Chapter 2
Although the evidence was laid before me, I still called Dani’s name a few more times as if convincing myself about what had happened.
Then, as if coming to my senses, I ran to the window and looked out.
Here, though, I wasn’t about to shout her name because, even though this side of the barn was out of sight of the cars and guests, I didn’t want to draw attention to what might have happened.
First, I saw the broken screen on the ground, an obvious sign that someone had been there, thanks to the snow.
And my eyes followed the footprints until where the sun shone past the shade of the building.
As I scanned the area, I finally saw her off in the distance, and she was sprinting like an athlete through the trees until she disappeared from view.
She was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and obviously not the heels she’d been wearing earlier.
When I’d first spotted her, she might have been able to hear me, but what was the point?
Glancing back at the dress again, I wasn’t sure how it would look if it were placed on her again.
There was a huge tear in the back—but that didn’t matter right now.
If she needed a run before coming back to the ceremony, I wasn’t going to try to stop her.
But then, turning back, I saw a piece of paper on her dressing table.
Oh, no. I had a really bad feeling about it…but I had to know.
Braden,
I’m sorry to do this to you, but I realized this morning that marrying you wouldn’t be fair to you. You deserve a wife who loves you with everything in her…and I don’t. I do love you enough to know that you deserve someone better than me.
D
Oh, Jesus. No fucking way.
I folded it, not wanting anyone to read it until I had a chance to talk with Dani, and placed it back on the table.
Running to the door, I paused with my hand on the knob.
The guys might still be lined up out there, and I hoped my face wouldn’t give me away.
Taking a deep breath, I neutralized my face and walked out, rounding the corner.
Yep, they were still there—but they weren’t looking my way.
Back in my room, I found my phone again. Before I picked it up out of my purse, Bernie asked, “Is it time yet?”
“No. The flower girl and ring bearer are still out there with the guys.”
But she wasn’t done grilling me. “Is Dani ready?”
Not even close. “Um, yeah.” It was a bald-faced lie, but I wasn’t about to break the news to the groom’s sister first—and definitely not without confirmation.
I sent Dani a quick text message: Holy shit, D. I read your note. You sure you want to do this?
Oh, God. Did she even have her phone? As an excuse, I told Bernie I’d left something in Dani’s room, because why stop lying now?
And then I hurried to back to the bridal room while trying to appear as casual as possible.
At least Dani’s grandpa wasn’t back here yet, which meant we still had time if we needed once she’d gotten this out of her system.
For some reason, I was holding onto hope that she’d change her mind as she really processed what she was doing.
Inside Dani’s dressing room, I started looking around in there for her phone, hoping she had it with her. As I searched, I couldn’t find anything. Maybe she had it with her and I could talk with her.
But, God, that dress. So sad.
I picked it up, draping it over a chair, and then picked up the heels that had been hiding underneath the voluptuous skirt, placing them on the floor near the dress—and then I paced a few minutes. Of course, fucking Dean was texting me, but I ignored him.
Come on, Dani. I was certain by now she had her phone, but she was doing to me the same thing I was doing to Dean.
When there was a knock on the door, I jumped. The voice called, “Ten minutes.”
Oh, shit. “Okay. Thanks,” I shouted, knowing the staff wouldn’t recognize my voice wasn’t Dani’s.
A few minutes later, my phone vibrated in my hands—and, for a change, it wasn’t from Dean.
It was Dani, and her response to my earlier message asking if this was what she really wanted to do was simple: Yes. I have to.
My thumbs flew over the screen of my phone as the realization washed over me that Dani was definitely a runaway bride.
But that didn’t mean she really wanted to go through with it.
Maybe she just needed to clear her head before deciding she was ready to get married.
She hadn’t had this reckoning yet. I can only hold off telling everybody for a few more minutes. What do you want me to do?
Staring at my screen, I waited for those little dots to appear, indicating that she was typing something back. Instead, my phone vibrated with a call from her, and I immediately swiped before putting it to my ear. Dani’s voice sounded desperate. “I’m sorry, Rox—but I need your help.”
“Name it.”
“I hate to even ask this…but I need to leave.”
“Leave? You already did, doll.”
“No, I mean leave Twin Lakes. I can’t be here. I feel like I can’t breathe.”
