Chapter 4Already Married On Your Wedding Day

Today, Austin thought, they would finally have a real conversation. He would let her apologize, and maybe he would offer a small apology of his own.

As long as Clara was willing to take the olive branch he was throwing her, they could finally put this childish fight behind them.

The thought brought a wave of relief washing over him.

The hotel lobby was already bustling when he arrived.

Since it was Memorial Day weekend, the venue was packed with weddings. The grand lobby was filled with towering floral arrangements, and electronic display screens and guest-greeting boards lined the hallways.

One of the friends who had driven over with Austin looked around and laughed. "Man, everyone is getting hitched today. There must be three different weddings in this hotel alone."

He pointed toward one of the signboards at the far end of the lobby. "Hey, Austin, look at that bride. Doesn't she look kind of like Clara?"

Austin frowned, his gaze instinctively following his friend’s finger.

It was a striking, custom-designed wedding announcement board.

The background was a deep, velvet crimson bordered with elegant gold leaf.

The woman in the photo wore a breathtaking, custom-tailored crimson silk gown, her eyes crinkling with a warm, radiant smile.

Austin’s heart skipped a sudden, violent beat.

But before he could get a closer look, the groom and the bride—Jessica—came walking out of the main hall to greet guests.

"You made it!" Jessica’s husband, Connor, called out, waving them over. "Come on, let's grab a quick photo before we go in."

After the group photos, Connor called over one of the bridesmaids to show them to their seats.

A few bridesmaids in matching champagne-colored dresses stood nearby, smiling warmly.

Austin’s friend scanned the group, and when he didn't see Clara, a smug, knowing look crossed his face.

"Looks like Clara really didn't show up to be a bridesmaid," he whispered to Austin. "She definitely still cares about you. She couldn't bear to watch another wedding."

Hearing this, the faint knot of anxiety in Austin’s chest completely dissolved, replaced by a satisfying sense of vindication.

Of course.

If Clara didn't care, why would she refuse to stand up there?

He reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing against the velvet ring box, and thought back to the crimson and gold signboard he had just seen.

A dramatic, classic vintage wedding.

Clara had told him once that she hated cookie-cutter white-tent weddings on golf courses. She wanted something timeless, dramatic, and elegant—something with rich, bold colors.

A sudden wave of warmth hit Austin. He decided that once they made up, they would have a gorgeous black-tie ballroom wedding with deep crimson roses and gold decor.

She would absolutely love it.

Just then, Jessica caught the tail end of their whispering. She looked at them with a look of pure, unadulterated confusion, and then she let out a dry laugh.

"Of course Clara isn't here to be my bridesmaid," Jessica said, her voice entirely matter-of-fact.

"She’s a bride today, too."