“Hey. I have an idea,” Riley said. “Since it’s Megs’ big weekend, we should go through the wedding album. Where’d it go, Mom?”
“Oh. I put it up for now,” Mary said. “Maybe we can let Carter do that with Lauren?”
“He’s too busy talking football. Hold on. I’ll go find it.”
As Riley went off on her self-appointed mission to torture me, Mary grabbed the chair knobs, her fingers whitening around them.
“I’ll have to apologize for Riley. She was really close to Megan. I have a feeling she’ll be a bit of a challenge this weekend.”
“Oh. It’s okay. I’m sure it’s hard for everyone.”
“Oh, you can’t believe how hard it really is. I’m just glad Carter’s happy is all.”
“Me too,” I said, forcing the plastic grin back on my face. Aaand, Riley was back, waving the album at us.
“Found it!”
“Yay!” Oh my gosh, get me out of here.
I glanced into the living room, but Carter wasn’t heading back in. He was on the couch with his brother and their dad, watching the football game.
Riley sat down at the table and patted the chair next to hers.
“Come on over, Laura.” She flipped the album open, thumbing through to the pictures of Carter and his groomsmen. “Look at him. He was so happy that day, wasn’t he, Mom?”
Mary set my coffee in front of me and sipped hers.
“Riley. How about you close the album and chitchat with Lauren while I finish slicing the garlic bread?”
Riley eyed her mom with an annoyed look on her face.
“I mean it, Riley Jenae.”
Riley slammed the album shut.
“So, how did you meet my brother exactly?”
“Oh. I—uh passed out from heat exhaustion one day and Carter just took command of the situation and saved me.”
There. That was the truth.
Mary’s smile was back. “Oh. Always the marine, isn’t he?”
“Seriously.”
“Did he tell you how he met Megs?” Riley asked.
“Now, Riley,” Mary said.
“He did tell me. It was super cute.”
“They were made for each other.” Riley bit her bottom lip. “Mom, I hate why we’re here.”
“I know.” Mary patted Riley’s hand. “But death’s a part of life, sweetheart.”
“Not like this,” Riley said, jumping to her feet, chair grating against the wood floors, and stormed into the living room.
Mary blew an exasperated breath, fluttering her bangs. “I’m so sorry, Lauren. It’s a real rough time for everyone.”
“I can’t even begin to imagine,” I said, fingernails digging into my flesh as I clenched my fists beneath the table.
Where was Carter? Was he just planning on leaving me in here like this all night? A few solid seconds of silence passed, and I couldn’t take it anymore. “Where can I find a bathroom?”
“Oh, just down the hall there. Third door on the left.”
One trip to the bathroom later, and I realized how strong Megan’s presence was inside Carter’s family home. Aside from elementary school pictures of the kids, she was in almost all of the frames. And she was more than beautiful. The girl could’ve been on the cover of Elle magazine.
Carter wasn’t joking when he said she was an angel. With her porcelain skin, gorgeous high cheekbones, and perfect full lips, all she needed was a set of wings. They were breathtaking together in their wedding photos. Like, I seriously had to catch my breath when I saw the first one of them together on their wedding day. Carter looked incredible in his tux. Young, but super handsome. Every part of me wished I was the girl standing next to him in the pictures, but the longer I looked at them, the deeper the truth rooted inside me.
Carter was right. I was nothing like her. She was my opposite in almost every way. From the color of her pale blonde hair, and the freckles coating her creamy skin, to the shape of her rail thin frame. Even the hopeful glow in her piercing blue eyes.
It was one thing to think I could compete with a memory. It was a totally different thing, seeing the memory in front of me. Megan was a real, breathing woman—and now, she was gone, and Carter was still grieving.
I didn’t stand a chance.
My eyes blurred, but I took deep breaths and blinked a thousand times to keep my tears in check. After I calmed down, I headed back to the kitchen, where the whole family was taking their places around the table, leaving an empty chair for me beside Carter.
As I sat down beside him, Carter leaped to his feet. “Hey, Riley, swap with me. I, uh, need to talk to Dad about the—some stuff. You can get to know Lauren better.”
“Whatever.” Riley shrugged and sat beside me.
Through dinner the Wilsons chatted and joked around me like I wasn’t even there. I barely touched my Italian sausage lasagna or the apple pie Mary served for dessert. When the meal was over, Angus and Carter forced Mary to go into the living room to relax. The rest of the family bustled around the kitchen, cleaning up—and I just sat there. Alone. And ignored.
What better proof did I need?
Carter wasn’t over Megan, and neither was his family. I was so stupid to think he could really be ready for a future with me. I couldn’t take it. There was no way I could keep pretending.
I found Mary in the living room. “Sorry, Mary, but I’m exhausted. Where should I sleep?”
Mary put a gentle hand on my arm, watching her family in the kitchen.
“This isn’t like him, sweetheart. I can’t say I can blame him, but I sure do feel bad for you.”
I swallowed and nodded, holding a wave of fresh tears in check, because there was no way I was crying in front of Carter’s family on the first day they met me.
“It’s fine,” I lied.
“I thought I’d put you up in Mason’s room. He’s gone to bootcamp, so he won’t need it anyway.”
“Thank you.”
I didn’t care if she put me out in the barn. I was so done being physically
