I have a fear of people. Yet on my wedding day, my boyfriend was still busy washing his girl buddy's underwear.

I stood there looking at the crowded wedding hall, holding down the panic in my chest, and called Elliot Abbott to hurry him along. His voice came back impatient.

"Naomi Dickerson's always been careless about that kind of thing, ever since we were kids. I've always washed her underwear for her. It's just a few minutes. Can't you even wait that long?"

"Or is it that no one but me would ever marry you?"

I swallowed the hurt and got the words out. "On a normal day, fine. But today is our wedding. Can you at least tell what matters more?"

But right away his girl buddy Naomi's voice came through the phone.

"Come on, big miss, don't be jealous. This is the last time Elliot's going to wash for me."

"Once he's married I won't bother him anymore. Do me this one favor, don't make it hard for him, okay?"

I wanted to say more, but the call cut off. Clinging to one last hope, I called Elliot's mother, who'd remarried and moved to France.

"Mrs. Abbott, Elliot, he's still washing Naomi's underwear, at his own wedding. Could you talk to him, get him to come back and go through with the ceremony first?"

She didn't think anything of it. "What's the big deal? Elliot's even given her baths. The two of them grew up together, he's used to washing for her. Just wait a little."

I couldn't hold back the panic anymore, my hands starting to shake, the symptoms right on the edge of taking over, when my brother suddenly pulled me in against him.

"Little Serena Winfield, what if I have Caleb Abbott marry you instead? Elliot likes washing underwear so much, so I'll find you a man who'll wash yours just for you."

1

I stared at my brother in disbelief. The man he meant was Elliot's older cousin, the one who had taken Elliot in and raised him.

The man whose smile went gentle all the way through.

While I stood frozen, my brother leaned close to my ear again and asked softly,

"Is that all right, Little Serena?"

I came back to myself and nodded, nervous.

Because besides Elliot, Caleb was the only person who didn't make me afraid.

The moment he had my answer, my brother pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Hey, Caleb. Here's your chance to marry my sister. Get over here, fast."

In the end the wedding went ahead as planned, and Caleb held my hand the whole way through the ceremony.

Not only did his parents take the outcome in stride, they gave us their blessing.

The ceremony had barely ended when I found the string of calls Elliot had made, every one of them missed.

I thought about it and called him back anyway. I wanted to tell him not to come.

But the second it connected, Elliot didn't give me a chance to say a word.

"I called you so many times and you didn't pick up. Now you finally remember I exist?"

"Now you see nobody but me would marry you. You couldn't even wait a few minutes."

"Naomi and I were already in the car, on our way, and you had to pick a fight over a few minutes."

"Fine. You cool off first. The wedding's postponed."

By then I was already sitting in the wedding car, tears spilling down my face, big drops I couldn't stop.

Caleb gently smoothed my hair, soothing me the way you'd calm a child.

With him talking me through it, Elliot's words stopped hurting the way they had.

The line of cars kept moving toward the Prescott villa.

Halfway there, we ran into Elliot. He was driving a convertible sports car, Naomi in the passenger seat.

The lead car was Caleb's, and once Elliot recognized it, he cut in front of us with a showy little maneuver and forced us to stop.

He rapped on the window, knock knock, like he was saying, "Bro, what are you doing? How could you get married and not tell me?"

He lounged against the car door with that grinning, careless look, clearly ready to stay put until someone paid him attention.

I was sitting alone in the back with my veil down. Caleb turned from the passenger seat to look at me and said gently,

"Don't be scared. I'll handle him."

I nodded, and Caleb rolled down the window and looked at Elliot coldly. "What do you want?"

"Bro, that's cold. How could you get married, something this big, and not tell your own little brother?"

Naomi squeezed in too, laughing. "Right, Caleb, we want a little of that good luck to rub off on us."

Then she reached a hand toward the car and stuck out her tongue. "Caleb, we want our gift money."

Caleb frowned. Seeing it, Elliot rushed in with a grin.

"Come on, big brother, the road toll's a must. It's tradition. Only if you pay do you get a happy marriage."

Caleb patted his pockets, but he wasn't carrying any cash.

He tried to reason with them. "I don't have any cash on me. I'll give it to you back at the house."

Elliot went straight to playing the brat. "No way. No cash, no passing."

Naomi chimed in. "Come on, Caleb, there are so many people here. Borrow from someone. Borrow from the bride, even."

Seeing how stuck Caleb was, I quickly dug six hundred out of my bag and passed it to him.

At that, Elliot suddenly leaned his head toward the car. "Oh, your wife's a real beauty."

Caleb shoved his head back out fast.

But what Elliot said told me he hadn't recognized me at all. It was just something to say for show.

"Ooh, haven't even had the wedding night yet, and already this protective of her."

Caleb didn't bother answering the teasing. He just held out the six hundred to the two of them.

"Take the money and go."

Elliot took it but kept pushing. "No, no, that won't do. The bride hasn't given hers yet."

Seeing Caleb about to lose his temper, I quickly pulled another six hundred from my bag and handed it to Elliot.

He took it, grinning. "Thanks. Wishing you and my brother a long and happy marriage, and a baby soon."

"And wishing my brother and his wife a lifetime of love and devotion."

I listened to that and found it bitter. Fate really did play cruel tricks on people.

And with that, the road teasing was over.

As the car started up again, I saw Elliot had posted to his feed. He'd recorded a congratulations video.

