Sweet Little Lies

Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

ONE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING

The next morning, I wake up and instinctively glance over to the spot where Tucker should be lying beside me. The bed is empty. A pang of disappointment hits me in the chest. I run my fingers over the smooth sheets, feeling their softness. I vaguely remember Tucker coming in last night and crawling into bed next to me.

But now he’s gone.

The fact that Tucker has already left for the day without even saying a word to me is not a promising sign. I drag myself out of bed and head to the bathroom, trying to compose myself as I apply some makeup and change into a comfortable lounge outfit before heading downstairs.

When I walk into the kitchen, relief floods over my body. Tucker is there with a dish towel hanging over his shoulder while he makes scrambled eggs and bacon. There is a full pot of coffee, and a couple of mugs are sitting on the counter. It’s been months since he made me breakfast. I take it as a sign he’s ready to talk, at the very least.

“Good morning,” he says, glancing up as I enter the room. His voice is soft, tinged with a wariness that mirrors my own.

“Morning,” I reply, settling onto one of the high-backed stools at the kitchen island. The marble countertop is cool beneath my fingertips, a stark contrast to the steaming mug of coffee Tucker sets before me. For a moment, we simply sit in silence, the only sounds the distant chirping of birds in the sprawling magnolia trees outside. It’s a far cry from the laughter and easy banter that usually fills our mornings.

Finally, Tucker clears his throat, his gaze meeting mine with a mixture of emotions I don’t recognize. “I know we need to talk,” he says, “and I thought it would be best if we did it over breakfast.”

I nod, my stomach growling involuntarily at the mention of food. In the chaos of the previous evening, I had foregone dinner, too consumed with worry and guilt to even think about eating.

“I agree,” I say, my voice sounding small and uncertain to my own ears. “There’s so much we need to discuss, so much I need to apologize for.”

I take a sip of my coffee, the rich, bold flavor bursting on my tongue and bringing a momentary clarity to my sleep-fogged brain. Where do I even begin? I wonder, my heart clenching at the thought of the difficult conversation ahead.

“I wish you would have told me about Zach,” Tucker says, his tone more weary than accusatory. Still, the words hit me like a punch to the gut, a stark reminder of my own thoughtlessness.

“I am so sorry, Tucker,” I breathe, my eyes filling with tears. “I didn’t want to upset you, and I didn’t think it was a big deal. Zach and I are just friends.” Even as the words leave my lips, I know how hollow they sound.

“It’s a big deal to me,” he says quietly, his gaze boring into mine with an intensity that takes my breath away. “Can you understand that, Reese? Can you see how much it hurts to know that you kept this from me, that you didn’t trust me enough to be honest about your relationship with Zach?”

I nod, shame and regret washing over me. “I do understand,” I whisper, my voice cracking. “And I’m so sorry, Tucker. I never meant to hurt you or make you doubt my love for you.”

I reach across the countertop, my hand finding his and holding on tight. “Can you forgive me?” I ask, my heart in my throat as I search his face.

For a long moment, he simply looks at me, his expression unreadable. And then, just when I’m sure that all is lost, he sighs, his fingers tightening around mine in a gesture of reassurance.

“Of course I forgive you. I love you.”

I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. Something bubbles up inside of me: hope. If we could get through this? Maybe we can just get through the wedding too.

“It’s just…all the stress from the wedding, the strange text messages, everyone talking about Charlotte,” I say, noticing Tucker’s face tighten at the mention of her name. I push on, “I wanted to tell you about working with Zach…but the timing never felt right.”

He gives me a pained look. “But you could have told me from the beginning, when he approached you about the job.”

I’ve really messed up , I think, my stomach churning with guilt.

“I know. It was wrong of me. I promise it will never happen again.” Tucker takes a few bites of his breakfast, chewing in silence. I follow suit, the greasy bacon and scrambled eggs warming my belly and providing some comfort.

“Tonight’s the rehearsal dinner,” Tucker says, breaking the silence. “Everyone who’s coming to the wedding is arriving today. We have a big day ahead of us. Let’s just put this behind us, okay?”

As Tucker speaks of leaving the past behind us, my mind inevitably drifts to Charlotte. I’ve laid all my cards on the table now—he knows about Zach and the messages. Yet, the mystery of his breakup with Charlotte remains unspoken, a shadow lingering at the edges of our relationship.

The question burns on the tip of my tongue: What really happened between you and Charlotte? But I can’t bring myself to voice it. He’s forgiven my lie about Zach, and I’m acutely aware of how fragile our reconciliation feels. It’s as if we’re balancing on a tightrope, and one misstep—one more mention of Charlotte—could send us plummeting, destroying everything we’ve built.

So I swallow all my questions and reach out across the table and hold his hand.

“I love you,” I say.

“I love you too,” he replies, his tone softer. I slide out of my seat and make my way around the corner, wrapping my arms around his waist.

“Thank you for giving me another chance,” I whisper, my face pressed against his back.

Tucker doesn’t respond, but he turns in my embrace, his lips finding mine in a deep kiss. I lose myself in the moment, his hands roaming over my body. Before I know it, he’s pulling off my shirt, his fingers skimming over my bare skin. Making love on the cold tile floor wasn’t what I had in mind, but at this point, I’ll do anything to show Tucker how much I love him.