Page 5 of Finding Yesterday

“But you should put your foot down about the dung bingo!” Now it’s his voice that echoes off the walls.

I smile. “That’s what I thought, but then I wondered if it was maybe just me. I’ve never been on a honeymoon before.”

“Right. Well, me neither.” Jack scrubs his sparse goatee. “But I think you kinda gotta talk to Hudson soon. Likesoonsoon.”

I grab Jack’s wrist and check his watch. “Oh no, I’m supposed to be heading down the aisle right now. Like, this second!”

“It’s okay.” Jack looks at the door. “I can go out and announce a delay. I’ll make something up. It’s not the end of the world if the wedding starts five minutes late.”

“Thank you.” I shake my head. “But how do I do this to him?Now?”

After a pause, Jack says, “If you were on a sinking boat, and the raft was a long, scary jump down, what would you do?”

“I’d close my eyes, hold my breath, and jump.”

“So, do that.”

I shake my head. “But in that example, my life depends on it.”

“Your life kinda depends on this too.” He raises his brow. “Don’t you think?”

Wow. When he puts it like that, my decision is clear. Hudson and I have to have a heart-to-heart talk. Right now.

I take another swig of wine before setting down the bottle. Then I extend my hands for Jack to take and pull me up.

Which he does in one smooth, swift motion. When I meet his gaze, his warm, brown eyes comfort me. “Thank you. Again.” I manage a smile. I’m so grateful it was Jack who came to the cellar.

He returns the smile. “Hey, you’re paying me. It’s the least I could do.”

“Well, Daddy’s paying, but yeah, it’s a lot.” I flash him a wink using the eye with the extended lash. “I think you earned it.”

Then I blow out a long breath as I approach the door. I’m closing my eyes, holding my breath, and jumping…at least, metaphorically.

When I open the door, Hudson is standing there, and I jump, literally. “Hudson, I was just coming to talk—”

“What in the world is going on?” He gives Jack the side-eye and scowls before tapping his watch. “We can’t be late, the minister is one of our investors.”

After Jack grabs his box of wine and disappears, I put a hand on my hip and say, “Remember this is supposed to be our day, not a PR event for Tangz?”

“But this is what we both said we wanted.”

“I know,” I mumble. “But we also both said we wanted a romantic getaway to the Virgin Islands. To spend time together, just us.”

He cocks his head. “Aww, Claire, this meeting’s a huge opportunity. It’s not like we were going to spend all day in a penthouse suite anyway.”

I go wide-eyed. “But that’s just it. It’s ourhoneymoon. I wanted that. I thought you did too.” I shake my head and my hair-sprayed frozen hair doesn’t budge. “Hudson, are you in love with me?”

“What? What kind of question is that to ask me on our wedding day? You know how important you are to me. I love how we work together at Tangz. I love that you believe in me. I love—”

“But are youinlove with me?”

Hudson hesitates. It’s only for a second, a fleeting look that says everything, but it’s enough. I didn’t think my heart could sink any lower, but it does.

He continues, “Stop this. I’ll always be here for you, you know that.”

“I do know that.” I manage a weak smile. “But don’t you want moonlight walks along the beach? Adoring gazes from across a crowded room? Stolen kisses?” Again, I think back. When did all that stop? Was any of it even there in the first place?

“That’s not real life.” He rolls his eyes. “You’re just a dreamer.”

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