Page 64 of That Reilly Boy
MEL
I’m almost there!
I’m smiling as I slide the dress off the hanger. It’s so pretty—probably the prettiest thing I’ve ever owned—and just the feel of the fabric makes me happy. That it was a gift from Mel and Lucas just makes it even more special.
I should probably wait for my maid of honor to help me put it on, but it’s a sundress, not a formal gown. And Georgia wasn’t wrong about us running late. I don’t want to leave Hayden standing in the gazebo in front of everybody, wondering if I pulled a runaway bride.
I take a breath and give myself a final look in the mirror.
How many times, in this very room, had I imagined myself preparing to become Mrs. Hayden Reilly? With fake flowers in my hair and my hairbrush clutched in front of me like a bouquet, I looked into this very mirror and pretended the boy of my dreams was about to tell me he would be my husband forever.
Now that dream is about to come true, but the boy is a man now and he’s not marrying me for love. It’s all fake, and I just need to keep reminding myself of that over and over.
In the mirror, I see the door opening and because I’m expecting it to be Mel, I’m smiling when I turn. But it’s not my maid of honor. It’s my mother, and she’s not smiling when she steps into my room.
I’m not sure what to expect, mood-wise, so I keep smiling. “How do I look?”
Her lower lip trembles and unshed tears make her eyes shiny. “You look beautiful, honey.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
She looks into my eyes for a long moment, and I wonder if she’s trying to come up with the right words for a last-ditch attempt at talking me out of this. I’m not sure anything would make Gin happier than me jilting Hayden at the altar—another humiliation served in the long-standing feud.
“You’re doing this?” she finally asks.
“I am.”
“Are you happy?”
Not in the way she means, but I am grateful to have a way to free us both from the bleak existence we’ve barely been eking out. “Yes, I’m happy, Mom. I really am.”
She nods once—briskly, as though she’s come to a decision. Then she lifts her hand and I notice the box for the first time. It’s long and slim, made of a tattered cardboard with a faded, ornate pattern printed on it.
When she opens it, I catch my breath. The classic pearl necklace and earrings are gorgeous—clearly very old—and elegant in their simplicity.
“Mom, they’re beautiful.” As I say the words, I realize I’ve seen these pearls before, in my parents’ wedding portrait.
“I know that maybe the Gamble name doesn’t mean what it used to, but it meant everything to your father. It means a lot to me. I wore these at my wedding, and your grandmother wore them when she married your grandfather.” Her voice trembles and she blinks rapidly a few times. “I should probably sell them, but it would mean a lot to me if you wore them today.”
“I’d be honored, Mom.” I slide the earrings in myself, but then I bend my knees so Gin can clasp the strand of pearls around my neck.
“They’re perfect,” she says, emotion making her voice hoarse. And right now, I don’t care how many hot water heaters the jewelry could have bought. This is one Gamble heirloom we’ll never sell, no matter how hard things get.
The door opens again, and in the mirror, I see Mel bounce into the room. She freezes when she sees Gin, but my mother turns and gives her a warm smile.
“She’s ready now,” Gin announces.
“Good.” Mel looks at me and presses her hand to her stomach as she takes a deep breath. “It’s time.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Hayden
I’ve kept my composure in a lot of high-stakes business meetings over the years, but nothing could have prepared me for being in the Sumac Falls town square, waiting to see if Cara would stand me up at the altar.
At no point, right up to when Aaron was helping me slide my arms in my suit coat, did it occur to me that leaving me alone and humiliated on the gazebo steps would be excellent revenge for me standing her up for the homecoming dance.
It’s occurring to me now.
