Chapter 1
If Liana Thomaz could describe her day, she’d say she was more than happy. Her best friend was about to marry an amazing guy, and she was the maid of honor.
Julie and Liana were lying on the hotel bed, flipping through magazines to decide on the details for the party. “I like blue,” the bride said, and her friend rolled her eyes.
“Of course you do, it brings out your eyes. I don’t look good in blue,” she replied, laughing. “I like this one,” she said, pointing to a shade of red.
Julie and Liana had known each other since their last year of college, when they did an exchange program together. They’d been like sisters ever since, united in a small apartment and relying on each other to speak German.
When they returned to their home country and graduated, they got into a good company to work on what they’d always dreamed of. Julie wrote movie columns for a magazine, while Liana was an economist.
About two years later, Julie got into a serious relationship with Franz, a guy she met in the exchange program. They talked via messages until he proposed.
“Red looks good on you,” she agreed. “I’m so excited. Franz said his whole family is coming, and that includes his cousins. It’s a little scary,” the blonde said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
“Julie Ann Herrmann, please. You’re amazing, he’s lucky to have you. Your wedding is going to be perfect, and we’re going to have so much fun,” her friend held her hand and smiled at the bride. “Because you have the best maid of honor of all: me. And I won’t let anything ruin your day.”
The two of them laughed. They were like little girls, enjoying every magical moment in that princess dream. They had already tried on the bride’s dress, chosen the caterer and the flowers. Julie could almost float with love, and having her friend there made it all even more special.
Before she could reply, they heard a knock on the door, and Franz came in, smiling to find them with their hair wrapped in rollers to make curls; they were going to test out makeup and hairstyles that afternoon.
“Okay, girls, I came to get you for lunch. I hope no one’s on a diet because of the clothes,” he joked and held out his hand to his beloved.
Julie quickly jumped toward him and kissed his cheek. “No way, no diets here,” she said, and it was the perfect combination, having a chef fiancé who loved to feed her with his dishes.
Liana got ready and soon the three of them went down to have lunch at the hotel restaurant that would host the wedding.
She was drinking a glass of white wine as they talked about random work and wedding topics when Franz started talking about the family that was coming.
“My cousins are coming. Diego and Sean will be my groomsmen. When I showed him your picture, Diego asked me to introduce you, Liana” he said, and Julie clapped her hands excitedly.
Julie saw it as her personal mission to find someone for her friend, who hadn’t dated since college. Liana was never interested in anyone, even though she always had a handsome guy throwing lines at her.
“Lily, look at that. Let me see a picture of him, honey,” she asked. And the maid of honor just sighed, used to it.
To be honest, the economist was still healing her heart. She remembered well when she left everything behind to follow her dream of going to college in another country. The exchange year was incredible; she met her best friend, and it opened professional doors for her, but it also made her lose someone special.
Liana used to date at the beginning of college, but things didn’t work out, and it still hurt.
“Lily, he’s a hunk,” she said. She was about to turn the phone toward her friend, but the economist just shook her head no.
“Julie, you know I adore you, and I’m super happy about your wedding. But I’m just not ready for a relationship yet,” she sighed.
The bride didn’t quite understand. Liana was young, beautiful with her chocolate-colored hair, perfect skin, and an amazing body, not to mention she was smart and had a great personality... Why was she single?
She heard a little about how painful the breakup had been, and since then she hadn’t gotten involved in any other relationships. She even went out with a guy for two weeks, but it didn’t work out.
They continued lunch, changing the subject. Franz was committed to telling them how he had planned the catering personally.
Franz’s mother was a very funny lady, a good match for Julie’s energetic personality. The two blondes looked like a mother and daughter strolling through the shops in New York. The wedding was in three days and Mrs. William hadn’t chosen her dress yet, just like Liana; this was the excuse for them to go shopping.
Karla William was already happily trying on the fifth item while Julie gave her opinion. Liana wandered through the racks, nonchalantly looking for something for herself.
When her eyes found the red dress in the shade chosen for the bridesmaids, she realized it was perfect and smiled. She pointed the mannequin out to the saleswoman and asked to try it on.
“Lily, you look amazing,” Julie said when she came out of the dressing room. Mrs. William turned around in her purple dress and smiled at the brunette.
“You look lovely, dear, you have to get that one,” she agreed.
Karla bought her purple dress and Liana got the red one. They were ready for the wedding.
Leaving the store, they went to meet the other bridesmaids, a cousin of Julie’s and Franz’s sister.
Julie’s phone rang, and it was her mother calling. “Honey, have you talked to your father yet?” she asked, and the bride frowned.
“What’s wrong with Dad?” she asked, confused.
“I just saw him walk through the hotel lobby with Taylor and Sofia; he brought them for the wedding,” she said.
Julie looked at her best friend, and from her not-so-good expression, Liana knew there was a problem.
She asked for the phone and, as maid of honor, promised to solve it.
Mr. and Mrs. Herrmann separated when Julie was twelve because her mother found out she was being cheated on. Nicolas Herrmann had a secret family with a former actress, Taylor Keller, with whom he had an illegitimate daughter, Sofia Keller.
Honestly, Liana didn’t understand how it would be for Mrs. Herrmann to see her ex-husband after so many years; the last time was at their daughter’s graduation. Now that he had married his mistress, and they lived as a perfect family, she held back from ruining Julie’s special day.
It was a lot of nerve for Taylor and Sofia to come to the wedding. That woman had no shame at all, and her daughter seemed to have learned it too.
“I’ll handle this,” Liana stated.
If she had to, she would kick the two of them out herself, but she wouldn’t let them make a scene at Julie’s wedding.
