The Resilient One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance (23 page)

Run Series (Clean Romantic Comedy)

Dead Running

Dying to Run

Cami is a part-time author, part-time exercise consultant, part-time housekeeper, full-time wife, and overtime mother of four adorable boys. Sleep and relaxation are fond memories. She’s never been happier.

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BY JEANETTE LEWIS

“I, Erin Marie Parker, do solemnly swear, that someday I’ll marry a billionaire ...

OR I will have to sing the Camp Wallakee song (with the caws) at my wedding.”

The Camp Wallakee girls all ended up on the same row at the wedding. Erin was the last to arrive and was greeted with a chorus of squeals and hugs. She took the seat on the end of the aisle and shifted to adjust the skirt of her silvery gray dress. After brushing her rose gold hair out of her eyes, she leaned forward and beamed down the row at her girls. It was as if no time at all had passed and they were kids at camp again – sharing care packages from home, riding the zip line into the lake, roasting marshmallows around the campfire, and telling creepy stories in the cabin with flashlights under their chins. Erin’s stories were usually the best, probably because she had the best ear-splitting scream and she liked to spring it on them when they least expected it. She always had to tell her story last because the resulting chaos would usually bring in a counselor who would yell at them to go to sleep.

Erin looked again at the row of women sitting beside her. Okay, some things had changed. The scrawny, scabby knees were gone, as was most of the acne. And they’d all filled out – some more than others. Lindsey was beautiful with her enormous blue eyes and pouty lips; Taylor was still tall and skinny, but not all arms and legs anymore; and Holly looked polished and perfect in her designer dress and chestnut highlights.

To her right, MacKenzie sighed. “Isn’t this beautiful?” she said to Erin.

Erin glanced around. “Yeah. But who gets married in a cemetery?” There was no denying that the West Laurel Hills Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania was a beautiful place. The grass was still green, but many of the trees were wearing their autumn colors and the splashes of red, yellow, orange, and brown created a nice contrast against the blue of the sky and the white and gray tones of the mausoleums and gravestones.

The aisle between the rows of transparent chairs was a carpet of autumn leaves, ending at the Louis Burk mausoleum It was pure Roman architecture with its ionic columns flanking a copper gate, weathered to a gray green patina and featuring a sorrowful maiden in a dramatic pose that brought a sweet ache to Erin’s heart. The wide, low steps of the mausoleum were banked with flowers in shades of cranberry, pale pink, and ivory.

But still, a
cemetery
?

MacKenzie laughed. “That’s Nikki. You didn’t think she’d pick somewhere
normal
, did you?”

Erin couldn’t say. Nikki had always been a little quirky, but Erin hadn’t been privy to her wedding plans. In fact, she hadn’t known Nikki was even engaged until she got the invitation in the mail. They’d all tried to keep in touch in the years following camp, but some were better at it than others, and their contact had become less and less frequent as they got older and busier. Erin could probably have remembered what each of her friends was doing now if pressed, but she’d have to think about it a little bit first.

Which was part of the reason she was so excited for the wedding. Taylor’s wedding four years earlier didn’t count because Taylor had eloped and hadn’t invited anyone. This was the first time most of the girls had been together again and it was the perfect opportunity to catch up.

“Do you know the groom?” Erin asked MacKenzie.

“Not at all,” MacKenzie shook her head. “But I hear he’s loaded.” She elbowed Holly, who sat on her other side. “Isn’t that right?”

“What?” Holly looked up from her phone.

“Isn’t Darrin super rich?” MacKenzie repeated.

Holly nodded. “I think he owns some kind of software company.”

“Count it,” Erin smiled in satisfaction. “We never said it had to be inherited money.”

“What are you talking about?” Holly wrinkled her perfect brows.

“The Billionaire Bride Pact,” Erin clarified. “Remember?”

“I do,” MacKenzie put in.

Understanding dawned in Holly’s eyes. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot about that.”

Erin glanced at Holly’s left hand, where a diamond the size of a small Volkswagen glittered on her ring finger. “I guess it’s lucky you found Josh then,” she said, widening her eyes dramatically. “Or you’d get ...
the consequence
.” The Billionaire Bride Pact had been her idea – because
of course
it had – and the notion that anyone had simply forgotten about it rankled a bit.

Holly gave her a small, tight smile. “I guess.”

“Do you know what these chairs are called?” MacKenzie said amid the sudden tension. She tapped the seat of her transparent chair with her long, pink fingernails. “Ghost chairs. Appropriate, no?”

Erin nodded, but her stomach was tight. Holly had always been hard to read and the two of them had clashed more than once at camp. Erin had had a talent for annoying her then and it looked like that hadn’t changed.

She glanced down the aisle again, taking note of who was missing.

“Do you know if Kynley is coming?” Of all the Wallakee girls, Erin missed Kynley the most. Maybe it was because they had such similar personalities.

MacKenzie shook her head. “I’m sure she wanted to be here, but with her crazy touring schedule, she probably couldn’t get away.”

