“Oh, but I do, Hutch. I know that I hurt you, I understand that, but what you did?” Her chin trembled as she spoke. “It’s so much worse. You can’t just unmarry someone. It’s not a switch you turn off because you changed your mind.” Jillian squared her shoulders. “We’re done. We will get through the wedding tomorrow, dance together like two adults, take pictures together, and after that? Ineverwant to speak to you again.”
I reached for her, but she slapped me away. “I can’t lose you again,” I admitted.
A sob crossed with a laugh escaped her mouth. “Are you serious? Now you think about that?” she exclaimed.
“It’s okay.” She waved her hand at someone, and when I turned, I saw Knox standing there. “You want to hit him, Hutch? Because at least I didn’t marry him behind your back. When I get married, you’ll know all about it before it actually happens.” She pushed past me and Knox, who stared at me with wide eyes.
“I don’t need any commentary from you,” I warned before I marched back into the restaurant. Jillian was gone, Madison was sitting where I left her with her arms crossed over her chest, while Pat and Jo danced together looking like the happy couple they were.
Knox made sure to knock my shoulder as he made his way past me. “Don’t worry, bro, I’ll take good care of Jill for you. You don’t have to worry about that.” He grinned at me as he went out the front door.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jillian
Isat with my armswrapped around my legs, my gaze fixed outside the window. I wasn’t sure how long I had been sitting here, but it felt like forever. I had watched Hutch show up to his parents’ place, stop and look up toward where I was, before he finally went inside. I knew he was getting dressed with Pat because Jo had told me so.
A lump formed in my throat, but I pushed it down as I thought about how I was going to have to put on a fake face today at the wedding. I’d need to stand next to Hutch, take pictures with him, and actually dance with him as if he didn’t crush every single dream I had. Like my heart didn’t matter. I would do it because I loved my sister and Pat enough. I just hoped that I didn’t break down crying before the wedding was over.
“Sweetheart...” Mom brushed a piece of hair from my forehead. “You need to get ready.” Her voice was soft, caring, and once again I had to resist the urge to break down sobbing. “I know,” she whispered when I looked up at her.
I dropped my legs down so that I could wrap my arms around my mother’s waist without saying anything. “I only have myself to blame,” I told her. “I’m the one that left, was Hutch supposed to just wait for me? He moved on.” I looked up to find her with her lips pressed together.
“Scoot over, sweetie.” When I did, she sat down next to me. “I’m going to tell you something, but you cannot repeat this to anyone.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulders, and I rested my head against hers. “About a year after you left, Hutch came to see me.”
I sat back up. “He did what?” I knew Hutch had changed, but it couldn’t have been that soon.
“He was so hurt, Jillian, he wanted to talk to you so bad, but I couldn’t give him the answers that he wanted.” Mom gave me a half smile. “He asked me what school you were at. He just wanted to see you, and so?” She touched my cheek. “I gave it to him.”
“He never came to see me.”
“Are you sure about that?”
I sat back. “Hutch came to see me?” He never reached out to me when he was in New York.
She nodded. “He said he watched you dance, how beautiful you looked up on stage, and he realized that you belonged there.” She gathered me against her again. “That boy loves you. He loved you enough to come to me, ask for my help, and when he realized that you were where you belonged, he backed off.”
