Love's Deception

Chapter 26 - Wedding Apologies

When you break up with someone, how long is it for? A day? A week? A month? A year? For everyone is can be different. But when you feel so connected to someone and you lose them, you hope it's only for as little as a day, even less. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

Some people get back together, some people never do. When those people do get back together, how does it happen? Does one of them make the executive decision to put aside all their issues just so they can be together? Is it a mutual decision? Or can there be another force at work?

That little force called fate can have a say in your relationship, and even sometimes, someone else plays the role of fate. Someone else orchestrates your reunion and chooses when and where it happens. Like fate, you don't have any control over it. Occasionally, you know that someone is controlling you, and sometimes you don't. But when you do know that someone else had a say in you getting back with your significant other, you can't help but think what would have happened if that special 'force' hadn't been there. Where would you be now?

****

Today is the wedding and I have to say that I had never thought I'd see my brother getting married to anyone other than Shana, and I was right. He's only ever had eyes for Shana, only her. I'm so excited to see Aidan tie the knot with his high school sweetheart. They're perfect for each other and no matter what they always will be.

My brother and Shana give me hope that one day I'll find someone who is perfect for me. I won't lie, for a while, I thought it could have been Jace. But it seems like it wasn't, and that's okay. He's probably better off without me.

Everyone woke up around the same time and we all got to work on the wedding. My mom came over early too in a frenzy, freaking out and worrying that they forgot something. As we're working on the last-minute preparations, such as getting some lawn chairs together for people to sit in, I remember something.

"So, we're going to have another person joining us today," I say.

Aidan looks up at me, "Who?"

"Her name is Junior Agent Paige Reid. She's my second prater to Cam, and she's helping us work on the case we've been assigned."

My mom frowns, "If we've never met her, why is she coming? Don't get me wrong, the more the marrier, but it seems strange."

I don't want to worry them, but I can't leave them in the dark of what might happen. Especially on Aidan and Shana's wedding day. But then again, that cryptic message keeps floating around in my mind, 'Try not to make it all about you.' I shove the message out of my mind for once.

"Can you guys sit down for a moment?" My family does as I say and look at me confused, "There's a threat. I got a phone call yesterday from someone who said they're delivering a surprise at the wedding today."

"What kind of surprise?" Aidan asks.

I shake my head, "I don't know. It could be nothing, or it could be something. But whoever it only knows me as Zoe Collins, not Ivy Warren."

"So they know you from the case you're on?" My mom asks. I nod and she sighs, "I knew it was a bad idea."

"Everything is going to be okay," I assure, "I'll be there with my gun, Cam will be there with his gun and Paige will be there with her gun. We were all briefed last night on what will happen if something bad happens today. We're prepared."

Shana looks at me with doe eyes, "Will we be okay?"

"I think. This person only seems to be after me. Now, for whatever reason, if we encounter someone who only knows me as Zoe Collins, you all have to play along. That means you use your fake names from yesterday. You also have to refer to Cam as Jordan Pratt, and Paige as Amelia Pratt. They're playing husband and wife and Cam is supposed to be the manager of the hotel that Jace owns."