“What about Alyssa?”

“She’s here, off taking pictures probably. Maryn’s saving her a seat.” MacKenzie nodded her head toward the empty seat at Maryn’s side. Alyssa and Maryn had come to camp together; Erin wasn’t surprised to see they were still close friends.

“What about Summer?”

MacKenzie rolled her eyes. “Who knows where Summer is? Probably sailing down The Vltava on a raft.”

They laughed. If anyone could be found sailing down The Vltava on a raft, it would be Summer. “I’ll bet she’s wearing some funky bohemian outfit and has picked up at least one hunky Czech boyfriend, maybe more,” Erin said, leaping into the fantasy.

“I’m guessing more,” MacKenzie said.

There was a disturbance at the back and they all turned. The wedding party was getting into position.

“Don’t you love weddings?” MacKenzie sighed, once it became obvious they weren’t quite ready to start. “Holly, have you decided where yours will be yet?”

“Please have it outside,” Erin urged. “Though maybe not in a cemetery.”

“Ha! I’m getting married in the winter. Trust me, you do
not
want to be outside for very long in a Utah winter,” Holly replied.

“But you could ride in on a sleigh, pulled by white horses,” Erin said excitedly. She could almost see it. With her dark hair, Holly would make a beautiful winter bride. “The horses could have sleigh bells and you could wear a white fur cape and carry a bouquet of red roses, mistletoe, and
holly
berries. It’s perfect!” She put her hand over her mouth and launched into her best Darth Vader wheeze, “it’s your
destiny
.”

Holly laughed. “Maybe I should hire you as my wedding consultant.”

Erin shook her head, relaxing at the sound of Holly’s laughter. “Not my gig. But I’ll give you that idea for free.”

They stopped talking as a pastor in a long black robe came down a side aisle, followed by a string quartet and a guitarist. The musicians took seats to the left of the mausoleum, while the pastor went to the steps. After a brief tuning, the guitarist began to play a series of chords and the quartet joined in soon after. Erin had expected
Canon in D
or some other wedding staple and was pleasantly surprised when they began to play
Can’t Help Falling in Love
.

Everyone turned as the wedding party made its way down the carpet of autumn leaves, starting with Darrin and the best man. Darrin was not
quite
the kind of guy Erin would have imagined for Nikki, but he was cute in an understated way. His dark brown hair was newly trimmed, but still managed to look a bit shaggy, growing past his ears and long over his forehead. He had big, solemn brown eyes that made her think of a puppy poster, but when he smiled, they twinkled merrily at the guests. He was obviously having the time of his life.

Erin had missed yesterday’s pre-wedding dinner. “Is he nice?” she whispered to MacKenzie as Darrin passed their row.

“He’s great,” MacKenzie replied. “They’re so cute together.”

Darrin and the best man reached the front and took their places at the pastor’s side as the parents began their walk down the aisle. Next came Nikki’s five bridesmaids in long gowns of varying shades of pink, wine, and cranberry. They were escorted by groomsmen in black suits with ties that matched the bridesmaid’s dresses. Erin’s eye fell on the second groomsman in line. He was tall, with dark wavy hair and was looking
mighty fine
in his suit.

“Check out number two,” she muttered.

“Oh yeah!” MacKenzie replied.

But as the wedding party came closer, Erin’s hopes evaporated. Number two was wearing a wedding band. Bummer.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen fanned out on either side of the pastor as the musicians paused, then started into the familiar
Wedding March
.

Erin couldn’t suppress a squeal of delight when Nikki and her father arrived at the head of the aisle. Nikki’s dress was ivory with a deep, V-neckline. The cap sleeves and fitted bodice were delicate lace that transitioned gradually into a flowing chiffon skirt. Her auburn hair was caught in a chignon at the base of her neck and covered by a veil edged in lace. She held a bouquet of creamy roses, accented with cranberry and pink flowers. Erin shot a glance at Darrin and was satisfied to see his mouth open and his eyes gleaming with tears as he gazed at his bride. Pure devotion. The way it
should
be.

After the appropriate dramatic pause, Nikki and her dad started forward, the leaves rustling and crunching under their feet. When she passed the row with the Camp Wallakee girls, Nikki grinned and shot them a wink.

The ceremony was surprisingly short and the pastor spoke only a few words of advice before leading the couple through their vows. Erin had expected something a bit more dramatic, but it appeared Nikki and Darrin were content with short and sweet. They hadn’t even written their own vows.

After a long kiss, the beaming newlyweds turned to face the applause and cheers from the crowd.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Darrin and Dominique Pendleton,” the pastor announced while Nikki and her groom shared another kiss. “The couple will greet guests here on the mausoleum steps, then there are docents available if you’d like a tour of the cemetery,” the pastor continued. “If you prefer to skip the tour, there are cars waiting to take you directly to the Stratshire Club for cocktails and refreshments, then the reception will begin at six.”