Page 65 of That Reilly Boy
Maybe she and Gin were even in on it together. It would explain why Gin had given in so easily. Why she’d been willing to cross a Reilly threshold and share a meal with us. Because she knew they were going to humiliate me and my family in front of all the residents of Sumac Falls who’d gathered to see a wedding.
Now that the idea has popped into my head, I can’t seem to shake it.
I’m trying not to hyperventilate, and Taylor grips my hands in hers. She keeps her voice low, but her tone is intense. “You’re going to pass out, Hayden. Unlock your knees and take a deep breath.”
I try to do as she says, while her husband glances over to see how I’m doing. Taylor had tasked him with distracting Aaron while she calmed me down.
“I never would have pegged you for the wedding jitters type,” she says. “You must really be gone for this woman.”
I am, actually. “I’m marrying her, aren’t I?”
I hope. If she shows up.
“As soon as you see her walking toward you, all the nerves and your awareness of everybody watching will fade away.”
I nod because I know she’s right, even though it won’t be for the reason Taylor thinks. Once I see Cara walking toward me, I’ll know it wasn’t all some elaborate revenge scheme.
Well, it is, but the revenge is supposed to be mine. Not hers.
Aaron escapes Bill’s conversation and joins us. “Hope says they’re on their way, and rumor has it the bridal party was spotted getting into their cars.”
She’s on her way.
“I’m going to go meet Hope. I’ll help her get Mom and the kids to their seats.” Aaron grins and slaps my shoulder. “And then I’ll meet you in the gazebo.”
“I’m going to make sure everything’s ready to go,” Taylor tells me. “Then Bill and I will sit. If anything at all seems to go awry, you give me the look and I’ll take care of it.”
I laugh and pull her in for a hug. “You’re here as my guest today.”
Once she goes to make sure the kid with the playlist and Debbie—our officiant, much to my dismay—are in place and ready to play their parts, I turn to head toward the gazebo.
And I almost run straight into Georgia Gamble.
Or whatever her married name is. I have no idea if she changed it or not, but I know if there’s anybody on the planet who hates me more than Gin does, it’s her older daughter.
“Hi, Georgia.”
“Hello, Hayden.”
“It means the world to Cara that you could be here today.” I look at the man standing next to her. “We haven’t met. Hayden Reilly, groom.”
He shakes my hand. “Tony Holt. Bride’s brother-in-law. Soon to be yours, I guess.”
Georgia snorts, but since I’m not wearing the glass of punch in her hand—yet—I ignore it.
“Tony, can you go see if Mom’s arrived yet? I don’t want her to have to sit alone. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Once Georgia’s husband walks away, I glance around to make sure we’re actually alone. And that nobody’s within earshot, since I probably don’t want my other guests hearing whatever she’s about to say.
Georgia doesn’t make me wait. “Listen, I’m not stupid. You wanted the house. Gin said no. Now suddenly you and Cara are rushing down the aisle.”
I’d rather not lie to the woman who’s about to be my sister-in-law if I can help it—especially since it sounds like she and Mel are the only supportive people in Cara’s life—so I just arch an eyebrow and wait.
She arches an eyebrow right back at me, and it’s an impressive look. Perhaps dealing with uncooperative patients is good practice. “What I want to know is whether you’re both scamming Gin together, or if you’re scamming them both.”
I don’t know what, if anything, Cara’s told her sister—hopefully not the truth, since I couldn’t even tell Aaron—and I don’t want to get in the middle of that relationship. But I’m also an older sibling, so I try to put her mind at ease without confessing to anything. “This sounds like a conversation you should have with Cara. But she and I talked about our future, and how we can’t wait until Gin sells the house to us—once I’m officially family, of course—so Cara can see her mother settled in a small place where she’ll be comfortable and not having to worry about maintenance. Having Gin out from under that house will be quite a load off Cara’s shoulders.”
She must get what I’m not saying, because the corners of Georgia’s mouth quirk, though she manages not to give me an actual smile. “Yes, it will.”
