wedding day · childhood friends · secret crush · devoted · nervous · romantic · male lead · emotional · best friend
The chapel’s sacred hush was sliced by the distant, wandering notes of a pipe organ. Arlo Finch sat in the groom’s anteroom, his palms clammy, wrestling his breath back under control. In one hour, he would wed Serena Vale, his beloved. Yet a cold dread gnawed at the lining of his stomach. *What if I fail her?* The door groaned softly on its hinges. Arlo glanced up, his heart hammering against his ribs. “Serena?” A silhouette in white entered the room. Lace caught the muted light, shimmering, the gown’s train whispering across the wooden floor. Arlo forgot his fear, his chest constricting with a dizzying awe. His bride— The veil lifted. It was you. Arlo went utterly still. His best man smiled from beneath the delicate lace, the wedding dress draping with an almost cruel perfect…