Page 50 of Wrecked
"So, your soon-to-be wife shed some light on things, and I need to head out of town for a bit. That alright?" He might've been my friend, but he was still my employer as well.
A slow smile spread across his lips, and he propped his shoulder against the doorframe. "You gonna go get your girl?"
"Damn right, I am."
"About friggin time."
I let out a hearty laugh. "Yeah, I know." I clapped him on the shoulder and after a quick, "Thanks, man," I rushed back to my truck.
Sweetheart, I'm coming and I ain't leaving without you.
Chapter 28
"It's okay to be nervous."
I took in the strewn about clothes and open suitcases on my bed. "What if I'm making a mistake?"
Zoe pushed a few items aside and perched herself on the edge of the bed, "Look, Kenz, I can't tell you that, but I can tell you that not doing this will be the biggest mistake you'll ever make. You owe it to yourself to go find out what could possibly be."
I'd made the decision in Zoe's kitchen that I was going to Willow Creek and I wasn't leaving until that thick-headed man heard everything I had to say. Even if he didn't want to listen to it, I was going to tell him exactly how much I loved him.
A huge part of me was scared beyond belief. All my life I'd taken the easy way out of everything. I'd blindly accepted that I wasn't in charge of my future. As much as knowing the truth was liberating it was also terrifying.
For the first time in my life, I had no direction. I didn't know what the future held. The only thing I knew for certain was that I wasn't going to sit around and let other people plan my future. If I crashed and burned, it was going to be on my terms.
I straightened my spine and squared my shoulders, "You're absolutely right." With a smile on my face and hope in my heart, I started packing my new clothes. Zoe and I had worked in a quick trip to the shops early that morning. It was kind of refreshing to swap my stifling business suits for more casual clothes.
Zoe held up a pair of denim cut-offs with white lace worked into the sides. She had been adamant that I buy it. "You're so wearing this!" She jumped up and started rummaging through the clothes still on the bed. "Oooh and this too." In her hands was a skimpy white top with a plunging neckline; another one of her selections.
I raised an eyebrow, "Do you want me to seduce him or lay my heart bare?"
Zoe shrugged, "This does both."
A welcomed laugh bubbled to the surface as I snatched the items from her and stuffed them into the suitcase.
"Ah, boo," she whined.
I walked over to her and playfully poked her shoulder, "In that shirt, my chest is going to have his undivided attention, not the words coming out of my mouth." Sadness washed over me, and I immediately wrapped my arms around Zoe, "I'm going to miss your face."
"Aw, Kenz, I'm going to miss the crap out of you, but—" she pushed me away slightly, and I didn't even have to hear the words, I saw it shining in her eyes. "—I'm so damn proud of you." She swatted my butt and ordered, "Now, come on. No time for tears, we have to get you all packed up so you can go get your man!"
This time when I approached the enormous white door, I wasn't as nervous as I'd been the day before. I drew strength from the fact that I was doing something for me. With a deep breath, I wrapped my fingers around the knocker. Moments after two sharp knocks sounded, Selma, who was wearing a huge smile, ushered me inside.
I followed her through the house to where my parents were sitting on the patio. My mother's nose was buried in a magazine while my father browsed through the newspaper. He was the first one to spot me, and although I had nothing to feel ashamed of, the look of disapproval he gave me still hurt.
Placing the newspaper on the glass table in front of him, he leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. "I assume you're here to apologize for your appalling behavior yesterday."
At my father's harsh words, my mother looked up, her eyes widening when she saw me. "Dean's mother called this morning."
"Of course she did," I took a fortifying breath through my nose and addressed my father, "No, Daddy, I'm not."
My father lifted his chin and turned his attention to the Olympic sized swimming pool that no one ever used. "Well, then we have nothing to talk about." My mother's gaze bounced between my dad and me, and I could have sworn I saw conflict spread all over her face.
"That's okay, you don't have to talk. Just listen." I wiped my palms on my jeans and drew from the pride I saw in my friend's eyes. "I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."
My dad's eyes snapped to mine, I didn't even recognize the man glaring daggers at me. "You might want to rethink that before you end up on top of the midden along with the rest of the trash."
"One man's trash is another man's treasure." I stole a glance at my mother who was being strangely quiet in the matter. "You might not understand this, Daddy, but I love Brett."
