Kate scoffs silently under her breath as she walks through the wedding venue, her hands shoved down into the pockets of her suit. Your soon-to-be husband truly hadn’t spared any expense, but she still thinks it all looks horribly tacky. Maybe it’s because she’s never been one for the gaudiness that comes with a socialite wedding. Maybe she’s just a military brat who prefers practicality to style.

Or maybe she just really f*cking hates your fiancé.

She’s not here for him, though. No, she’s here to try to help her old flame see reason. Old Flame, because she’s not even sure that you count as a proper ex. Not that it matters anyway. It was about more than just whatever romantic relationship you might have had when she was too young and too drunk to properly care about someone. It’s about trying to talk some sense into your head. Make you hear logic instead of wedding bells.

“Hey.” Kate clears her throat, glancing down at her shoes as she comes to a stop. She leans up against the doorway to the room where you’re supposed to be getting ready. She’s afraid that if she looks you in the eye, there’s going to be a flood of unresolved feelings. And she really doesn’t need that right now.

She’s not here for her own feelings or validation— at least that’s the story Kate’s been telling herself. Maybe she shouldn’t have shown up.

“You did send me an invitation,” Kate says, briefly glancing up when she notes the surprise that’s crossed your face right now. Her eyebrows are quirking upwards, and her tongue is running along her top lip as she tries to think of what to say. ‘Don’t marry him’ seems like it would be a little too blunt, but that’s what she wants to say. “What? You didn’t think I’d show up?”