Chapter Two #2
“It wasn’t you, Skye.” A flush of shame washed over Kayla’s skin.
She didn’t want to be talking about this.
She didn’t want to be thinking about it.
But if there was one thing she had learned from Dr. High Heels, it was that she had to face this.
“I have to take accountability. And I’ve made a lot of strides with my therapist since then. I’ve been working really hard.”
“I hope you know how happy I am to hear that. All I ever wanted was your happiness,” Skye said.
Kayla closed her eyes for a beat, trying to block out the sounds of those words. That was what Skye had said when she ended their engagement. When she broke Kayla’s heart.
“I will always love you, but we don’t work together. I just don’t think we could ever be truly happy together and all I ever wanted was your happiness.”
Then she had walked out the door of the apartment they’d shared for nearly nine years.
Just walked out like the whole world hadn’t just ended.
But Kayla’s world had. She’d slipped down to cry on the kitchen’s tiled floor while Skye had been talking.
That’s where Mack had found her a full day later.
Kayla still couldn’t remember most of that day.
She’d been nearly catatonic. Mack didn’t even know about the breakup, she’d just come to look for Kayla when she failed to show for their afternoon run for the second time.
Kayla honestly didn’t remember much of the next two weeks either.
Involuntary commitment wasn’t a process she had been familiar with thirteen months ago, but she was intimately familiar with it now.
Like, for instance, when someone is listed as your emergency contact, they are called immediately when a doctor determines you are a sufficient risk to yourself or others and that you need to be admitted to a psychiatric facility, even if your best friend insists that it isn’t a good idea.
Kayla wasn’t proud of the things she had said when Skye came to visit her the day after her admission.
Fortunately, two weeks later, the day before she was released, Skye came back and they had a much better conversation.
One in which Skye made it clear that she still cared for Kayla.
Had even hinted that there was hope they could find their way back to each other.
That hope had been a lifeline for Kayla and had been her motivation during her recovery.
Seeing that hope realized now made all that pain and shame worth it.
Skye cleared her throat again and before Kayla could tease her about her nerves, she said, “Speaking of your happiness and my happiness. I have something I wanted to talk to you about.”
Kayla fought to keep the butterflies out of her belly. She just had to play it cool for a little while. Make Skye comfortable enough to ask for another chance. “You can talk to me about anything.”
“I don’t know about that,” Skye said. “But I can’t really beat around the bush anymore.”
“I seem to recall you enjoying beating around the bush.” Kayla’s wink made Skye laugh, but it was a stuttering one.
“I need to ask a favor. Well, and I need to tell you something.”
Kayla held her breath. Was Skye going to go right into proposing again? She always did like to move fast.
Kayla said, “Okay.”
Skye blew out a breath and shook herself like she was trying to rid herself of fleas. “You remember that all-inclusive resort package we won at the auction for your friend’s company?”
“Do I remember the honeymoon package you bought us so you could propose to me in front of my best friend? Yeah, I remember that.”
Skye winced. “That’s the one. I was hoping to buy your share of the trip so I could use it.”
Kayla’s confusion was like a physical entity, sitting next to them at the table sipping its own oatmilk hazelnut latte. Why would Skye need to buy her portion of the trip where they were going to marry each other?
“Why do you want to use our honeymoon trip?” Kayla asked.
“Um, that’s the thing I need to tell you. I’m getting married.”
Kayla continued sitting still, but her vision lurched sideways and swam.
If it weren’t for her hand, still resting on top of Skye’s, she might think she’d fallen out of the chair.
But that hadn’t happened. Her body had remained still; it was just the world around her that was wobbling like a top kicked out of its perfect spin.
Kayla said, “You’re…what?”
“I know this isn’t something you want to hear. I care about you and I always will, but what I have now is love like I’ve never known. I hope you can be happy for me,” Skye said.
Happy? What the fuck was happiness? What was even happening?
Skye kept talking like she hadn’t dropped a nuclear bomb on the table.
“She really is amazing. I’d love for you to meet her.
And more than anything, I owe you so much.
You taught me what love was. I can be the partner she deserves because you showed me that, and I will always be grateful.
Even though it didn’t work out between us, I hope we can be friends. ”
Anger started to bubble in Kayla’s stomach. Was she fucking serious? Kayla taught her what love was so she could give her love to someone else. Was that supposed to be a compliment? Was she supposed to be happy for whatever bimbo had stolen her fiancée?
Kayla’s lips were numb with shock, but she managed to say, “You invited me to coffee to tell me you’re getting married?”
“I thought it was important to tell you in person.”
“And you want the honeymoon package.” Kayla’s words came out through gritted teeth. “Our honeymoon package.”
“Yes, I do. I was hoping we could work out an arrangement for me to buy you out. You know how much I want to go to St. Lucia.”
“You’ve been dreaming about it for ten years. Since you went during that free dive SCUBA competition.”
Skye’s smile was sweet again, and this time it made Kayla want to punch her in the jaw. “You know me so well.”
Apparently not well enough, Kayla thought.
Not well enough to realize the twinkle in her eye wasn’t about her, it was about some stranger Skye barely knew.
She’d always been impulsive and competitive.
One of her idiot snowboarding friends was probably getting married, and Skye was trying to beat them to the altar.
If she really thought about this, she would never go through with it.
“Well, you can’t have it.” The words were out of Kayla’s mouth before she thought about them.
Skye’s face fell, and Kayla was hurt and angry enough to enjoy the sight. “Kayla, please. Can’t we be civil? I spent a lot of money on that package, and it’s my dream to get married there. Can’t you let me have this one?”