Oh, Jesus…this was way worse than I’d thought. Holy shit.
“Did you need me to—”
“Can I borrow your car?” It took me a second to register what she was asking until she continued. “I promise I’ll—”
“Yeah, of course. I’ll be right there.”
Maybe Dean could be of some use after all, so I was glad I hadn’t yet burned that bridge. I sent him a quick text: Babe, I need you. Please meet me outside the tent now.
Knowing that man, he’d probably think I wanted a quickie before the ceremony—and I didn’t give a shit what he thought, so long as he got his ass outside.
I rushed out of Dani’s room to mine and grabbed the car keys out of my purse, ignoring another query from Bernie.
Then I hurried outside the barn, again trying to appear casual as I walked past the guys—and Dean emerged from the tent seconds after.
“What’s up?” he asked, no trace of his usual bullshit.
“Can you please drive me to the cabins?”
When he smirked, it reminded me of how at one time that expression had made my knees buckle. Now, not so much. “You women always forgetting shit.”
I didn’t care what he thought. “We need to hurry.”
“No shit. We got T minus ten for the wedding bells.”
It didn’t matter. This wedding wasn’t happening, and I now understood my friend’s desperation.
She wanted to get the fuck out of Dodge before anyone else knew what she’d done—and, if helping her made me a bad guy, I didn’t care.
I’d never had a friend I loved as much as Dani, and I would have done anything for her—and I knew she would have done the same for me.
If it were me and I were getting ready to marry the asshole currently in my dating driver’s seat, and I wound up getting cold feet, Dani would have bought a plane ticket to anywhere in the world and escorted me to the runway had I but asked.
When we got to the cabins, I said, “Go to Dani’s cabin.” Then I pointed. “It’s that one.”
For a change, he didn’t question it…until he saw Dani peek her head outside the door. “What the fuck is going on?”
“I’ll tell you when I get back.” And, with that, I opened the car door before he put the car in park and rushed in the door to Dani, closing it behind me. Before I even said a word, I held out the keys to my friend.
Her hand hesitated as I dropped the keys in her hand. She looked absolutely miserable, and I could tell by the redness of her eyes that she’d been crying—but her voice was steady. “Are you sure?”
“If you are, D. Just…return it in one piece.” We hugged like we’d never see each other again.
Then she said in my ear, “Oh, fuck.”
I grabbed her shoulders to look in her eyes. “What?”
Her next words were whispered. “I’m stranding you with him.”
I gave her a smile, letting her know I would be fine. “Yeah, well, at least I’m not marrying him. I’ll deal with him later.”
We hugged again. “I owe you one.”
“Nope. You’d do the same thing for me. Now get out of here while you can. Do you need Dean to drive you to my car?”
At that, Dani laughed. “No.” My car parked in front of my cabin was close—and she’d already put close to a mile on her shoes running from the wedding venue. A few more yards wouldn’t matter.
But, as I got in the car again, I knew my job wasn’t done.
Not by a long shot.
By the time we got back, the guys, along with the kids, were no longer in the barn—which meant they were now waiting in the tent.
On the short drive back to the venue, I’d told Dean what was happening but made him swear not to say a word.
And, although I didn’t trust him with me, I believed him when he said he’d keep his mouth shut.
There was a woman in the entryway of the barn, Bernie standing beside her with the bouquet in hand, when I walked in. “Oh, there you are. Do you happen to know—”
But I whisked right past her and into Dani’s dressing room.
And I walked over to the dressing table.
The woman was following me assaulting me with a barrage of questions, but I ignored her and grabbed the folded note looking innocent in the spots where I’d left it next to a glass of water.
Turning, I almost ran into the woman, surprised that she was still babbling.
Now, I focused on her words: “Do you know where the bride is? It’s time. ”
“I’m sorry, but I need to do something before I can answer any of your questions.” I was not going to tell her or Bernie that the wedding was off until I had the chance to tell the groom. He deserved to know first.
When I left the barn, no longer registering the cooler air outside, I went straight to the side entrance of the tent so I didn’t have to walk up the aisle, drawing more attention to myself and what would be happening.
Dean was nowhere to be seen, so I thought he was probably back inside the tent somewhere.
When I entered, people were talking in low voices, no doubt wondering where the fuck the rest of the bridal party was.
And my presence was probably going to give it away.