9
Raina.
I didn’t flinch when I saw the sign.
If was white chalk cursive on dark wood: Welcome to the Wedding of Caleb & Meredith. A pair of gold rings painted beneath it, like symbols of something that actually meant forever.
The air outside the venue smelled like expensive flowers and something faintly artificial. The kind of scent rich families spray into spaces to make everything feel lighter than it is. But the weight hadn’t left me. It sat under my collarbones, pressing down with every shallow breath.
People smiled at me as we walked in. Polite smiles. Polished ones. The kind that say we remember you, but pretend they don’t. I returned each of them with a smooth, unreadable expression.
Dominic’s hand settled gently at the small of my back. A subtle reminder saying I’m here, I’
