Rosalie glanced toward us.
The instant our eyes met, she looked away.
She looked embarrassed.
Not excited.
Not triumphant.
Just deeply uncomfortable.
That wasn’t what I’d expected.
If she’d wanted to steal my moment, why did she look like she wanted to disappear?
I walked toward her.
Kevin reached for my arm.
“Jess.”
I gently pulled away.
Rosalie looked up as I stopped in front of her.
“Did you ask for this?”
Her grip tightened around the bouquet.
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Before she could answer, Corrine stepped between us.
“This isn’t the time.”
I looked around.
Nearly 30 guests had gathered in the hallway.
Whispers drifted through the room.
Everyone knew something was happening.
No one knew what.
I looked back at Corrine.
“Actually…”
I smiled.
“I think now is the perfect time.”
Her shoulders relaxed.
She mistook my smile for surrender.
“So you understand?”
“I do.”
Relief spread across her face.
“Thank you.”
I nodded.
“Rosalie can absolutely walk before me.”
Kevin let out a breath.
“So we’re okay?”
I looked at him.
“No.”
Then I faced Corrine.
“I have one condition.”
Her smile faltered.
“What condition?”
I looked at Rosalie.
Then back at Corrine.
“When those doors open, before she takes one step down that aisle…”
I raised my voice so every nearby guest could hear.
“I want you to tell everyone exactly why she’s walking before the bride.”
The hallway fell completely silent.
Corrine’s smile vanished.
She looked at Rosalie.
“Go ahead.”
