Chapter 30
thirty
Reese
Caroline stood toe-to-toe with her sister, that irritated look of hers I knew too well by now written all over her face. “You had to wear black to my reception like it's a funeral?" her sister spat out, looking Caroline up and down.
"I'm sorry, your itinerary was seventy-eight pages long. Did I miss the approved list of colors?" Caroline shot back. They continued to bicker back and forth until I decided to make my presence known.
I stepped out from the shadows, the dim light catching on my tie as I adjusted it. "I think you look damn good in that dress," I said, making them both turn toward me.
Her sister crossed her arms tightly across her chest, narrowing her eyes on me.
"Shall we?" I offered, extending my hand toward Caroline.
Her fingers slid into mine, and together, we wandered inside the venue. The main room itself was glowing with soft lights and neatly arranged chairs already set up for the wedding tomorrow. Flowers were everywhere—on the floor, on the tables.
"Excited for tomorrow?" I asked, taking it all in—the romantic setup around us, to the most gorgeous girl standing beside me. I knew that we had planned for tomorrow to be the end of this, and I’d agreed to that, but I was not the same man who made that deal. Not anymore.
"Yes, only one more day you have to put up with me, then things can go back to normal," Caroline replied with a weak smile on her face.
Normal? Being with her lately was the first time I’d felt normal for I don’t know how long.
I craved her presence—and it didn't just feel normal; it felt like breathing. I didn’t want any of this to end.
I never meant for it to happen, but somewhere along the way, I fell for her.
Hard. And now, there was no turning back.
Even if this ended with me getting hurt in the process, being wrecked, I’d take the hit.
Because having her, even for a little while, was worth it.
She was worth it. I’d risk any amount of pain or heartbreak just to be hers, even if she never really ended up being mine.
We reached the altar, standing before the tall glass wall that overlooked the lake. I stood beside her, and we lingered there for a moment, taking in the view. "Is that what you really want? Things to go back to normal?"
Her eyes drifted past me, like she was looking for answers in the glass window's reflection.
Outside, the dark lake mirrored the sky—it all blurred together just like my racing thoughts.
She barely nodded, and I could almost hear her silent thoughts caught between wanting to be honest and the fear of what would happen if she was.
My hand found its way around her slender waist. "I think you've been enjoying this just as much as I have," I whispered into her ear.
She was still lost in the backdrop of the dark lake. "I have," she admitted. "I was wrong about you. I thought being with you would be worse than a hundred tiny cats mauling me to death."
I chuckled, now having that mental image in my mind. "Why are the cats tiny? Are they kittens?"
Caroline turned to face me, her blue eyes reflecting the moonlight that streamed through the glass walls.
"Reese, I'm serious. Thank you—for everything. For being there when I didn’t know how to ask for help. For showing me that there’s more to you than I ever let myself see. And for making me feel like I was enough… even when I wasn’t sure I ever could be."
I reached out, fingers hesitant as they brushed her cheekbone, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'd do anything for you," I said honestly, meaning every word.
Her mouth opened, then closed as the sound of a sweet elderly woman interrupted us, "There they are."
Caroline opened her arms, inviting her Yaya in for a hug.
But Yaya bypassed her completely. Her warm arms wrapped around my waist, her fingers playfully grazing the fabric of my shirt.
"Oh, Caroline, can I steal your date tomorrow?
" she teased, eyes twinkling with mischief as she made Caroline laugh for the first time tonight.
"Alright, I think everyone is here," Sam's voice boomed, cutting through the laughter. "Bridal party, come with me. Everyone else, please have a seat as you watch the show. Hopefully we can knock this out in just a few practices so we get it perfect for tomorrow."
I watched the bridal party take their places, following Sam’s instructions. As they found their places, I relaxed back in my seat. Caroline's Yaya was on the other side of me. Her eyes gleamed playfully as she offered me a wink.
I turned just in time to catch the bridesmaids shuffle down the aisle, all attached to a groomsmen doing their best to stay on pace with the music. But it was her—Caroline—who stole the breath from my chest, who made every other person in the room disappear just because of her presence.
The black dress her sister didn’t approve of clung to her like it was made to show off the curves of her body. She was oblivious to the effect she had on the space around her, to the way the light seemed to bend toward her in the most perfect way.
