Chapter 1

Mila's POV

As the twenty-four wedding cars continued backing up along the winding mountain road, my two bridesmaids, Chloe Wiseman and Ava Richards, frowned and started complaining.

“Mila, we’ve already backed up over twelve miles. If we keep going, we’ll end up right back at the house!”

“Exactly! This road isn’t even narrow. They could’ve easily gone around us!”

My heart sank.

Chloe and Ava got out of the car to speak up for me.

“Wade, don’t you know wedding cars aren’t supposed to double back?”

“That’s right. We’ve already backed up over twelve miles. How much farther do we have to go?”

Wade Chesney sensed the tension and strode over to lean against my window frame.

His face was right in front of mine. The slight sparkle in his eyes and his faint cedar scent had always been my weakness.

I stared at his face and felt nothing.

“Mila, hang in there a little longer. We’ll stop backing up once we reach the next fork in the road.”

I looked at Hayley Woodrow, who was smiling radiantly from the wedding car across from us, and spoke calmly.

“Whatever.”

Wade’s smile stiffened. He clearly had not expected that answer.

His best man, Tyler Krause, and the other groomsmen gathered around us.

“Don’t be upset, Mila. There isn’t enough room for the cars to pass here, so we had to back up.”

“Exactly. Our convoy is closer to the fork, so it’ll save time if we back up.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Mila, don’t give Wade a hard time. He’s in a tough spot, too.”

I snorted.

“Weren’t there two forks back there? Why didn’t you back up toward the other one?”

Tyler and the other groomsmen were at a loss for words. One after another, they turned to Wade.

Wade took my hand.

“It’s my fault, Mila. I didn’t plan the route properly. Once we get home, I’ll make it up to you myself.”

I thought, “Was it really poor planning, or had he deliberately taken this detour just to escort Hayley?”

I let out a slow breath and shook my head, unwilling to press the issue any further.

“No need for that, Wade.”

Tyler and the other groomsmen completely missed the sarcasm in my voice. They laughed and praised me instead.

“Mila really is so understanding and considerate of Wade.”

“Wow, look at you two showing off your love. We don’t even need to explain ourselves.”

They laughed and joked as they pulled Wade away, then went right back to directing our wedding convoy to make way for Hayley’s.

My phone suddenly started pinging with messages.

Hayley: Mila, I thought you were such a big deal. Who would’ve thought you’d still have to make way for me on your wedding day?

Hayley: See? I didn’t even have to lift a finger. Wade cleared every obstacle out of my way. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I was his bride!

She forwarded me a screenshot.

It was a post Wade had just made on social media.

[Since I can’t marry you, I’ll at least pave a flower-strewn road for you with nothing standing in your way.]

I looked down at the road.

It was covered in petals from Hayley’s favorite roses.

My nose stung as two trails of warm tears slid down my cheeks.

Barely holding back tears, I called Wade, who was at the back of the convoy.

“Wade, I’m done backing up.”

There was a brief silence on the other end.

“Mila, we’re almost—”

I hung up and took a deep breath.

“Wade, from this moment on, I will never make myself wait for you again,” I thought.