Surprised, I frowned. “He did?” Why hadn’t he said anything to me?
“Whatever you did today, the sin you committed in there was nothing more than just a fascination with his growing sister. You understand that don’t you, dear.”
My hands flew to my mouth. She’d seen us. But it was her words that stung more, gripping my heart tight and squeezing until I couldn’t breathe, until nausea threatened.
“I heard you both when I came to see if he was all right. I walked away out of love for my grandson but asked the Lord for forgiveness for you both.”
Every inch on my skin burned with embarrassment, her words made what Shay and I did sound dirty, horrible, bottom feeder greed for lust. I cringed, my nails biting into my palms to stay upright.
She took another step closer and cupped my chin, her eyes a softness I’d never seen before. “Walk away while you can, Skye. Leave town. Don’t drag him and this marriage into the mud before his life has even begun. That’s what will happen if you stay here. You will become an inconvenience, a dagger between two rightfully blessed hearts. This town will make a laughingstock out of him, and he has always been a good boy, he doesn’t deserve that. Besides, Ryleigh and the baby will make him happy. Something you can’t do.”
Her words had tears flowing again but before I could respond the door opened and Shay stepped out.
His gaze flicked between me, and Grandma and his expression darkened, his smile replaced by immediate anger. “What did you do?” he growled at her, moving quickly to pull me into his arms.
Sobbing like a hysterical fool, I rested my brow and palms on his chest. His hands tightened at my waist.
“Something I should’ve done a long time ago.”
I felt his muscles go rigid. “What the fuck’s wrong with you, Grandma,” he lashed out. Shocked, I leaned back to look up at him. “I fucking warned you to stay away from her.” The last time I’d seen him that angry, he’d almost killed Alan the night of my prom.
“Shay.” I gripped his face, forcing him to look at me. “It’s okay. We’ll talk later.”
“I’m sorry, Blue, I never meant to hurt you.”
“Shay, we’re ready...” We looked up as Dad came to a standstill at the arched entrance, his forehead lined with confusion, his eyes drifted back and forth between the three of us. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes.” I stepped out of the arc Shay’s arms formed around me with a soft laugh that sounded fake to my ears. “Emotion overload.” Dad didn’t look convinced, and he glanced at Shay for confirmation. “Right, Shay?” My eyes begged him to leave it. I didn’t want Dad to know the sordid details of what happened between us.
Shay dragged a hand through his hair, inhaling harshly. “Yes, Dad, everything’s okay.”
Dad’s gaze moved to Grandma whose eyes were filled with tears, her anguish seemed real. For whom, though? “Yes,” she whispered.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I slipped a hand into Shay’s and straightened his tie with the other. He’d gone against Ryleigh’s request to wear white. I was glad he did because the full black shirt and suit was perfection over his muscular frame. “Let’s go get you married.” The look we shared said it all.
If only we didn’t matter...