Yaya's elbow nudged me discreetly. "She is a beauty, isn't she?"
"That she is, Yaya," I agreed as I watched her, flustered because her brother was walking too fast for her to keep up with.
The final run-through came to an end, and the wedding party began to disperse as Sam gave final words of encouragement. I lingered in my seat for a moment longer, casually sitting back, waiting for Caroline to finish up.
"Can I speak with you for a moment?" Caroline's mom asked, tapping me on the shoulder.
I turned. Mrs. Matthews was pointing toward an empty corner of the room. I walked with her to the secluded area, my hands resting in my pockets. Not a clue what she’d want with me, but I was all ears.
“I know what’s really going on here,” she said, a tight smile on her face.
"You do?" I asked, suspiciously. How could she possibly know about Caroline and me?
"I do," she said, her voice a blend of disappointment and accusation. "I know this is some sort of pity thing, or maybe even some fun meaningless fling before you move on to your real life in some professional athlete world that the rest of us could never dream of. She’s what to you, really? A temporary distraction until you get to finally leave? Because in the end, she’s not enough for you. Is she? Not good enough for the world you’re destined for, and we all know it. ”
My jaw involuntarily twitched, blood boiling as her eyes locked onto mine in a way that said she had just figured me out, was seeing right through me.
"But our entire family will be at the wedding tomorrow, and a lot of eyes will be on you," she continued, "So, I suggest that you either take the importance of tomorrow seriously or you do not show up at all."
Caroline was one of the most hardheaded people I had ever met, and I was starting to understand why she didn’t trust anyone. Her own mother thought I’d do this out of pity? That I’d use her?
"Mrs. Matthews," I cleared my throat, "respectfully, you're wrong. This isn't pity or some meaningless fling. Caroline is way too good for me. If anything, she deserves better than me, and I know that every damn second I’m lucky enough to be with her. But pity? No. The only person I feel sorry for is you—because if you can’t see how incredible your daughter is, then you don’t know her at all. "
Mrs. Matthews remained silent, eyes scanning my face, searching for a lie that wasn’t there. With nothing left to say, I turned to leave, my voice calm as I added, "If you’ll excuse me—she’s waiting."
Her expression was one I couldn't quite read—maybe shock and a small sliver of respect. Whatever it was still left me feeling unbalanced and frustrated.
Caroline stood with Sam and a few of the bridesmaids. "Hey," I said softly as I approached, brushing her cheek with a kiss, the brief contact bringing my mind back to ease.
Her eyes, the ones I couldn’t stop thinking about lately, flickered up to mine. "Were you just talking to my mom?" she asked, turning to face me.
"It was nothing," I said, dismissing it. Caroline didn't need to know the terrible things her own mother just said—not now, not when I knew how much this weekend meant to her.
"Come on," she said, tilting her head toward the exit. "I have something to show you before the rehearsal dinner."
"Lead the way, Chaos."
She smirked, a playful glint in her eyes as she leaned in close enough for me to catch the faint scent of lavender in her hair. "You, sir," she whispered, "are about to finally find out the secret behind my tattoo."
Dropping my hands in my pockets, I followed her lead as we headed outside.
"Does this mean you're going to have to kill me after?" I asked, only half-joking as the barn door creaked open. "Because I need to make sure anyone but Bailey gets my shoes."
"Why can’t he have your shoes?" Caroline questioned, her head tilted while she continued forward, guiding us inside the dark barn. I followed, drawn by the secretive smile on her lips.
"I loaned him a pair once," I murmured as she looked around for a light switch. "He destroyed them in a day. Those shoes weren’t just messed up, they were talking."
"Talking?" Her voice drifted back to me, but I could no longer see her.
"You know, when they're so torn they flap open and closed as you walk. Like they're trying to speak their last dying words."
She switched on a light before letting out a laugh. And then she moved again, leading us onward. "Meet Goldilocks," she announced, stepping in front of a stall to reveal a horse.
I watched her approach the horse, a creature almost as beautiful as Caroline herself, with a tan coat and blonde hair. The mare's eyes, sweet and understanding, seemed to recognize her immediately.