The Wedding Report

by Daria White

  “You wouldn’t mind?”

  He reached for her hand. Chantelle complied, grateful he didn’t storm from the table. Javier’s thumb rubbed against their clasped fingers. “It’s disappointing, but I’m glad you told me the truth.” He flashed a beaming smile. “I was so scared to tell you how I felt in high school, I didn’t want to miss another opportunity. Even if you didn’t feel the same way, I wanted to try.”

  She touched her free hand to her chest. “I don’t know what to say.”

  He leaned in and kissed her hand. “You don’t have to. Thank you for giving it a chance.”

  “So we’re good?”

  He winked. “We’re good, Chantelle.”

  “Well, I didn’t expect to see you here, Chantelle,” a familiar voice said.

  Chantelle lifted her chin to spot Lance’s mother. Her eyes bugged. What was she doing here? “Mrs. Taylor? I didn’t expect to run into you.”

  “This is the best restaurant in town. It may not be upscale as others, but the food is delicious.” She faced Javier. “I’m Mrs. Taylor and you are?”

  “Javier Flores.” He shook her hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”

  Mrs. Taylor smiled, releasing her grip. “Well, I won’t keep you. I’m having dinner with my future daughter-in-law. You met Lance’s fiancé, right Chantelle? Andrea Williams. Famous model.”

  “I have. He’s lucky to have her,” Chantelle said, ignoring the itching on her scalp. Typical of Mrs. Taylor to rub Lance's relationship in her face. Chantelle wasn’t good enough for him, and his mother never hesitated to remind her. Andrea seemed to fit the bill. Mrs. Taylor got what she wanted, but did she care about her son’s happiness?

  “Don’t I know it? They are perfect for each other.” She then waved. “Enjoy your evening.”

  Pressing her lips together, Chantelle shut her eyes for a moment. She needed to go home. Now.

  “Are you okay?” Javier asked.

  She forced a smile. “I’m great. Why?”

  “Is there something I should know?” Javier cocked his head to the side.

  “She didn’t approve when I dated her son.”

  “Wow.”

  She blew out her cheeks.

  Javier nodded. “I think I understand now.”

  She picked at her plate again with her fork. “Understand what?”

  “You’re still in love with him,” Javier said. “I know enough about love to recognize it.”

  Chantelle’s pulse raced. “He’s getting married.”

  “He’s not married yet.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. “No. I should have kept my distance from him, but that’s my fault. I won’t sabotage his wedding. Besides, his fiancé is nice. Andrea is one of the decent celebrities who doesn’t mind taking selfies with fans.”

  Javier raised an eyebrow. “I’m not saying to break it up. I’m saying to be honest with the man. He deserves to know the truth, regardless if he picks you or not.” A smile built on his face. “Although I will say he would be a fool not to choose you.”

  “You haven’t seen his fiancé.”

  “Beauty is only skin deep.”

  Chantelle licked her lips, but it did nothing for her dry mouth. Could she tell Lance how she felt with it so close to the wedding? Time was running out, so she needed to decide—fast.

  Javier called for the check, and he escorted her home. Chantelle unclicked her seatbelt, and he walked her to the front door. She reached inside her purse for her key.

  Javier took her free hand. “I hope you make the right choice.”

  “Me too.”

  He inched closer. “Stop me if you want to, but I’ve dreamed of this moment since the first time I saw you.”

  She smiled. “I think I owe you one since you’ve been nothing but amazing.”

  “I just want you to be happy.” He stroked her cheek. “I’ll miss you when you leave.”

  “I hope you find a woman that loves you for you.”

  His eyes gleamed. “She’ll have a tough act to follow compared to you.”

  Chantelle didn’t pull away this time. Javier didn’t rush her, but when he pressed his lips to hers, she smiled against his lips. She kissed him back, knowing it would be their first and last. When she drew back, his mouth fell open.

  “Wow.” He released a deep breath.

  Chantelle giggled. “Goodnight, Javier.”

  “Goodnight, beautiful.”

