Chapter 38
38
“ Y ou’re an idiot, no doubt about it.” Ebony huffed out an exasperated breath and glared at her.
Sam stared at Ebony, surprised by her friend’s vehement reaction. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. You sure know how to kick a woman when she’s down.”
The wedding and reception had gone off without a hitch, despite Sam’s constant battle to hold back tears. Now, as she helped her friend change into her going away outfit, she’d finally told Ebony what happened with Dylan earlier.
What she hadn’t counted on was Ebony’s reaction.
“Are you that thick?” Ebony knocked on Sam’s head as if checking it wasn’t hollow. “Can’t you see the man’s in love with you?”
Sam snorted, hating the irrational flicker of hope in her heart. “Yeah, right.”
She turned away and busied herself with hanging Ebony’s beautiful dress.
Ebony grabbed her arm. “Did you give him a chance?”
Sam looked away, unable to meet her friend’s probing stare. “What for? It’s hopeless. We’re too different.”
“See? What did I tell you? Idiot, with a capital I.”
Sam shook free of Ebony’s grasp, blinking back tears for the hundredth time that day. “Take it easy, Eb. I don’t need this right now.”
Ebony shimmied into her skirt and zipped up, giving Sam time to compose herself.
“Look, I shouldn’t be telling you this, but you need to know.” Ebony sighed. “The worst thing you could’ve said to Dylan was accuse him of carrying around baggage about his father.”
“Why?”
By the sombre expression on her friend’s face, Sam didn’t want to know the answer.
“Because he is caught up on some weird guilt trip where his dad is concerned. His dad died while Dylan was overseas, kicking up his heels and shunning his family responsibilities.”
Just like you .
The thought sprung to Sam’s mind and she couldn’t shake it. What if one of her parents had died while she’d been hiding in Melbourne? She would probably feel the same guilt Dylan did and would try to make up for it the best way she knew how.
Was that what drove him? It more than explained his ties to Budgeree, and his distaste for her views on family that she expressed while staying there.
Sam grimaced. “I’ve made a huge mistake, haven’t I?”
“Colossal.” Ebony guided her toward the door. “Now, go after him.”
“To Melbourne?”
Sam doubted she had the courage to fly down there and confront the guy she’d hurt so much.
Besides, what if her friend’s assumptions were wrong and he didn’t love her? He probably came to Brisbane to confront her after learning the truth from his mother, nothing more.
Ebony grinned, the same cheeky smile Sam had grown to recognise meant ‘trouble’ over the years.
“No, silly, I’m not talking about you flying to Melbourne.” Ebony rolled her eyes. “The man had enough class after you broke his heart down by the river to come back to the chapel and wish me good luck. And I managed to find out where he’s staying tonight, in case you’d botched things, which his hangdog expression told me you had.”
Ebony winked. “So if you’re very nice to me, I may tell you where you can find that lovely, patient man, if you want to go to him and start grovelling.”
Sam hugged her friend. “What would I do without you?”
“Probably make a total hotchpotch of your life.” Ebony whispered in her ear where Sam could find Dylan. “Now go.”
Ebony wriggled out of her embrace before practically shoving Sam out the door.