Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A few hours later, I walk into Marla’s. I scan the room, which is surprisingly busy for this time of the day. Apparently everyone is in need of a caffeine pick-me-up to ward off the afternoon slump. I spot Zach sitting at a corner table, his soft brown hair falling into his eyes as he scrolls through his phone. He looks up as I approach, a smile spreading across his face.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the blushing bride herself,” he quips, his eyes twinkling. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this clandestine meeting?”
“Very funny.” I roll my eyes, sliding into the seat across from him. He’s already ordered me a latte, which is perfectly frothed. I take a grateful sip.
“Thank you for the coffee.”
“Of course.”
I settle back into my chair and cast my eyes around the room, searching for a familiar face. Thankfully, I don’t recognize anyone I know. Zach watches me patiently. I turn back to meet his gaze. “You know this isn’t easy for me. I feel like I’m going behind Tucker’s back just by being here.”
“I’m just here as your friend. And I will be happy to tell Tucker that if needed. But if you really feel that way, then whatever is bothering you must be important.”
I let out a long sigh. “There have been some strange things happening lately.”
“Strange how?”
“Well, for one, we just ran into Amanda Spencer.”
He scrunches his brows together and curls his lip. “Eh, I bet that was awkward.”
“You have no idea.”
“What did you say? What did Tucker say?”
“Nothing really,” I say, skipping the part where Tucker shut me down when I brought it up at lunch. “She congratulated us and went on her way.”
He shrugs. “Well, at least you got that out of the way.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Zach’s right, I should be relieved. In some ways, her words of congratulations should bring me a sense of closure. It should, but closure is the last thing I feel.
“I also got a visit today from Cara Dawson.”
He immediately rolls his eyes. “Oh yes, I know Cara. Loves gossip as much as her designer shoe collection. She’s a piece of work.”
“Yes, well, she came in to get some baby shower cookies today and brought up the night before Charlotte and Tucker’s wedding.”
“Really?”
“Really. She said Charlotte called her two nights before the wedding and told her she had something to tell her about Tucker. But Charlotte wanted to confirm all the details before she shared it with her. Cara mentioned Charlotte sounded scared, then abruptly hung up.” I look down at my coffee mug. “That was the last time Cara heard from Charlotte.”
The creases in Zach’s forehead deepen. “Now that is strange.”
I continue, “Then about thirty minutes later I get the weirdest message on Snaptalk. It’s from an unknown number and it says, and I quote, ‘Don’t marry Tucker. He is a murderer. You have four days to call off the wedding.’”
Zach gets a strange look on his face, then shakes his head. “Tucker a murderer? I don’t see it.”
“Obviously not,” I say. “Or I wouldn’t be marrying him. But it all just feels really strange. And did they really think I would call off the wedding?”
“Did you check the Snaptalk profile? To see who it was?”
“I tried, but I couldn’t remember the username. So…” I pull back, throw up my hands in defeat, and sink down into my chair. Zach reaches forward to comfort me by touching my arm. I let out a tiny sigh.
“Well, someone is messing with you for sure. Someone who doesn’t want to see you marrying Tucker,” he says.
I take another sip of my coffee, gently pulling my arm away. If anyone saw us here, Zach and I together, his arm on mine, it wouldn’t look good.
I’ve been floating around a list of people who might not want to see me married. But only one name keeps popping up. I take a deep breath, steadying myself before I ask the next question.
“Do you think Charlotte is back?” I whisper, my voice trembling. I think about bumping into her mother today, the forlorn look in her eyes, like she was lost. “Do you think she sent me that message?”
Zach leans back in his chair, his brow furrowed in thought. “It’s possible,” he says slowly, his fingers drumming a steady rhythm on the tabletop. “Charlotte left Tucker at the altar, yes, but have we ever considered why?”
Only about every other day.
“I’ve wondered…”
He leans in. “What if she ran because she discovered something…something dangerous?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “But it could explain why she’s reaching out now, and in such a roundabout way. If she thought Tucker was…involved in something criminal, even dangerous…”
“Like murder?”
He nods grimly. “If that’s true, she might be trying to warn you without putting herself at risk. It would explain everything—why she ran, why she’s been silent since last year, and why she’s choosing this moment to reach out.”
