And on his face—damn it—a smirk.
I charged over, blood hot.
“What’d you put in that note for my girl?”
Sam jumped at my tone, tried to duck. “Not now, Jack—”
I cut his path, teeth gritted. “No games.
Spill.”
He paused, eyes shifting for an out.
But my stare pinned him, and he finally looked up.
His mouth twitched into a sly grin.
“I just gave Nicole the real deal…”
I went cold, gut twisting. “What real deal?”
Grin widened, mean as hell.
“That’s not my story to tell.”
“Sam!” I grabbed his arm.
But he twisted free smooth, melting into the crowd before I could shake more loose. Mad and lost churned in me.
I wheeled and headed for Mark.
He stood at the front, white as a sheet, eyes scanning the upset guests.
No soft words. “What you keeping from Nicole?”
Mark’s forehead creased, fear flashing.
“Keeping? What’re you on about?”
“Don’t bull me!” My yell cut the murmurs, hushing the room.
“She got word from Sam—read it—and ran.
Said she couldn’t do it.”
Mark’s face dropped.
He looked wrecked, begging. “Jack, I swear, no clue.
Believe me.”
But talk spread fast.
Guests twisted necks, whispering, “Bride’s gone?” “What went down?” The gossip thickened the air, louder with every tick Nicole was missing. I yanked my phone, fingers fumbling, and rang her.
Voicemail.
Tried again.
Zip.
Mark dialed too, voice rough. “No answer.”
Sam? Vanished.
Like mist.
My legs wobbled under it all.
The wedding crumbled, and I couldn’t stop it.
As I opened my mouth to call a pause, a quiet voice tugged my sleeve. Sophie.
Nicole’s best pal, maid of honor, buddy since they were kids.
Her eyes swam with worry. “She’s fine,” Sophie breathed.
“Just… super upset.
Didn’t want word out where she went.
But she told me.”
Hope surged. “Where?”
Sophie leaned in, words lost in the buzz.
“Your place. By the sea.”
Of course.
Our spot.
Where I took her after Mom died.
Rocks by the water, waves drowning out the hurt when life got too much. No second thought.
I turned to Mark.
“You’re with me.”
His jaw set. “Where she is, I go.”
We bolted to my truck, rocks crunching under boots, and flew down the road to the shore.
Every bend felt like fighting shadows, something gnawing at my head.
Waves hit view, slamming rocks wild.
I gripped the wheel harder and told Mark low:
“When we pull up, better hope she backs your side of this.”
When we rolled to the beach, I saw her right off.
Nicole on the sand, still in her gown, veil whipped by wind, face wet with tears. It knifed my gut. But spotting Mark from the truck flipped her hurt to rage.
She jumped up, jabbing a shaky finger my way.
“Why’d you drag him here?!” she yelled, voice cracking over the surf.
Mark locked up like hit.
“Nicole… please,” he stuttered, palms out. “What’s happening?
I swear…I got nothing.”
Nicole shook hard, yanking something from behind.
She chucked it our way—the paper balled on Mark’s chest, then flopped to sand. I scooped it.
Not a sweet note.
Not a letter.
A printout. Marriage cert—Mark’s name.
And clipped back, a photo: him beaming in a room with a lady and three little kids. Heat flooded me.
Fists balled till nails bit skin.
“Mark,” I snarled, jamming the paper at him, “explain this.”
He gaped at it forever, face ashen, hands jittery.
Then shook his head wild. “It’s bogus.”
I closed in, voice climbing.
“And the pic?
That’s fake too?”
His Adam’s apple jumped. Voice broke, but he held.
“That’s my cousin Nancy.
Her man split years back; I lent a hand.
Shot’s from four years ago.
No idea why Sam pulled this, but swear it, Nicole—I got no secrets.”
Nicole’s cries eased, breaths rough but leveling. She swiped her face. “You get I’ll check this, right?”
Mark nodded frantic.
“Yeah.
Call her.
I’ll do it.” He fished his phone, thumbs shaky on contacts.
Hit “Nancy,” speaker on. Voice picked up quick.
“Mark?
Why call? Wedding day, right?
Sorry I missed—kids got bugs, stuck home.”
I jumped in, grilling dates, names, facts.
Her replies lined up with his, one by one.
I breathed out slow, anger still hot—not at Mark, but Sam. Nicole’s chin set.
No warning, she grabbed her phone and rang him. Not on speaker, but we huddled close for every bit.
“Why hand me those papers?” she snapped.
Sam’s tone sliced back, sour and raw, no fake nice.
“Cause I’ve loved you forever. Mark don’t deserve you.
He cheated, Nicole—I got proof.
That was just starter. More coming.”
Nicole went rigid.
Then, with fire I’d never heard, she fired, “Liar!
You wrecked my day!
Lose my number.” Hung up sharp, blocked him in a flash.
Waves pounded harder, like sealing her call. Hours on, back at the hall, bridesmaids dabbed her eyes, fixed her face, smoothed her dress. Vows kicked off six hours late, but walking her down again?
Her steps held firm.
Sure.
She’s hitched to the guy she loves.
Me? No more doubts.
Weeks later, I double-checked it all myself.
No hidden wife. No secret kids.
Mark was straight-up the good egg I pegged him for.
Sam?
Never showed. We ghosted his rings.
He faded out clean. But I’ll always remember Nicole on that beach, eyes puffy, voice wobbly as she leaned in and said what I needed most:
“Dad… thanks for sticking by me, even when I couldn’t trust what I saw.”
