Page 25 of Walkoff Wedding

His lips part in shock as the crease in his brow returns. Fat droplets of rain trickle down his face as he shakes his head. “Married? You’re engaged… to him? Is that why you ghosted me? You were engaged the whole time?” He pauses, collecting himself, and rubs his hand over his jaw. “Addie, you can’t marry that piece of shit… I mean, look what he just said to you. What he did to you,” Grant says gently.

“I don’t have a choice! You think I want this?” I cry. I look down at the ground, laughing humorlessly. “Of course I don’t want to marry him. I don’t even want to be around him, let alone married to him.”

This time, it’s me who pauses as I try to regain a semblance of control, sucking in ragged breath after ragged breath as the rain punctuates every word. “Do you remember when I told you last year… about my stepdad trying to force me into a marriage? Well, that hasn’t changed.”

Silence hangs between us. The only sound is that of the wind whipping through the air as rain falls, the trees swishing in the night. And then I unload it all on him.

“Do you remember me telling you about my mom’s bakery? Well, my stepfather has been threatening to take it away from me if I don’t marry Dixon. The bank is on the verge of taking our business because of my stepfather’s financial troubles, and this is his solution. Dixon’s family is beyond wealthy. If I don’t agree, he’s going to sell it to punish me.”

Tears well in my eyes as it all comes tumbling out. I dare a glance at Grant, searching for any sign of judgment on his face, but there’s none, so I continue, even though it’s hard to lay it all out like this. All I see is warmth and empathy.

“But a few nights ago, my friend overheard my stepfather admitting that he lied to me about my mother’s will. Turns out the bakery can be mine now, when I get married or turn twenty-five. But that doesn’t really solve the problem. My stepfather is going to sell if I’m not married to Dixon in two weeks. So, he’s still my only option. If I don’t, then I’m going to lose my mom’s bakery, Grant. I’m going to lose the only piece I have left of her. He’ll take away all I have left of my mother. I have no choice.”

My chest is heaving with adrenaline when I stop speaking, my entire body beginning to shake from the wet, cold rain pelting my body and soaking me to the bone.

Grant steps forward, taking my hand in his. His palm is warm and comforting, and for a second, I close my eyes, squeezing them shut, willing my lungs to suck in a breath. But I know what’s about to happen.

This is where he walks away from me, just like I always thought that he would.

Because my life is an unappealing mess.

But when he opens his mouth, he shocks me to my core.

“You always have a choice, Addie,” he rasps. My eyes snap open as I peer up into the deep blue pools of his.

“Not anymore I don’t,” I reply defeatedly.

Silence hangs heavily in the air, our gazes locked so intensely that it feels as if he’s staring straight into me. And then he says the words that change everything.

“You do. Because you can marry me instead.”

chapter eight

Grant

“What? Y-you… can’t mean that,” Addie says with wide eyes.

We’re standing in a fucking thunderstorm, soaked to the bone, and yet I can’t stop staring at the girl in front of me. I can’t stop thinking about how fucking cute she is wearing these little lace socks that ruffle around her ankles or how her lips are the same color as the strawberries on her skirt. She’s ArtGirl. And it’s surreal that she’s here… after all this time, and more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.

A fucking vision, and as wild as it seems, I’m one hundred percent serious about my proposal.

“I don’t say anything that I don’t mean, Addie. Over my dead fucking body would I let you marry that asshole.” My voice shakes slightly, my anger returning at the thought of him ever putting his hands on her again.

Her cute-as-fuck button nose wrinkles along with her brow as she soaks in what I’m saying.

“The will says you have to be married, not that you have to marry him, right?” When she nods, I nod along with her. “Then marry me.”

“You’re crazy,” she breathes quietly. “Completely out of your mind.”

“Yeah, probably so. But I’m serious. Marry me, Addie.”

I don’t think my heart has ever beat so fast in my damn life. She’s right—I’m probably out of my mind, asking her to marry me. A girl I only know online, yet… I feel like I know her better than anyone. I knew her heart before I knew her face.

And there’s no goddamn way I’m letting her tie herself to that piece of shit. No way.

Seeing him threaten her and put his hands on her made me see a violent shade of red-hot anger like I’ve never experienced in my life. I wanted to put my fist through his face, and I probably would have had I not heard her whimper from behind me. I didn’t want to traumatize her further.

“But Grant… we haven’t even spoken in almost a year,” she starts, but I shake my head, stopping her.

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