Page 45 of Accidental Wedding Crasher
“Room 207,” Mia said.
“All right. Your car will be waiting.” He smiled at Mia, who barely managed to return the gesture before turning away and hurrying toward the stairs. The first step was done. Now she’d quickly pack and be out of here before anyone noticed she was missing.
“Mia?”
Mia froze, her heart pounding. She’d evaded Evan’s family until now, but she wasn’t lucky enough to escape entirely. Slowly, she turned around, taking a deep breath and trying to smile.
“Hi, Ellen.”
Evan’s mother crossed the lobby to her, concern pinching her brow. “Is everything all right, dear?”
“Yes.” Mia’s voice almost broke on the lie, but she held it together. “I’m not feeling very well, so I’ll go upstairs.”
“Should I get Evan?” she asked, sounding worried now. Mia shook her head a little too quickly.
“No, no. Don’t worry about it. Let him enjoy the ceremony.”
“If you’re sure…” Ellen still didn’t look convinced, but she reached out and squeezed Mia’s hand. “If you need anything, call down to reception and have them come get me.”
Mia’s heart swelled at her kindness, and she managed to nod before slipping away. She made it to the stairs and climbed up, finally reaching the safety of the room. Thankfully, Evan wasn’t inside. Though why would he be? He’d probably be enjoying the party with his family, not even thinking about her. Or, perhaps, he was working somewhere. That sounded like him, too. Mia felt teary again at how kind Ellen had been. She really seemed to accept her. Now, though, it didn’t matter anymore.
Mia pulled her suitcase out from under the bed and went to the closet. There were the shorts and T-shirt she’d worn for the cycling adventure. The dress from the first day with the cooking lesson. The capri pants and T-shirt from yesterday’s olive oil tasting. The hoodie she’d worn on the balcony during the chillynights while talking to Evan. Each article of clothing brought back memories. But Mia just scooped them into her suitcase, not even pausing to fold anything.
She even had the fitted red dress Sarah had lent her for the bachelorette party, the dress she’d worn when she and Evan had kissed last night. Seeing the dress sent her thoughts spinning back to that kiss. It had felt so right to wrap her arms around Evan’s shoulders, slide her hands into his hair, and feel his warm lips on hers. She remembered his pine scent and broad, warm hands so clearly, it was like he was standing in the room with her.
Mia wasn’t delusional. She hadn’t believed that the kiss was the start of a whirlwind romance that would lead to marriage and kids and happily-ever-after. But she had hoped that it meantsomething. It had to her. But for Evan, it hadn’t seemed to matter, because when it came down to it, he hadn’t been willing to even talk to her.
Mia carefully placed that dress on the bed, hoping Evan would return it to Sarah. She couldn’t give it back herself, not when Sarah was enjoying her wedding day. Then she stripped off the lacy blue dress she was wearing, tossing it into the bag, and pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. She pulled her hair up into a messy bun at the top of her head. When she glanced in the mirror, she no longer looked like a sophisticated wedding guest, or like Evan’s girlfriend. She looked like herself, and it was a relief.
Her face was pale, and her eyes looked a little heavy from tiredness, but she didn’t have to pretend to be anything she wasn’t, so it was okay. She’d been fooling herself, imagining that she could be part of the Hirst family or part of Evan’s heart. She’d only been playing a role. And now, the show was over. Asometimes ditzy, kindhearted, soon-to-be mom and high school math teacher looked back at her from the mirror.
Next, Mia went into the bathroom. She reached for her toiletries bag, but before zipping it, she peeked inside. There was the plastic pregnancy test, nestled in among her lipsticks and mascara wands, the first message from the child growing inside her. Mia’s heart ached. She couldn’t wait to meet that baby.This is all worth it,she thought fiercely.The heartbreak, Evan’s strange behavior, everything. It’s all worth it for my baby.
Taking a breath, she zipped the case closed and put it in her suitcase, too. She didn’t feel angry with Evan anymore. He’d acted the way she should have expected him to. Her heart still ached at the thought of not having him in her life, of him never meeting their child, but if she had to go through that pain to meet her child, she would do it all again.
And then, Mia went to the desk. Lying there was her bar of emergency chocolate, and seeing it made her collapse into the desk chair. It was such a simple thing, but it reminded her of the fun she and Evan had had together, the laughter they’d shared, the chemistry that had always been undeniable between them. She looked around the room once more, seeing the bed they’d shared, separated by a pillow wall. She’d always been so aware of his small movements and the sound of his steady breath beside her.
There was the balcony where they’d watched the sunset and talked under the stars, where she’d tried to read while Evan worked. Almost every night since they’d gotten here, they’d sat out there, laughing and talking and sharing stories. There was the spot where their hands had brushed when she’d handed him his laptop charger, and the place where she’d stood when he told her she looked stunning in her bachelorette party dress. Therewas the bathroom where she’d taken the pregnancy test and found out that she was going to have his baby. All those little moments, all gone now.
Tears spilled from Mia’s eyes. She knew nothing she did could change how Evan felt. He’d always been clear that he didn’t want to do anything that would take him away from his work, and a baby was exactly that kind of thing. So was she, really. It hurt.
Well, it wouldn’t hurt for much longer. Mia wiped her tears away, got to her feet, and lifted her bag from the bed. Taking a deep breath, she started toward the door. She’d wait out front for the taxi. She would leave Tuscany behind. She’d fly home. And then, slowly, she’d piece her life back together — without Evan.
CHAPTER 20
EVAN
Evan walked with a heavy heart toward the wedding party. Work hadn’t proved distraction enough, but he would at least try to be a good brother and enjoy Luka’s wedding day with him.
Stepping out into the bright Tuscan sunshine, Evan lifted a hand to shield his eyes and looked around. While he’d been gone, first talking to Mia and then trying to work, the food had been cleared away. People were now mingling while the live music was being set up beside a dance floor on the terrace. Evan scanned the crowd for a friendly face and spotted one of his cousins. As he made his way over, though, he felt a hand on his arm. Turning, he saw his mother looking up at him.
“Dear,” she said. “Mia has gone upstairs. She isn’t feeling well.”
“Oh.” Evan’s heart clenched, but he forced himself to nod. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“I thought you might want to go check on her,” Ellen added pointedly.
“I appreciate that, but I get the feeling she needs a little alone time,” Evan said as diplomatically as he could. Hewasgoing to talk to Mia — eventually. First, he needed to figure out what he was going to say. Or, more accurately, he needed to figure out the best way to say what he had to, that he would be happy to give her and the baby any financial support they needed, but that was all he could do.
