Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cara
My first afternoon client is a Great Dane who loves being groomed and shows his appreciation with copious amounts of slobber.
Despite the mess, Boris is one of my favorites and after the morning I had, it’s a blessing not to have to wrestle a wet dog into submission. Boris happily does anything I ask of him, and all I have to do is accept really slimy kisses in return.
It’s worth it.
About two minutes after Boris is picked up, the door opens and Emily and Bob Pearson walk in. Mel’s parents often stop by and say hello when they’re doing errands in town, but this is the first time I’ve seen them since the wedding engagement I haven’t told them about.
When Emily puts her hands on her hips and her eyebrow arches, I know she’s heard the gossip. “What is this we hear about you marrying Hayden Reilly on Saturday?”
My cheeks flame and I can’t look her in the eye, so I make a big deal out of trying to brush dog hair off of my shirt. “I was going to call to invite you. Hayden and I…we connected a while ago and he came to town and— I know it’s all happening fast, but we don’t want to wait.”
I know I’m talking too fast because I’m uncomfortable lying to the Pearsons and I just want to get the words out. I really did intend to call them, but lying to them felt even harder than lying to my mother, and I hadn’t worked up the courage yet.
I don’t know if Mel told them or if they heard about our trip to town hall, but they hadn’t heard the news from me and they should have.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you right away.”
I’m relieved when Emily laughs and waves her hand as if to say it doesn’t matter. “You’re caught up in a whirlwind romance, my girl. And we’re happy for you.”
When she moves in for a hug, I hold up my hand. “Before you hug me, you should know I’m covered in Great Dane slime.”
“Boris?” When I nod, Emily laughs again and gives me a hug anyway, though she’s careful to leave plenty of daylight between us.
“I stopped by there to drop off a casserole when they had pneumonia and the smell got Boris’s mouth watering.
He shook his head and the slime splattered all over me. But he’s a good boy.”
“And Em makes a great casserole,” Bob says. “You can hardly blame the dog for slobbering.”
Emily beams at her husband before turning back to me. “How is Gin taking the news?”
“I’ll let you know after she starts speaking to me again.” I wanted it to come out like a joke, but neither of them laugh.
“I’m sure this is hard for her, him being a Reilly and all,” Bob says.
“And because she’ll have to share you with somebody else,” Emily adds sharply.
“Em.” Bob gives his wife one of those married couple looks, even though it’s no secret Emily isn’t Gin’s biggest fan.
They’ve always been friendly, if not actual friends, but in the years since my father passed away, Emily and Bob have struggled with keeping their opinions about Gin’s dependency on me to themselves.
“Is there anything we can do to help you with the wedding?” Emily asks, smoothly pivoting back to what she thinks is a happier subject.
“I think we’re all set. We’re keeping it simple, and Hayden’s assistant is handling some of the details. We’re going to the flower shop in the morning to order the arrangements.”
Emily frowns. “Doesn’t Gin work Friday mornings?”
“I warned him.” I hold up my hands and shrug. “He’s very much a rip-the-bandage-off guy.”
“And who’s walking you down the aisle? I don’t see Gin volunteering to give you away.”
“I’m going to walk by myself.” And I’ll be praying the entire time I don’t trip while everybody is staring at me. That’s the kind of thing this town would talk about forever, and thanks to cellphones, they’d have photos and videos to go with the story.
Emily sighs. “I’ve heard that’s a popular thing to do now—brides walking down the aisle alone.”
I almost turn to Bob and ask him to do it.
The idea of walking down the aisle alone, with everybody staring at me, is terrifying.
If I ask Bob, at least I’d have somebody holding my arm, making sure I don’t fall on my face.
And he’s always been like a second dad to me, especially after I lost my actual dad.
If this wedding wasn’t a scam, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask him.
But I know how much it means for a bride to ask a man to walk her down the aisle. Bob would feel so honored, and I can’t bring myself to make a special memory with him I know up front is tainted.
“We won’t keep you,” Emily said. “We just wanted to stop by and congratulate you since we were in town.”
Bob gives me a light hug, mindful of the Great Dane slobber. “I know you’ll be busy getting ready for the wedding, but you’ll have to bring him for dinner after.”
Tears prick my eyes, not only because I really hate lying to the Pearsons, but because they always give me the kind of love and support I wish I could get from my actual mother.
“We’d love that.” I get another hug from Emily and then they’re gone with a reminder to call them if I need anything at all.
Guilt weighs heavily on me as I prep the shop for my next client. I’d focused so much on Gin while making the choice to become Hayden’s co-conspirator, I hadn’t really considered how it would feel to lie to everybody else in my life.
But I can’t back out now. And I told Georgia I’d do whatever it took to get Gin to sell the house to Hayden. There’s no way she meant to marry the guy, but that’s what it’s going to take.
All I can do is have faith that the people who love me and really matter to me—Mel and her parents—will understand why I had to do it.
I don’t know if Gin will ever truly understand, but this is my only chance to live my own life and I have to take it. Even if it hurts the people I love.