Under it, his buddies were asking, "Isn't it your wedding today?"

"How come you're the one recording congratulations for your brother instead?"

"By trashy-drama logic, don't tell me your socially anxious bride got stolen by your brother?"

Elliot replied, "Don't talk nonsense. My wife is nothing like Serena. And by the way, everyone, the wedding's off."

"I'll let you all know once we've set a new date."

"A socially anxious girlfriend does have its perks. No crying, no drama."

Before we got out of the car, Elliot, considerate of how I might feel, had the butler tell all the staff in advance.

So when we stepped out, there wasn't a soul around, and my nerves slowly eased.

Caleb held my hand tight and led me to his room. Everything had been so rushed there'd been no time to set up a proper wedding room.

I sat stiff on the edge of the bed, imagining what a wedding night might bring, growing more and more uneasy.

Because the most intimate thing I could stand was a hug.

Caleb saw my unease and my nerves. He gave my cheek a light, doting pinch and smiled.

"Little Serena, you sleep here on your own tonight. I'll take the guest room."

I let out a breath, relieved, and then felt a little guilty.

When the huge room was left with just me in it, I found myself curious, taking in Caleb's room.

The place was a plain gray-white, very tidy. Then a gemstone necklace in the display case caught my eye.

I stepped closer for a look, and found that this necklace was actually the debut piece I'd handed my brother to auction when I was eighteen.

I never once asked about the bidding. I'd had no idea the one who won it was Caleb.

While I stood there dazed, laughter and voices suddenly came from outside the door.

"Brother, how could you just get married without a word? Who'd you marry? Let me see."

"Right, Caleb, how could you not even tell us you were getting married? That's way too sudden, isn't it?"

It was Elliot and Naomi's voices, and as they spoke I saw the door handle turn.

But the door didn't open. Caleb blocked it. "Your wife's already asleep. Don't cause trouble."

"Come on, don't lie to me. You're clearly still up."

"Besides, we haven't teased the newlyweds yet."

"I have to see whether this new wife of yours is really some fairy come down from heaven, if she can melt an iceberg like you."

"She doesn't like meeting strangers. Leave her alone."

Naomi couldn't resist a jab. "What, is she like that Winfield heiress, Serena? Is that condition contagious?"

Elliot quickly put on a pained, teasing face.

"Caleb, you really can't marry a woman like that. You have no idea how much of a headache Serena's been since we started dating."

"Enough. Go back to your room. If you're not gone by then, I'll freeze every card I've given you."

"Fine, fine, no peeking. I'll see her sooner or later anyway."

"Caleb, we were just joking. Don't be angry."

The door to the next room shut, and only then did I realize Elliot was staying right beside Caleb.

Then, a soft knock. Elliot's warm voice came through. "Are you asleep?"

I didn't answer. I walked to the door and pulled it open.

Caleb's worried eyes met mine, and I forced up a smile, wanting to tell him I was fine.

"Caleb, could you, could you stay with me tonight?"

I pinched the hem of my dress, head down, too nervous to look at him, sweating through the tension.

Caleb was silent for three seconds, then a clear, easy laugh sounded above my head.

"All right, Serena. But from now on, don't call me Caleb like that."

His last words came out soft and coaxing. It took me a few seconds to catch his meaning, and then my face went hot.

Once all the lights were off, the room fell pitch black, and yet I felt strangely at peace. I wasn't afraid to be near Caleb anymore.

He held me in his arms, so quiet I could hear a heartbeat pounding, though I couldn't tell whose it was, his or mine.

Just as I was drifting off, the faint conversation next door came through, clear enough to make out.

Naomi's playful voice carried through the wooden wall.

"Elliot, if you'd gone to that wedding, tonight would've been your wedding night."

"Aren't you afraid your precious Serena will run off with someone else?"

Elliot picked it up, full of confidence.

"Relax. That girl has anthropophobia. She's mine for life, no way around it."

"No idea why, but I'm the only one she isn't afraid of. She barely even sees her own brother."

"Love really does conquer everything. Her symptoms have gotten a lot better lately."

"I'd bet no one but me could ever marry her. She's stuck with me for the rest of her life."

Caleb suddenly whispered to me, "I'm sorry."

"When the house was renovated, the designer put a shared decorative false wall between the two bedrooms for the sake of the overall look. The soundproofing isn't as solid as a real wall. At night, when it's quiet, nothing stays hidden."

I shook my head and mouthed the words, "It's okay."

Next door it went on, but where it was heading turned more and more wrong.

"Elliot, do you, do you want to try, what a wedding night feels like?"

"No point. Serena can't even handle a kiss."

"Oh, why didn't you say so sooner. For all those years you washed my underwear, I don't mind letting you take a little advantage."

"You, you're serious."

"Don't make such a fuss. It's a normal need. You're twenty-three and still a virgin. Aren't you embarrassed to say that out loud?"

"Besides, haven't you heard women care a lot about the experience?"

"If you don't get used to it beforehand, I'm afraid you won't even find the right spot on your wedding night, ha."

"You said it, then. But let's be clear, just once. Don't tell Serena."

My face burned as I listened, and at the same time my heart hurt like it was being stuck with needles.

Elliot didn't know why I wasn't afraid of him, but I remembered it clearly.

The height of summer when I was fifteen, a boy walked into my home for the first time, following twenty-four-year-old Caleb.

The comical way he looked around at everything made me, standing upstairs, laugh.