Page 35 of Wish For Me

“Why the hell would it be your fault?”

“Because I made too big of a deal out of everything. Maybe this is the universe punishing me for caring so much about a silly party.”

“This is more than a party, Everly. It’s our wedding.”

That only makes her cry harder. “Have I been a bridezilla?” she gasps out. “Have I been mean to people and now I’m getting what I deserve?”

“Stop it,” her mother says firmly, reaching over to take her hand. “You haven’t been a bridezilla.”

“I’ve expected everyone to help—”

“They’ve helped because they wanted to,” I tell her. “And you’ve treated everyone—your family, the vendors, staff,everyone—with respect.”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have a special night with your loved ones, baby girl,” Paige says, her eyes so sad as she studies her oldest daughter.

Karen and Reed come into the living room with coffee and a bottle of whiskey. We sent most of the family down to the game room in the basement so Everly didn’t feel more overwhelmed than she already is. God, what a shitty end to a pretty perfect morning.

“June’s mom said they’d love to host it at their vineyard,” Fox says from his spot on the floor. He looks guilty as hell, like the fact that he’s the one that got the call makes him responsible somehow. Or maybe he’s feeling bad for showing us the vineyards in Napa in the first place.

Which is ridiculous. This is no one’s fault. If anything, I’m grateful June’s mom got wind of the fire before the venue started making calls. We need all the time we can get to process this.

The wedding is ruined. Everly’s perfect dream wedding. I want to throw up. Or maybe start breaking things.

“That’s so nice,” Everly says, fresh tears running down her face. “But it’s way too small. There’s no way we can fit three hundred people there. It’s why we didn’t pick June’s family’s vineyard in the first place.”

Fox nods, having known that already. His suggestion was just grasping at straws—an instinct I know well.

I’ve spent the last half hour frantically trying to come up with a solution, even as I tried my best to comfort Everly. But how in the hell are we supposed to find a venue for three hundred on a week’s notice?

“I keep thinking about those beautiful flowers,” Everly says on a hiccup. “You know the peonies? The ones I had to call like, a hundred florists to find?”

I nod, rubbing her back.

“That greenhouse in Florida was growing them specially for us. What’s going to happen to them now? Will they all die?”

“Lele—”

“And all that food! The caterer has already started prep and—” Suddenly she sits up straight, her face going somehow even more horrified. “Oh my god, Vega’s cake. She’s been making those sugar flowers for weeks.”

“Sugar flowers last a long time,” Paige says soothingly. “They won’t go to waste.”

“Has Liz called back yet?” Everly asks, looking up at me. Her red watery eyes make my chest hurt.

“Not yet.” I called our wedding planner straight away, hoping against hope that she’d tell us she just so happened to know the perfect place to host a wedding for three hundred that is miraculously free on New Years Eve and close enough to Napa that our guests won’t have to change their travel plans last minute.

But it’s Christmas morning, and three hours earlier in LA than it is here. I wasn’t surprised when Liz didn’t answer and I can’t blame her for not checking her messages yet.

Besides, what the hell is she going to do about it? I know damn well that there isn’t anywhere else in Napa to hold a wedding this size.

My stomach twists at the words I need to say. I shift Everly in my arms so she’s facing me fully and take a deep breath. “We’ll just have to postpone.”

Her eyes widen, the tears immediately stopping. “Are you serious?”

“It’s not what I want,” I tell her, feeling like shit. “But it’s the only way we’re going to get the wedding we’ve planned.”

“The vendors will be able to reschedule,” Paige says gently. “We can still do all the things you wanted.”

“Just a little later,” I say.