Chapter 23: The Wedding That Wasn't
It all started with a mysterious text.
Ayla was peacefully sipping her morning coffee when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen—and nearly spit out her drink.
"Caden, why did I just get a text saying, 'Can't wait to see you at the wedding today!'" she asked, voice laced with suspicion.
Caden, lying sprawled on her couch like he owned the place, didn't even flinch. "Oh yeah. That's today."
"What do you mean, 'That's today?'" Ayla demanded, eyes wide.
He gave her a lazy grin. "Didn't I tell you? We're crashing a wedding."
Her jaw dropped. "Excuse me? Whose wedding?"
"Eh… minor detail." He waved it off casually. "All I know is there's free food and probably an open bar."
Ayla pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering to herself. "I swear, one day you're going to get me arrested."
"But not today!" Caden declared, springing off the couch with way too much enthusiasm. "Come on, dress up. We have to look convincing!"
"Convincing?" Ayla shot him a look of disbelief. "Convincing as what? Uninvited maniacs?"
Caden just grinned. "Trust me. It'll be fun."
Mission: Blend In
Ayla soon found herself at a lavish lakeside venue, surrounded by elegantly dressed guests. It was clear from the start that they did not belong.
"We stick out so badly," Ayla muttered, tugging at her dress.
"Nonsense. We just need to act like we belong," Caden replied smoothly, grabbing two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter. "Smile, mingle, drink. Easy."
Ayla gave him a side-eye. "This feels like a terrible idea."
"When is anything I do not a terrible idea?" Caden grinned, raising his glass.
"Touché," she muttered, taking a sip.
Unexpected Toast and the Happy Couple
Everything was going well. They had blended in (more or less), mingled with strangers, and made it through the first course without causing trouble.
But then the microphone came out.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the DJ announced. "It's time to hear a few words from the couple's closest friends!"
Ayla froze.
"Oh no," she whispered, watching in horror as Caden made a beeline for the front.
"Caden, don't you dare—"
Too late. He was already up there, grinning like the star of the show.
"Hi, everyone!" Caden began, raising his glass. "Let me just say, what a beautiful wedding! Honestly, it's an honor for Ayla and me to be here today. In fact, we were just talking about how inspiring it is… You know, for our big day."
Ayla's heart plummeted into her stomach.
The crowd gasped. The bride clapped her hands excitedly.
"Oh my gosh! You two are engaged?"
"No! No, we're not—" Ayla tried to explain, but Caden jumped in with that same mischievous grin.
"We're keeping it quiet," he said, winking. "Didn't want to steal anyone's thunder."
The crowd broke into delighted applause. Ayla gave Caden a murderous glare.
"You are so dead," she whispered as he returned to her side.
"Relax," Caden whispered back. "It's all part of the plan."
"What plan?" she hissed.
"The plan to have fun," he said with a wink. "Now come on, they're playing the slow songs."
Dancing and Disaster
Ayla had barely recovered from the toast disaster when Caden dragged her onto the dance floor.
"I hate you," she muttered, trying not to step on his feet as they awkwardly swayed to the music.
"You love me," Caden teased, pulling her a little closer.
"Not even close," she shot back, though her scowl was softened by a reluctant smile.
They stumbled through the waltz, laughing and bumping into other couples. For a moment, Ayla felt something strange—a sense of ease.
It was in these silly moments with Caden, amid the chaos and confusion, that she found herself weirdly… happy.
Not that she'd ever admit it out loud.
Running into the Ex
Just as Ayla started to relax, disaster struck again.
Across the room, she spotted Brett—her ex—the same guy who ghosted her for months and reappeared only to tell her he needed "space."
"Oh no," she groaned. "Brett is here."
Caden perked up. "The Burning Man guy?"
"Yes. The same one," Ayla muttered, trying to disappear into the crowd.
But it was too late. Brett spotted her and started making his way over, his usual smug expression firmly in place.
"Hey, Ayla," Brett greeted her smoothly, as if he hadn't vanished from her life like a magician's trick.
"Brett," she said, forcing a tight smile.
Before she could say anything else, Caden stepped in, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Hey there, Brett! You've met my fiancée, right?"
Brett blinked, caught off guard. "Fiancée?"
Ayla froze, glaring at Caden. "What are you doing?" she whispered.
"Saving the day," Caden whispered back, flashing Brett a grin. "Crazy how things work out, huh?"
Brett's face twisted into a forced smile. "Right… Congratulations, I guess."
Ayla barely suppressed a groan. "We're not actually—"
"Thanks, man!" Caden interrupted, giving Brett a playful slap on the back. "She's a keeper."
Brett's expression soured. "Well, I'll, uh… see you around."
As he walked away, Caden leaned down, whispering, "You're welcome."
"You are the worst," Ayla muttered, though she couldn't help but smile.
The Bouquet and Garter Toss
Just when Ayla thought the night couldn't get weirder, the DJ announced the bouquet toss.
"Oh no," Ayla whispered.
"Oh yes," Caden whispered back, clearly enjoying her discomfort.
Before Ayla could escape, the bouquet came flying through the air—straight toward her.
She instinctively reached up, and the flowers landed perfectly in her hands.
The crowd cheered. Ayla glared at Caden. "You did this on purpose."
He grinned. "What can I say? Fate works in mysterious ways."
The garter toss followed, and, unsurprisingly, Caden caught it with a smug flourish.
"Looks like we're a perfect match," he said, holding up the garter.
Ayla rolled her eyes. "You are so lucky I don't kill you right here."
Caden winked. "But admit it… This was fun."
Ayla sighed, reluctantly smiling. "Yeah, yeah. It was fun."
They left the venue with full stomachs, tired feet, and memories they'd probably laugh about for years.
And as they walked to the car under the glow of the moon, Ayla glanced at Caden.
"You really are ridiculous," she said, shaking her head.
He grinned. "But you wouldn't have me any other way."
Ayla laughed. "Unfortunately, you're right."