He offered her the damaged bouquet.
“I’m sorry.”
She tried to smile.
“You’ve had a terrible day, sweetheart.”
He shook his head.
“No. You have.”
Eleanor’s eyes filled.
“I didn’t want to cause trouble.”
The sentence struck Nathan with unbearable force.
She was standing in a wedding ballroom after being falsely accused, publicly humiliated, and ordered to leave.
And she was still worried about causing trouble.
He embraced her.
At first, Eleanor remained stiff.
Then she slowly wrapped her arms around him.
Nathan lowered his forehead against her silver hair.
“I’m sorry I let her treat you that way.”
Eleanor began to cry.
Not loudly.
Just a quiet, broken release of everything she had been holding inside for months.
Leah approached and placed a hand on their shoulders.
For a moment, the three of them stood together beneath the chandeliers, surrounded by the remains of a wedding that would never happen.
Nathan finally stepped back.
“Let’s go home.”
Eleanor wiped her cheeks.
“What about everyone?”
“They’ll understand.”
“And the money?”
Nathan glanced at the elaborate decorations.
He had spent nearly seventy thousand dollars preparing for this day.
Some of it would never be recovered.
