Greg pouted and crossed his arms. “I thought you’d be happy.”
My ears started to ring as my mind raced. “I’ve lied to my parents. My sisters. It was a miracle to get my brother Hayes in a suit. I haven’t been home in a year!”
The Star Harbor gossip grapevine would have a field day with this. My brother would go full overprotective caveman. My sisters would worry. My parents would quietly die inside. And I would be the girl who showed up in a wedding dress and left without a husband.
Greg’s palms rose. “Hey, that was your choice. You’re the one who didn’t think you could play it cool in front of your family.”
My armpits started sweating as I paced in the bridal suite. “This is unbelievable. What about a marriage license? It wouldn’t even be legal.”
Greg’s shoulders bounced. “We’ll have the party today—that’s the important part—and figure out the details later.”
I shook my head. “Greg ... I can’t, I?—”
Greg’s features hardened. “You had no problems using me for my money. I’m not asking for much here.”
His words landed like a slap. I’d spent months bending myself into the shape of the perfect fiancée for him, for his parents, for the shareholders who’d never even meet me—and somehow I was still the one taking advantage.
Anger bubbled to the surface at his accusation. “Used you? You said youwantedto help me start the business. It was your idea to get married in the first place!”
Greg leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Will you please calm down? You’re making a scene.”
There it was. The old familiar verdict. Too loud. Too emotional. Too dramatic. I’d heard versions of it my whole life. I just never thought I’d get it while standing in a wedding dress that wasn’t even meant for me.
Anger morphed into fury. “Calm down?Calm down?Do you have any idea how mortifying this is to me? How this looks?”
“You really are being dramatic about this whole thing.” The boredom in Greg’s voice sent me into a tailspin.
“Clara? Are you almost ready?” My little sister Kit’s voice was muffled through the door.
Oh, I’m being dramatic? I’ll show him what being dramatic really looks like.
I set my shoulders and whipped open the door. Kit’s auburn hair floated with the gust of air, and her eyes went wide as they flicked from me to Greg.
Relief punched through me so hard my knees wobbled. If there was anyone on earth who wouldn’t ask questions before helping me burn my life to the ground, it was my baby sister.
“Do you have your car?” I blurted without thinking.
Her mouth popped open, then snapped shut, mischief immediately sparking in her eyes. “Yes.”
“Can you get me out of here?” I didn’t have time to explain and knew Kit wouldn’t ask questions.
All I could think to do wasrun.
Maybe it was cowardly. Maybe it was selfish. But for the first time in a long time, I wanted to choose me instead of the version of me that made everyone else comfortable.
“You bet.” My little sister reached forward and grabbed my arm, pulling me past her. She looked right at Greg. “I don’t know what you did to fuck this up, but you’re an idiot.” She looped her arm in mine and dragged me down the corridor before turning back. “Oh, and Clara told me about that weird thing with your ... you know.” Her eyes moved from Greg’s face to his pants and back up again.
An unhinged cackle escaped me—Kit had definitely just made that insult up on the fly. We bolted down the hallway and pushed open the exit door. Sunlight spilled over my shoulders as the bite of cold air slapped me back. The train of my dress whipped around my legs, beads biting into my skin as I stumbled into the snow. My teeth chattered, adrenaline buzzing so loudin my ears I could barely hear the muffled music starting somewhere inside.
“Shit!” I couldn’t stop laughing. It was uncontrollable now. “What did I just do?”
Kit grabbed my arm and tugged me closer to ward off the wind. “You set yourself free, babe. Let’s get the fuck out of here before my tits freeze off.”
I hugged her closer and we ran, our laughter shaking the snow from the trees.
