Chapter 1 - Five Minutes Before Forever
My daughter screamed once. By the time I reached the bridal suite, the woman I was supposed to marry had already raised her hand to hit her again.
I stood in the doorway holding a dozen red roses. Six-year-old June was backed against a dressing table, one palm pressed to her cheek. Celia, radiant in a white designer gown, had a red stain spreading across her skirt and hatred all over her face.
"Look what you did," Celia snapped at my little girl.
June's mouth shook. "I said I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spill it."
Across the room, Celia's maid of honor, Tessa, held her phone upright and laughed. The little red recording light was on.
"Grant, you should see this," Tessa said. "Your kid's having another meltdown."
Celia reached for June again. I dropped the roses, crossed the room, and caught her wrist before she could touch my daughter. Tessa rushed toward us with her phone still raised. I pulled June behind me. Celia jerked away, stumbled into Tessa, and both women crashed against a glass display stand. Crystal vases broke across the carpet. Nobody was seriously hurt. Both were furious.
"You put your hands on me!" Celia shrieked.
"I stopped you from putting yours on my child."
June pressed her forehead against my back. She was trembling so hard I could feel it through my tuxedo jacket. The noise brought two attendants running, but I barely saw them.
I took the wedding band from my pocket. The one I'd planned to slide onto Celia's finger in five minutes. I set it on the dresser beside a shattered vase.
"There won't be a wedding," I said.
Celia stared at the ring. Then, strangely, she looked at Tessa's phone.
"You can't cancel now," she whispered. "Not after what we already filed."
I looked up. "Filed what?"
May you like
Neither woman answered. June tugged at my sleeve and whispered something that drained the air from my lungs.
"Daddy, she said I have to go away after the wedding."
