"Marriage first," he'd said. "Then you decide what you're building."
The envelope held the letter explaining the gift.
Ryan knew that.
Grandpa folded the paper. Then tore it in half.
Ryan shouted, "No!"
Several guests gasped.
Grandpa tore it again.
Ryan stared at him. "Are you serious?"
"Completely."
I should have cared about the money.
Instead, I was staring at my husband.
My husband.
The phrase already felt wrong.
Ryan turned to me. "Emily, tell him he's being ridiculous."
I blinked. "Me?"
"It was a prank."
I looked down.
My dress clung to my legs. One lace sleeve had torn when I grabbed the edge of the pool.
My veil floated several feet away.
"You shoved me into a pool."
"You can change."
He said it like I'd spilled wine on myself.
Nicole muttered, "Ryan, shut up."
He ignored her. "Babe, come on. Everybody was laughing."
I looked around.
Nobody was laughing now.
Ryan's college friends wouldn't meet my eyes.
Five minutes earlier, they'd been filming from different angles.
Now the paving stones were suddenly fascinating.
I looked at one of them.
"Matt."
His head lifted.
"You knew he was going to do it?"
Ryan said sharply, "Emily."
I didn't look at him.
"Matt?"
Matt swallowed. "It was supposed to be funny."
There it was.
Not spontaneous. Planned.
"How long did you know?"
Matt looked at Ryan.
Grandpa said, "Don't look at him. She asked you."
Matt rubbed the back of his neck. "A couple of weeks."
My stomach dropped. "A couple weeks?"
Ryan stepped closer.
"It was just a joke we came up with."
