Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Kate
“You sold the Chanel?” Tilly’s eyebrows jump up. “Why are we not drinking champagne tonight and feasting on escargot?”
“Ew.” I scrunch my nose at the mention of snails.
I probably shouldn’t have opened my story with the sale of the Chanel gown, but I was trying to ease myself into talking about Gage.
“None of that matters,” Tilly goes on with a shake of her head. “Where does Gage fit into this?”
“He’s the best man in that wedding.” I almost laugh at the irony of my words.
Gage would always tell me he was the best man; for me, for the job of pediatrician, for the task of cooking me his infamous baked shrimp scampi every Sunday night.
“Is this wedding taking place in Manhattan?” Tilly asks with a tilt of her head.
I didn’t bother asking the question.
After Myles gave me a way out of the appointment, I found Natalie on her way into Corly’s change room with the A-line dress in hand. I grabbed it from her, giving her a weak explanation about needing her to take over with Annalise. She told me she’d do it.
I know she could see the emotion swimming in my eyes. The brief hug she gave me said more than any words she could have offered.
She went to the showroom, secured the sale of the Chanel gown and left the boutique at the end of the day with a huge smile and a big paycheck coming her way.
“Is he living in New York?” Tilly’s eyes widen. “Is that possible?”
After seeing Gage’s face today, I’d say anything is possible. “I don’t know.”
She reaches for her phone. She dropped it on the coffee table after calling her husband to tell him she’d be late getting home tonight. “When’s the last time you searched for Gage online?”
I shrug my shoulders. “It’s been years.”
She tosses me a skeptical glance. “Years, Kate?”
“Years, Tilly,” I answer honestly.
Gage may have owned every one of my thoughts after he left, but when I deleted his voicemail, I swore to myself I’d leave my pain back in Los Angeles.
It’s been hard, but I’ve resisted the urge to seek out any information about him since that day. It’s not because my curiosity has taken a hike. It’s because I’m fearful that I will stumble on a social media profile belonging to him that features a picture of him with another woman.
My heart is strong, but there’s a limit to what it can bear.
“He’s a doctor, I think.” I hold up a hand to ward off the question I know is about to leave Tilly’s lips. “I didn’t find that online. He was dressed in an expensive suit today. Gage never wore suits and his dream was to be a pediatrician, so I’m connecting the dots.”
She glances up from her phone. “Those dots don’t connect, Kate.”
I scratch the back of my hand, anxiety nipping at me. “What do you mean?”
“Gage Burke owns a bar in Greenwich Village.” There’s a pause before she continues, “The Tin Anchor. That’s the name of his bar.”
I stare at her, replaying every word she just said in my mind.
Gage owns a bar in New York City?
This was supposed to be my safe place.
I came here after my mom’s best friend offered me a job working in her bridal salon. It didn’t fit with my business degree, but I didn’t care. I craved a fresh start and a job clear across the country was just what I needed.
My family thought I was torturing myself. They couldn’t understand why I chose to sell bridal gowns to pay my bills since I never had a chance to wear the one I picked out for myself.
Watching the dreams of other women come true was exactly what I needed at the time. I was forced to push my sorrow aside since all of my focus had to be on helping someone else find the perfect dress for the day they would say their forever vows.
“We should take a trip to Greenwich Village.” Tilly raises a fist in the air. “We’ll give him a piece of our minds.”
“No.” I drag myself to my feet, picking up the empty plates as I do. “I’m not going anywhere near Tin Anchor.”
“Can I?” She wiggles her brows. “I have a few choice words for that man.”
Everything Tilly knows about Gage came straight out of my mouth in a moment of despair. I’ve only ever talked about him when I’ve felt the weight of my broken heart was too much for me to carry.
It’s been months since I’ve mentioned him to her or Olivia and just as long since I deleted the last picture I had of him on my phone. It was our engagement photo and when I showed it to Tilly soon after we met, I could see pity in her eyes.
“Don’t waste your time.” I start toward my kitchen. “The past has no place in the present.”
“Let me guess.” Tilly jumps to her feet to follow me. “Your mom said that to you.”
“I came up with that jewel myself.”
“Here’s a jewel of my own,” Tilly steps in place next to me at my sink. “Your past is part of your present and he knows where you work.”
I turn to look at her. “You think Gage is going to come back to the boutique?”
“I guarantee it.” She rinses her plate under the tap water. “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I take the plate from her and put it in the dishwasher.
“Mark my words.” She leans her hip against the counter. “Today he realized what he lost. He’ll do everything he can to find your heart again.”
I look down at my chest. “My heart is smarter than that.”
“Your head is.” She taps my forehead with her finger. “Hearts are another matter and from what you’ve told me, Gage Burke still owns a piece of yours.”
“He doesn’t.” I laugh off her words.
“You can lie to me if you want, Kate.” She smiles. “You can’t lie to your heart.”
She’s right.
Gage still owns a piece of my heart, but the time has come for me to take it back, once and for all.