  Chantelle unlocked the front door and waved to him before closing it. Leaning against the closed door, she heard Javier’s car start, and the humming engine fade as he drove away.

  ***

  Chantelle dressed for a run the following morning. She would usually stick to her simple treadmill walks, but today she went full throttle and jogged. She’d tossed and turned the night before. Nightmares of crashing Lance’s wedding flooded her mind.

  Dreams of running down the aisle and objecting during the rehearsal dinner. Chantelle had woken up in a cold sweat. She had patted her damp chest, only to get up and shower.

  She thought the shower would relax her, but it only made her adrenaline pump harder. So, she grabbed her athletic gear and ran. Her arms pumped harder as she dashed down the streets. Her mother didn’t live that far from the downtown area, but Chantelle took another road leading to the bare country roads.

  Her Bluetooth played Toni Braxton’s “Trippin’.” The lyrics only made Lance’s face more apparent. She focused her eyes ahead on the road. Her skin stung under the building heat as the sun rose. Aside from the music in her ears, all the other sounds were lost in the whistle of air humming by like the flight of a million arrows. Slowing her pace, she jogged in place. Looking down the road, she wiped the sweat from her forehead.

  Lance. Like a mirage, she envisioned him standing there. Returning to her run, she sprinted to him. Deep down, she knew he wasn’t there, but for once in her life, she ignored everything around her. At that moment, no one told her she couldn’t be with him.

  Chantelle pictured his smile and him running to her. She didn’t realize she was crying until she tasted tears on her lips. Shutting her eyes for a few seconds, she slowed down once more. This was ridiculous. Lance wasn’t there. He wasn’t coming.

  Changing direction, she headed home. As soon as she arrived, she would finish her article. She wouldn’t stay for the wedding. Brenda would have to accept her story the way it was. She would tell the truth. No exploitation. She wouldn’t do that to Lance, no matter if it made or broke her career.

  Sweat dripped from her skin when she returned to her mother’s house. She gulped down a bottle of water, tossed her cell on the bed, and stepped into the shower. The water relaxed her muscles once again, and she was ready to sit down to her laptop. She picked her title, “An Unexpected Love.”

  She could tell Lance how she felt, but at what cost? Perhaps the moment they shared at the dance studio was a mistake. Chantelle sighed, recalling how he held her on the dance floor. Her back tingled with the touch of his fingers.

  Her body froze in her rolling chair, and she felt rooted in her spot. Her chin trembled. Her stiff fingers on the keyboard. Chantelle stared at her screen, but didn’t see the words. Her vision blurred.

  She remembered Javier’s words. Would she forgive herself for leaving without telling Lance the truth? Could she go through that again? Not knowing what could have been.

  No. Enough hearts had been broken. His and hers. Not to mention a devastating loss.

  Chantelle grabbed her cell phone. Taking a deep breath, she called Cameron.

  “Hello.” Cameron yawned.

  “I’m sorry to wake you, but this can’t wait,” she said, pacing the floor.

  “Chantelle? What is it? What’s wrong?” Her friend mumbled.

  “I’m still in love with Lance.” She scrunched her face as she said the words.

  “What?” Cameron choked. She sounded alert now. “Are you kidding me?”

  “You’re acting so surprised.”
/>
  “I’m not, but to hear you say it’s... undeniable.”

  Chantelle ran a hand down her face. “I know. And to top it all off, I saw his mother at dinner last night.”

  “On your date? With Javier?”

  “Yes. I always knew, but she still doesn’t like me. I don’t know the real reason.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “What does it take to impress her?”

  “It’s her loss, not yours,” Cameron said.

  She gave a faint smile. “Thank you. I wish I knew how to handle this.”

  “How did Javier take the news? You said he was nice.”

  “He is, but…”

  “Lance.”

  “Now his fiancé is in town.” Chantelle rested a hand on her hip.

  “Life has gotten complicated for you,” Cameron said.

  Chantelle plopped on her bed. “I guess if I had closure, I wouldn’t feel the need to know.”

