My jaw tightened.
Chloe looked at me over Elena’s shoulder.
Not yet.
So I swallowed the answer I wanted to give.
The ceremony started soon after. Chloe looped her arm through mine, and for a second, I saw the girl from the stairs again.
“You’re squeezing my hand, Dad,” she whispered.
The doors opened, and everyone stood.
When we reached Marcus, he looked at Chloe like he understood what she’d survived without making her explain it.
The officiant asked who presented her.
I opened my mouth.
Chloe squeezed my arm. “The man who raised me does.”
The room murmured.
I kissed her cheek and stepped back.
Elena wasn’t smiling anymore.
For an hour, I let the wedding be beautiful. Marcus cried before Chloe did. Violet cried with both of them. Evelyn passed her a tissue without looking away from Elena.