I shake my head, feeling like we’re grasping at straws. The idea that Charlotte ran away because she discovered Tucker was involved in someone’s murder seems pretty unrealistic. On the other hand, Charlotte running away because she fell in love with someone else seems much more plausible.
“I don’t know, it seems pretty far-fetched.”
The two of us sit in silence for a few minutes, sipping our coffees while the sounds of the café hum around us. I look around the room, as if something might spark an idea. A mother multitasks, feeding her child a muffin with one hand while balancing a book in the other. Nearby, a man frowns at his laptop screen, deep in concentration. At a corner table, a young couple exchanges shy glances, the awkward energy of a first date palpable even from a distance.
They all seem so normal.
For a moment, I long for that normalcy, for problems no more serious than a fussy child or a difficult work project. Unfortunately, my problems are much bigger. With a sigh, I return my focus to Zach.
“So, what should I do about the message?”
“Ignore it, for now,” he says. “Whoever sent it is just trying to mess with you. You know Tucker better than anyone, so trust your gut. The person who sent that just wants to see you freak out. Charlotte is ancient history. Don’t let it get to you.”
I blow some air from my lips and sink into my chair. “Easier said than done. Every time I walk in the front door of the house, I feel like she’s staring back at me.”
He smirks. “I’ve heard she was quite the decorator.”
I roll my eyes.
“What does Tucker think—have you talked to him about all of this? About Charlotte?”
I sigh, fumbling with the handle of my coffee cup. “I’ve tried. But he always shuts me down. He says it’s too painful to talk about.”
Zach leans forward, his eyes intense. “Do you trust Tucker?”
I blink, taken aback by the question. “Yes, of course,” I say automatically, my heart clenching at the thought.
“Okay, then you two should be able to talk about this. If he knows how much it’s bothering you, surely he’ll come around. I mean, you can’t start a marriage without being able to communicate.”
“I know… I just don’t want to bother him.”
“He’s your fiancé, Reese. It’s his job to be bothered.”
“I know. It’s just…” Easier said than done.
He looks at me, his expression turning serious. “Are you having cold feet? Because…”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m sure he’s the one.”
Zach raises his eyebrows and lets his shoulders fall. “Okay, then try to focus on what’s important. Your wedding, your future together. Don’t let the ghosts of the past ruin what you have now.”
I take a deep breath, feeling the knot in my stomach slowly unraveling. “You’re right,” I say, a small smile tugging at my lips. “I’ve been so caught up in all this drama that I’ve forgotten to focus on what really matters.”
I reach over to touch Zach’s hand, and he reaches his across the table and gives mine a squeeze. For a quick moment, I miss the simplicity of dating him. There was no drama, no runaway bride, and no wedding to plan. I catch myself lingering on that thought a bit too long and pull back my hand.
“Thank you.”
Zach laughs, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Hey, what are friends for?”
We chat for a little while longer, the conversation turning to lighter topics like the gala preparations and the latest gossip from the Charleston social scene. By the time we finish our coffee, a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.
Zach stands to leave, saying he needs to head back to his office. He leans down to give me a quick peck on the cheek. I turn my head slightly and he ends up kissing me partly on the mouth. The brief contact sends a small, familiar flutter through my stomach. I let out an awkward laugh, and he smiles at me before turning toward the door.
It’s a small moment, but it leaves me feeling a bit guilty. It’s exactly the type of thing Tucker would be furious about.
I give myself a few minutes to savor the last sips of my coffee, trying to hold on to the fleeting sense of calm that our conversation has brought me. When I eventually let my gaze wander around the room, the momentary peace I found with Zach suddenly evaporates.
Sitting in the corner of the café is none other than the queen bee herself.
Monica Harding.
She’s deep in conversation with a woman whose back is turned to me, but I can feel her gaze on me like a physical force. When she sees me looking, she raises a perfectly arched eyebrow and nods in my direction. I give her an awkward wave, my heart hammering in my chest. I quickly gather my purse and head toward the door.
As I step out into the bright sunlight, I can feel the panic rising in my throat. Monica doesn’t miss a thing. And if she just watched me having a cozy coffee date with my ex-boyfriend, not to mention the accidental kiss, mere days before my wedding to her cousin?
Well, let’s just say that the fallout with Tucker would be catastrophic.