  “Know what?”

  She sat up on her bed. “There’s more, Cam.” She rubbed her forehead. “Lance and I didn’t just date. We... we got married.”

  Silence.

  “Cam? Hello?”

  “You what?”

  Chantelle blew out her cheeks and told her friend about the events of her last year in high school.

  “Wow.” Cam sounded like she could have been knocked over with a feather. “Why didn’t you—”

  “Lance and I never talked about it. After I left the hospital, I moved away from Delta Heights to go to school. He didn’t come after me, so I assumed he didn’t want me. I was young and naïve. It shouldn’t have happened anyway, but I was in love.”

  “I can’t imagine and I’m so sorry for your loss. You two need to talk. Really talk,” Cameron said.

  “I agree.” She pulled at the hem of her sundress. Checking the clock on her bedside table, she needed to get back to work. “I’ll call you later this week.” Then her phone beeped with an incoming call. She clutched the phone before placing it back to her ear. “It’s Brenda.”

  “She’s calling this early?” Cameron asked. “It must be an emergency.”

  “I’ll talk to you later.” She switched over to answer her boss. “Hello?”

  “Any updates?”

  “Andrea made it here. I’m adding to the article from my interview with them together.”

  “Make sure you talk with her one-on-one too. I’d love to know what she thinks without Lance in the room.”

  Inwardly, she winced. “Will do.”

  “Keep me posted.”

  Her boss hung up without another word.

  Chapter 23

  Lance reserved a private room for him and Andrea for dinner. Aside from ice cream, Italian food was her guilty pleasure. Lance placed his hand on the small of her back as the waiter led them to their table.

  Did she feel his hands twitching? His mind went to the worst-case scenario. He’d tell her the whole truth tonight. Andrea would then throw her drink in his face and storm off. The press would have a fit. He’d be labeled as a cheater. Planning his wedding with his ex-wife and his fiancé didn’t know the full story.

  How did he think he could get away from the truth? He swallowed. Andrea knew, just not who Chantelle was fully. He’d convinced himself that it wasn’t her business. He didn’t badger her about her exes. Then again, he would want to know if Andrea was spending time with her ex-husband. Lance’s head ached from the stress building inside. He'd tell his future wife everything. He wouldn’t hold back.

  Their drinks sat on paper napkins, while low hanging lights illuminated the secluded space. A wine bottle with two classic fluted wine glasses sat in the center along with the salt and pepper shakers. He pulled out the chair for his fiancé and kissed her cheek.

  “This is… nice,” she said, draping a paper napkin in her lap.

  “I know it’s not fancy,” he said, sitting across from her, “but it’s some of the best food in Delta Heights.”

  Andrea folded her slender fingers on top of the tablecloth. “So you’re really a small-town boy at heart. The fancy suits, house, and car are just for appearances.”

  “I like the simple things.” He winked at her.

  “I can see that.” She turned and stared at the intimate setting. “It is nice. Plus, it’s Italian, so it gets my vote. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He rubbed his hands down his pant legs.

  “Are you okay? You look... tense.”

  Lance exhaled and poured them each a glass of the red wine. After serving her and himself, he said, “I need to tell you something.”

  Andrea took a sip from her glass. “What is it?”

  “Two things. One... Now that I’ve resigned from my dad’s firm, I know what I want to do instead.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that. Are you sure that’s best? What else would you do?”

  “I’ll be running my sister’s foundation full time. I’ll also be able to do more work at the community center. I told you about the boys I mentor.”

  “I know, but...” She rubbed at her brow. “You were so close to your promotion. Why would you want to throw that away? I thought you were happy there.”

  “I was, but I’m not anymore.”

  “I guess your mother was right.”

  “What about my mother?” What did his mother do now?

  Andrea sat back in her chair. “She mentioned a few things. She mainly suggested that I slow down.” She rested her elbows on the table. “Lance, I have to tell you, I’m still overwhelmed.”

