“Macy?” Mom smirked. “You must be mistaken. Probably just a little prank, that's all. She's always been the mischievous kind.”
Sarah and I exchanged worried glances. She'd explained how Rosa was tied up in the closet during the ceremony, so how did she escape? Great job, Macy. Thanks.
Dad did not seem amused. He gestured to Sarah.
“If it was just a prank, then what is she doing here? Somebody had better start explaining things fast.”
“Allow me, dad.”
Macy! She'd come in fast on the heels of Rosa. All eyes turned to her. What did she think she was doing?
“I've been doing some digging of my own. Sorry, Asher, for not telling you sooner.” She gave me a reassuring nod and pulled a stack of papers from beneath her coat. “Dad, mom. Marrying Rosa would in fact be a huge mistake.”
Dad's face reddened. “Not you too, Macy.”
She waved the papers in his face. “As it turns out, the Marquez family isn't quite the financial powerhouse you believe them to be.”
He looked suspicious but snatched the papers from her. His brow furrowed as he began to read. Rosa trembled, possibly about to faint. Whatever was in that document had to be pretty bad.
“What is this? Intent to file bankruptcy? And a negative net worth?” Beads of sweat formed on his balding head. “I don't understand.”
Rosa burst into tears, crying to try and get her way as she usually did. This time, it wouldn't work.
“Their business is about to go under. Hadn't turned a profit for years, so they're buried by insane debt. They've stayed alive only thanks to the funds from investors, but apparently that's coming to an end.”
Holy crap. If this were true, and Rosa's family had no money, then to dad they basically had no worth. I wanted to laugh in his face, but he looked so sick I almost felt bad for the guy.
“They've been good at covering it up for quite some time due to their shady tactics – some might call it fraud, actually. Probably why Mr. Marquez was trying to pawn Rosa off on our family before he ended up broke or in jail.”
Rosa fell to her knees and began to punch the floor. Her loud, guttural sobs were the only sound in the room. Everyone else had fallen into stunned silence.
“It's not true! Daddy does very well for our family, I swear he does,” she whimpered. “He's just run into a bit of, um, difficulty with the investors. Nothing he can't smooth over. I really do want to marry Asher. Honest.”
“Yes. You want to marry for his money,” dad said quietly.
“Not much different from why you wanted me to marry her,” I shot back. Everyone looked surprised, evidently they'd forgotten I was still here.
“So you see, I did us a big favor.” Macy was smugger than ever. “You're welcome.”
Before anyone could ask Rosa to explain further, she flung herself off the ground and bolted for the exit, bawling and tripping over her dress every few feet. Despite the trouble she'd caused, I did feel a bit sorry for her.
“I don't believe it,” Sarah murmured as the room grew noisy again. “Is it really so simple?”
“Who knows, but I've had enough of this drama, not to mention the snow. What do you say we pack it up and head for a trip to sunny Bermuda? It's supposed to be our honeymoon, after all.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Man, she looked fantastic in that dress, with her hair draped around her lovely, sweet face. It was just too much. I could hardly take it anymore.
“There's something I need to say before I get interrupted again,” I blurted, grabbing her hand. “Now, I've never said this to anyone and I don't even know if you feel the same, but – ”
She laughed gently. “Spit it out already. Being shy doesn't suit you.”
Just as I'd gathered my courage, the club doors flew open again. Was it Rosa? Had she come back to get revenge on us or something?
But it wasn't.
“How could ya throw such a nice party and not even invite the bride's family? That's just bad manners.”
“Grandma?!”
There stood Hazel – and the whole Masters clan. She lingered ahead of them, like a general ready to lead the troops into battle.
With dad behind me and Hazel to the front, there was no escape.
We had no choice but to hear what she'd come to say.
Chapter 28 - Sarah
“Grandma? What are you doing here?”
The old woman snorted, like I'd offended her by asking. Grandma did have a way of showing up wherever she pleased, welcome or not. Mom, Cole, Ellen, and Lana were another story. They huddled behind her, looking kind of confused but mostly angry.
“I've had enough of skulking in the shadows and keeping secrets. Saw the video feed of you two on that altar, thanks to Cole's nifty little gadget.” She gestured to the drone he held. “And you know what? That was enough for me. Can't keep this hidden anymore just to protect my fragile old ego.”
Asher gently squeezed my hand. He knew exactly what she meant, what she was about to do. So did I. But how?
“This is crazy, mom,” Ellen muttered. “We really shouldn't be here. It's not our place – ”
“It is most definitely our place!”
Grandma's sudden roar was loud enough to shock the entire room into silence. Except, naturally, for Heath.
“I'm really very sorry, Mrs. Masters, but we must ask you to leave,” he said in his fake polite way. “This is a family affair.”
She stared him down, her gaze equally as steely. “Yes. It is, isn't it?”
Heath remained stoic. I doubted he'd be for much longer, because I'd never seen grandma so mad.
“How about I tell
