Simone spoke first.
“That is not what I said.”
Lily looked terrified.
Daniel knew his daughter.
He knew the difference between confusion and fear.
“What did you say?”
Simone shook her head.
“Daniel, we’re eighteen minutes from the ceremony.”
“I don’t care.”
“You will care when two hundred people are waiting and your daughter walks down the aisle with half-finished hair.”
Daniel stared.
Half-finished.
As if the haircut itself were now justification for finishing it.
Lily reached for his hand.
He took it.
Then his phone rang.
Ordinarily he would have ignored it.
The screen displayed a name he had known for fifteen years.
Andre Collins.
Family attorney.
Daniel almost declined.
Then Simone saw the screen.
Her entire expression changed.
It happened quickly.
So quickly another person might have missed it.
Daniel did not.
The annoyance disappeared.
The wedding frustration disappeared.
What replaced them was fear.
“Don’t answer that.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What?”
Simone moved closer.
“Not now.”
“Why?”
“He can call after the ceremony.”
Daniel looked down at Andre’s name again.
Simone reached toward the phone.
“Daniel.”
He pulled his hand away.
She stopped.
“Why don’t you want me answering Andre?”
“I didn’t say I don’t want you answering him.”
“You literally just did.”
“Because we are about to get married.”
The phone continued ringing.
Daniel accepted.
“Andre?”
“Daniel, where are you?”
“At the hotel.”
A pause.
Then:
“Are you alone?”
Daniel looked at Lily.
Then Simone.
“No.”
Andre’s voice changed.
“I need you somewhere private.”
Simone said immediately, “Hang up.”
Andre heard her.
“Is Simone there?”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes.”
Another pause.
Longer.
Then Andre said:
“Put me on speaker.”
Simone stepped forward.
“Daniel, don’t.”
He looked directly at her.
And tapped speaker.
Andre’s voice filled the bridal suite.
“I need to verify something before you sign anything today.”
Daniel frowned.
“Sign what?”
Silence.
Andre said:
“Did you authorize Simone to contact my office regarding Lily’s trust?”
The words seemed to arrive from very far away.
Daniel looked at Simone.