What's going to happen next I wonder? Hmmm

***

I grabbed a folder from my overnight bag and sat cross-legged in the centre of the plush bed. Glad I was comfy in my pyjamas, I pulled the pieces of paper from the folder and rifled through them. I laid them on the bed in front of me in the correct piles. I needed to double-check and make sure the seating plan and everything else was perfect for tomorrow.

Of course, I did nothing stupid after running away from the restaurant. I ran for about five minutes before I got a stitch and my ridiculous heels attacked my poor feet. I sat down on a nearby bench, took off the death traps attached to my feet, and ordered an Uber to pick me up. It took me to the hotel I had booked for me to stay in because that was the hotel we had booked for the evening festivities. It would also be the hotel James and I would stay in tomorrow night before we jetted off on our honeymoon.

Once I got to the hotel, I headed to my room, had a quick shower to wash away all the unwanted confessions, and got my pyjamas on. The hotel employees had delivered my bags beforehand, so it pleased me to see them there when I entered the room. No-one seemed too panicked by my absence, as I sent the same text to my parents and James. It stated that I had in fact had too much to drink (which, of course, wasn't quite true, and I hated letting them think my relationship with alcohol was anything other than normal) and I went to the hotel to sober up and get a good night's sleep. Everyone seemed to accept it and the Lord knew if they were all still out drinking, or they had all retreated themselves.

Though I was too jittery to sleep, I thought throwing myself into final preparations would tire me out and take my mind off the conversation I had shared with he-who-must-not-be-named outside the restaurant.

A knock on the door startled me and brought me out of my working state of mind. I rolled my eyes because I knew it would be James. He was staying in a separate room at the same hotel. Although I left rather abruptly, I was sure he was only checking on me to see if I was okay. I knew he wouldn't keep up with tradition for one night. A text would have sufficed. But it was cute that he was concerned.

Scrambling, I put the pieces of paper back into the folder and dropped it at the side of my bed. Even James would think that this was too much work the night before the wedding. I got off the bed and headed to the door of the rather large, expensive suite. I decided against wearing the robe because if it was James; it was nothing he hadn't seen before. Though I guessed he wouldn't be too pleased that a soon-to-be married woman was wearing her Stitch pyjamas once more. But they brought me comfort, so he couldn't complain.

All thoughts of my pyjamas and James flew out of my mind when I opened the door. Because standing on the other side of the threshold with a sheepish grin on their face was not my fiancé, but Jared Connor. He was still wearing the suit from the rehearsal dinner, though he had visibly loosened his tie and his hair appeared tousled as if he had run his hands through it a few times. It made me wonder what he had been doing in the few hours since I ran away from him in a state of panic.

"Hey, you're wearing those cute pyjamas again," was all he said in greeting.

Straight away, I felt self-conscious, and I crossed my arms over my chest in an attempt to hide... everything. At least Jared had the decency to act like he regretted letting that slip from his mouth. Something had very clearly changed between the two of us since his untimely confession. But neither of us was sure what had changed exactly, though.

Him saying things like that appeared to be a little more real now that I knew his true feelings for me. It made me think back to everything else he said to me about my pyjamas or the way I looked (despite the digs at my height). Was that his love for me coming through? Should I have felt awkward or offended by this now that I had this knowledge?