  He reached for her hand. “It’ll be okay. Everything’s been so crazy leading up to this wedding.”

  Her stare turned glassy. “Can I ask you something?”

  The moment of truth. “Anything. In fact, I—”

  “Are you in love with me, Lance?” Andrea asked, cocking her head to the side.

  His lips parted. “Why would you ask that?”

  She peeled her hand away from his. “I had a long talk with my mother last night before bed. Yours had me thinking, so I called mine. My mom wasn’t the best example to me with relationships. She was too career-oriented, but she told me that when a man loves, he has a certain look in his eyes. The way he shows affection makes a woman feel as if she’s the only one in the world.” She leaned forward. “Do I do that for you?”

  Lance unbuttoned a button from his collared shirt. “You took my breath away when we met.”

  She bobbed her head. “I’m wondering if that’s enough. You know... to sustain a marriage.” Andrea sighed. “I guess I’m wondering if I have what it takes.”

  “You do. You have a good heart. Don’t worry about that.”

  “So... yesterday in the interview?” She swallowed. “That was her, wasn’t it? Your first wife?” Andrea asked.

  He released a heavy sigh. It was a subject that he’d buried like valued treasure. Lance’s shoulders slumped. There it was in a nutshell.

  No use denying it. They’d spent too much time together. His heart pounded as the truth stared about him like calves in a pen. “How long have you known?”

  Andrea twisted her engagement ring. “You’ve never looked at me the way you did her, Lance.” She asked the fateful question. “What happened between you two? I know you divorced young, but why?”

  Lance told Andrea everything. From the day Chantelle told him she was pregnant all the way to the night they lost their child. He squeezed his eyes shut, recalling her red eyes from the tears she’d shed.

  Andrea took his hand. “Why didn’t you tell me about the baby?”

  “Too painful.”

  “If you still cared, why didn’t you stay? Why did you—”

  “I was a boy, Andrea. I believed my parents. Chantelle left, and I haven’t talked to her since. She visits her family, but we were done.”

  “Are you?” She asked.

  Lance licked his lips, stroking her hand with his.

  “You’re still in love with her, Lance. After all these years,” Andre
a said.

  It was the truth. Chantelle wasn’t only his first love. She was the love of his life. “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

  Andrea didn’t say a word.

  A weight settled on Lance’s chest. He’d hurt her. Hadn’t he hurt enough women in his lifetime? He searched for the right words to say, but how could he clean this up?

  Andrea gave a mirthless laugh. “Perhaps we listened to our friends and family too much. They kept saying we were perfect for each other.”

  “What?” He blinked. He expected tears from Andrea. Wasn’t she angry?

  “Think about it, Lance. How many people were in our ear for us to get married? Your parents. My mom. Can we honestly say this was something we both wanted? Honestly?”

  He blinked. “I thought I did.”

  “Me too.”

  Lance stared at her sweet face. “I don’t know what else to say.”

  “You don’t have to.” She gave half a smile. “We had some fun times, right?”

  He smiled back at her, taking her hand again. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget the day you shocked me eating ice cream.”

  Andrea giggled. “I’m not always on a strict diet.”

  He lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I’m sorry.”

  “Lance, we want different things. You love it here, I’m a city girl. You want a family and I’m not sure about that right now with my career. I love what I do and I want to continue to pursue it.” She paused. “Though it’s disappointing how this happened, I’m glad we know where we stand. It’s a shame it took this long.”

  “I know,” he said.

  “I love you, Lance, but I don’t… think it’s enough.”

  He bobbed his head. “I hope you can forgive me.”

  “There’s nothing to forgive.” Her stare turned serious. She clasped his hand tighter. “Be happy, Lance. For you. I’ll do the same for me.”

  He couldn’t have agreed with her more.

  ***

  Chantelle took the lasagna out of the oven while Grant sliced the garlic bread. The aroma filled her nose, and her mouth watered at the melted cheese on her creation. She removed the pot holders from her hands.

  “I hope it’s worth it,” Grant said. “Mom’s not getting on a boat.”