Faking Forever (First Wives #4)(14)

“I’m not him.”

Laughter preceded the door opening.

The room was an explosion of clothes, shoes, half-empty suitcases, and old trays from room service. The girls were in all states of undress. Two wore strapless bras, while Corrie and her maid of honor wore corsets.

Corrie sat in front of a mirror while a stylist worked to add tiny flowers to her hair.

“Good afternoon,” Shannon said to everyone as they buzzed around.

Corrie smiled briefly at her through the mirror.

“How are you feeling today?” she asked.

“I’m fine. Nervous. But no rain, so that’s good.”

Shannon kept a smile in place. “I was just next door. Everything looks fabulous.”

The wedding party introduced themselves, but the names that stuck in Shannon’s head were Barbie, Bitsy, and Bimbo. Their high-pitched singsong voices didn’t help. “How close are you to putting on your dresses?”

Melia was the name of the girl she’d met the night before, Corrie’s maid of honor, who answered, “Ten minutes.”

“Perfect. And your parents, Corrie?”

“Dad’s ready, but you’d think my mom was the one getting married today.”

Shannon encouraged the girls to clean up the room enough so that she could get a few pictures of them getting ready without the distraction of panties in the background.

One by one, the bridesmaids slipped into their gowns and helped the stylist with Corrie’s.

Shannon focused in on the bride as she watched the others working around her. Her tight smile made the shots fall flat. “Your dress is beautiful,” Shannon complimented, focusing closer to capture a true grin.

“It is, isn’t it?”

“Perfect. Is it what you always pictured?”

Corrie turned and lifted her arms while Melia helped with the buttons up the back. “Yes.”

Still no smile.

“Look over your shoulder,” Shannon instructed. “Smile.”

She did, but it didn’t last. “I think I need to sit down.” She lifted a hand to her head to fan herself. The color in her face started to drain.

Shannon grabbed a chair and pushed it close. “It might be the corset.”

Corrie slid down, her breathing jumping up a few notches.

“Melia, turn the air on high.” Someone handed Corrie a glass of water.

The door to the room opened and Mrs. Harkin stepped in. She frowned when she saw her daughter sitting down and everyone huddled around her. “What’s going on?”

“I think she’s just overheated,” Shannon said.

The door opened wider and Mr. Harkin joined them. “You okay, honey?”

“I’m nervous. Everyone is staring at me.”

Her observation had her girlfriends backing up a step.

“Tell you what. I’ll take the girls outside, get a few pictures of them. We can wait to get shots with you after the ceremony. I’m sure you’ll settle once it’s all done.”

Corrie nodded a few times.

Shannon exited the room and dragged the girls to the spot she’d scoped out earlier. When she returned, Corrie was feeling better but wanted to wait for the very last second to join the humidity outside.

With her work there done, Shannon left the girls in search of the men.

Unlike the women, the men were propped up on a deck, feet on the railing, wearing shorts and T-shirts.

Shannon saw Justin first and shook her head. “You do know there’s a wedding in an hour, right?”

“If it isn’t the sassy photographer.”

She had to own the title. “That’s me. I’m bossy, too.”

Victor stuck his head out the sliding glass door. He, at least, was dressed. Gray dress pants and a button up shirt. “Looks like someone knows there’s a timeline to this thing,” Shannon quipped.

“In an hour,” Victor said.

“Yeah, I heard. I need you guys dressed in fifteen. I have what I need from the women, and now it’s your turn.” She didn’t have any trouble asserting herself when it came to doing her job. In her experience, on their own, men waited until the last second to get ready, or for someone like her to bark an order.

Justin pushed off the chair he was sitting in. “You heard the lady. Let’s get moving.”

Ten minutes later, the men filed out of the room. Hair combed back, dress pants, white shirts. Light jackets. Shannon took the liberty of snapping a few pictures of them standing and joking around with each other. She caught Justin sucking on his finger, a smirk on his face.

Cute.

Using the ocean and a lone palm tree as her backdrop, Shannon posed the men in a series of shots that were both serious and whimsical. Much like Corrie’s, Victor’s smile for her camera felt forced. She couldn’t help but think it was her. It wasn’t like she’d tried hard to make a good impression on the man or put him at ease with her instructions.

Then again, she had a fifty-dollar bet with the brother on how long the marriage would last. Maybe he was having second thoughts.

“Okay, Victor. Let’s get a few shots with your brother.”

She posed them next to a crooked palm tree that stretched horizontally nearly as much as it did vertically. The second she had them in the right frame, Victor turned to her and smiled.