Chapter 1

The first rose comes from my best friend.

She presses it into my hand, leans toward the microphone, and smiles.

"Of course the dress doesn't fit. It was made for Serena."

I look down at the satin slipping away from my waist.

Vanessa helped me choose this dress.

She stood behind me at the fitting and told me I looked beautiful.

Before I can speak, my brother steps forward.

He throws his rose at my feet.

"You just had to have the wedding today. Serena wouldn't have been in that accident if she hadn't been rushing back."

The room goes quiet.

"Luke?"

My mother comes next.

Her rose strikes my cheek before it falls.

"She's pregnant, Audrey. Haven't you taken enough from her?"

Someone near the front gasps.

I turn toward Grant.

He has the last rose.

Nine years together. Six months planning this wedding.

Last night, he texted that he was too excited to sleep.

Now he takes the flower and tucks it into his lapel.

"We'll finish the ceremony," he says. "You deserve that much."

I stare at him.

"But I won't let Serena have my child without being my wife."

The microphone picks up every word.

"You can have the wedding. I'm legally marrying her."

For a moment, I hear nothing.

I look at the man nearest the steps.

One of Grant's groomsmen.

Adrian.

I met him at the rehearsal yesterday. He held a door while everyone else walked ahead of me.

I step off the platform and take his hand.

"Will you marry me instead?"

His eyes meet mine.

He doesn't laugh.

Behind me, Luke does.

"Oh, that's good. You think threatening to replace him will work?"

I keep looking at Adrian.

He turns his hand beneath mine and takes a firm hold.

"First," he says quietly, "do you want to leave?"

"Yes."

Grant steps down.

"Enough, Audrey."

I turn.

He looks annoyed now.

Not ashamed.

Annoyed that the bride isn't following the schedule.

"You've made your point."

"What point?"

"That you're upset."

Vanessa folds her arms.

"Don't drag Adrian into this. He's only been back in the country a week."

Luke looks him over.

"You don't want this. Trust me. Grant's had nine years of her."

Adrian's fingers tighten around mine.

"Don't speak about her like that."

The words are calm.

Luke's smile falters.

My mother moves between us.

"Get back up there, Audrey. These people came for a wedding."

"So did I."

"Then stop embarrassing us."

I look at her.

At Vanessa.

At my brother.

"How long have you known?"

No one answers.

Grant reaches for my face.

I step back before he can touch me.

"Why did you ask me to marry you?"

He glances toward the guests.

"Can we do this later?"

"No."

He exhales.

"When you came back to the family, Serena felt terrible."

I remember that year.

I was eighteen when an investigation into old hospital records led to DNA tests. Serena and I had been switched at birth.

The Bennetts were my biological family.

Serena had grown up in their house.

I had grown up somewhere else, wearing shoes until the soles split.

"She felt she'd taken your life," Grant continues. "I promised I'd look after you."

I stare at him.

"You dated me as a favor?"

"It wasn't only that."

"Did she know?"

"Audrey."

"Did she know you were asking me out because she wanted you to?"

He looks down.

Across the room, a chair scrapes against the floor.

Someone leaves.

Grant lowers his voice.

"Nine years meant something to me too."

"Then why is she pregnant with your child?"

My mother catches my arm.

"Keep your voice down."

I pull away.

Grant reaches for my hand.

"You'll still be with me," he says. "Publicly, nothing has to change."

"You're marrying her."

"For the baby."

"And what am I?"

He doesn't answer.

I look at the dress again.

The flowers.

The chairs I spent hours arranging so no one would feel left out.

Even here, there was never supposed to be a place for me.

I take off my engagement ring.

Grant holds out his hand.

I put it on the small table beside the microphone instead.

"I'm not marrying you."

Luke catches my wrist.

"You're not walking out."

"Let go," Adrian says.

Luke looks at him.

Something in Adrian's face makes him release me.

Grant's phone rings.

He glances at the screen.

Everything about him changes.

"Serena?"

He moves away from us.

"Where does it hurt? No, don't cry. I'm coming."

My mother is already reaching for her purse.

Luke follows her.

Vanessa hesitates just long enough to take her phone from the table.

Grant pulls the rose out of his lapel.

It falls beside the one my brother threw.

"Stay here," he tells me. "We'll sort this out."

Then all four of them leave.

A guest near the aisle whispers, "Is this part of it?"

I reach for the microphone.

My hand shakes so badly that I knock it against my mouth.

Adrian steadies it.

"Take your time."

I look out at the room.

"No," I say. "It isn't."