Wednesday evening, three days to Vegas

Jess was trying to keep her purse from falling down her shoulder, while balancing the large garment bag across her arms outside their apartment building. As she maneuvered to grab the bottom, the handle of her shopping bag slid out of her hand and fell to the ground. She growled and rolled her eyes, blowing her bangs out of her face.

"Damn it."

"Jess!" She spun around and gave a huge sigh of relief as Nick came running up behind her. "Here, let me get that." He took the garment bag from her and folded it over his arm as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Are you just getting back now?! What's all this anyway?"

She laughed, catching her breath. "My new dress and shoes." She bent down to pick up the dropped shopping back and adjusted her purse back on her shoulder.

He raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Hmmm. Care to model it upstairs?"

She reached out to poke his nose. "No way. Not until the wedding."

He held out his hand, motioning for her to hand him the red shopping bag in her hand. When she frowned in refusal, he rolled his eyes and stepped forward to grab it from her hand.

"Hey!"

"Will ya let me help ya, Jess?! You're going to drop everything!"

"Oh, fine."

Nick laughed as they started walking toward the building, the bag swinging in his hand. "I thought it was just the bride who couldn't be seen before the wedding."

She crossed her arms in front of her and scrunched her nose. "Very funny. It's just a really awesome dress and I want to surprise you." She grabbed onto his arm and squeezed, giving him a devious grin.

He shook his head, smiling. "Just open the door, will ya?"

She stepped forward to grab the handle when she saw a figure come towards them on the other side of the glass. She smiled as the door open. "Oh thank you, Remy. You're a lifesaver!"

"Hello." He stepped back to give them space to walk through the entrance. "You two looked like you needed some help."

Jess gave him a warm smile as Nick quickly passed in front of her toward the elevator. "I'm so glad you were here."

Remy tentatively stepped back as he released the door to close behind them.

Jess stopped, grabbing Nick's arm to keep him from disappearing. "How are you? We haven't seen you much lately."

"Oh, you know. Just busy with stuff."

Jess nodded and smiled, just as Nick started motioning his head toward the elevator.

"I'm actually about to replace a water heater, just waiting for someone to help me wheel it in."

"Oh, Nick can help!" Jess gave Nick's arm a squeeze, hearing a small grunt come from his mouth.

"Oh, I'm just fine. Thanks." Remy forced a tiny smile and stiffly turned to walk away.

Jess pursed her lips as Nick glared at her. She hissed quietly under her breath. "Nick, you should help him. He looks so tired, maybe he's not feeling well." She gave him a smile. "For me?"

Nick glanced back and forth between Jess and Remy's disappearing figure down the hallway. He gave an exasperated sigh, his shoulders falling forward defeated. "Okay, fine. You win. Hey Remy!" Nick called out to the landlord. "Give me a minute to get this stuff upstairs for Jess and I'll be down to help ya."

Remy turned around and nodded. "Really appreciate that. Thanks."

Jess reached out to pat Nick's arm before hitting the elevator button. As they stepped into the elevator, Jess reached across to press for the fourth floor. She bumped her shoulder against his arm before wrapping her arms around him to give him a hug. "You're amazing." Nick just raised his eyebrows and shook his head, a funny grin coming across his lips. Jess laughed loudly and stood on her toes to give him a quick kiss.

As he stood next to Jess, smiling and humming quietly to herself, he felt the sweat beginning to form on his back. The pressure of the ring box was heavy in his pocket as he found himself holding his breath. He tapped his foot and twitched his thumbs nervously, just wanting to get away from his girlfriend before he let something slip out that shouldn't. He started to panic that she would ask where he had just been, and with the ring still in his pocket, he didn't trust that he wouldn't blurt it out.

Jess turned to him and smiled, just as the elevator stopped on their floor. "You okay?"

"What?" He shook his head as the door opened.

Tilting her head to the side, she narrowed her eyes. "Are you mad about Remy?" They stepped out of the elevator toward their door, Jess reaching into her purse for the key. When she glanced up, she noticed a wet spot on the back of Nick's gray shirt as he turned to shift the garment bag in his arms.

"Nick," She took the red shopping bag out of his hand and slid between him and the loft door. She lowered her voice, suddenly sounding suspicious. "why are you acting so weird?"

Nick rolled his eyes and nodded toward the door. "Jess, just open the damn door, this is kinda heavy you know." He cringed as her expression fell, not meaning to snap at her. He sighed loudly and shook his head. "Hey, I'm sorry. Just, can you?" He lifted up the bag in his arms, nodding again toward the door.

She frowned and mumbled softly. "Right. Sorry."

As she pushed open the door, he quickly bristled past her toward her room. Quick on his heels, she followed him as he laid her dress on the bed and stepped around her to head back towards the front door.

Jess reached out to grab his arm, her eyes quickly glancing down to his sweaty back before looking him in the eye as he spun towards her. "What's going on, Nick?"

Nick's jaw tightened. "You wanted me to go help Remy. That's what I'm doing." He yanked his arm away from her grasp and briskly walked down the hall and out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him before she could even formulate another thought.

Stepping back into her room, she slipped her purse off and threw it next to the garment bag on the bed with her keys. Dropping the shopping bag on the floor, she spun around and collapsed backwards onto the bed, laying down and throwing her arms over her tear filled eyes.

What if this wedding was putting new doubts in Nick's head about their own future?

She had spent the last year falling so far in love with this man. Suddenly she was hit with the painful realization that at any moment it could all still disappear.