Page 89 of Away With You
My feet slip and slide in my sandals built for beaching, not hiking, and I’m a sweaty mess and a lot puffed out as I reach the halfway point to the chapel and spot a golf buggy transporting supplies ambling past me.
“Huh. That would have been a better idea.” Too late to change that now, I continue climbing, stopping only once to catch my breath and wipe my brow. After this, I’m going to need a showerand another go at taming my hair. My anger at this thought spurs me on faster.
“Thank God,” I huff as I turn the corner and see the chapel in sight. Breathing hard, I walk towards the double doors, taking the time to appreciate the floral arrangements already set up. Victoria may be a mean girl, but she’s got good style.
“You know I’m right, Nathan.”
I freeze. That’s Victoria’s voice.She’s in there? With Nathan?
“I’m not having this conversation with you, Vic.”
I creep forward on light feet, peering around the door.What’s going on? Why are Nathan and Victoria in here? Is this the emergency?
And why are they standing so close together?
“You know you still love me,” Victoria says, batting her eyelashes at him and stroking his chest.
Nathan frowns but doesn’t back away.Why isn’t he backing away?
“You’re marrying my brother today, Victoria.” His tone is bitter, cold as ice, and it relieves some of my concerns.
But still…
“That doesn’t mean I don’t still love you,” she says while I stifle a gasp.What is wrong with this woman?“This thing with George happened so fast. I’m not sure it wasn’t a rebound.”
Oh my gosh, the nerve. Shut her down, Nathan, I beg silently.Shut her down!
“We shouldn’t be having this conversation.”
My heart sinks at this response.
“But Nathan, we were good together. We had a good life. You loved that I travelled the circuit with you, that your job didn’t mean we had to be apart. Do you think you’ll get that withher?”
Nathan’s hands curl into fists. “Don’t talk about her.”
Victoria, sensing her blunder, attempts to correct course. “I’m just saying, maybe we gave up too easily. I mean, how did we get here?”
My stomach rolls as they stare at each other. It’s a long look, filled with…so much history and love?That can’t be right.
Nathan’s words echo in my head once more:“I’ll never get over it.”
“We got here because you cheated on me with my brother, who you aremarryingtoday.”
Hooray. He’s finally saying the things.
Victoria pouts and wraps her arms around his neck, her long fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his head.
Shove her off, Nathan.
“Just tell me you don’t love me anymore and I’ll walk away now…”
The three of us hold in a collective breath as my heart thunders in my ears.Come on, Nathan. Say it. Say it.
As the silence drags on, my trembling knees beg me to move. To get out of here. To not stick around and witness what is about to happen. That the man I’m all the way in love with is about to confess those same feelings to someone else. My brain catches up with my knees, and I move away from the chapel, turning with blurry eyes and jogging back from where I came. I run as fast as this dress and these sandals and my cardio fitness will allow me, stopping only when I’m back at the resort and in view of the bungalow.
I need to get out of here.
“Katie? What’s wrong?”
