Don't Kiss the Bride

“I don’t care about that,” I say. “I’m so worried about him. Is he talking now?”

“He was talking to us earlier. He’s grumpy and tired, but he was making sense.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Yes, it’s very good. Please be careful driving. You don’t have to speed here, he’s in good hands. Please call me when you get there, though, so I know you’re both okay.”

“I will,” I promise.

“We’ll be there in the morning. Uncle Al is keeping things moving for the bar, and that guy Bob is keeping the crew running, so there’s nothing for Lucky to worry about except resting and letting himself heal. Oh—we’ve been stopping by the house to feed and walk the dog, but she’s very lonely. We weren’t sure if we should bring her home with us or…”

“No,” I answer quickly. “I’ll be there later today and I’ll stay at the house. I’ll take care of her. I think my poor cat misses her.” I let out a little laugh and slam my suitcase shut.

“I’m sure Lucky and the dog will be very happy to see you,” Aunt Suzy says.

“I hope so. Thank you so much for taking care of everything and for calling me. I’ll be leaving within the hour.”

“Okay, honey. Drive safe and try not to worry.”

As soon as I end the call tears stream down my cheeks. I can’t stand the thought of Jude being hurt, and lying in a hospital bed. I wish Aunt Suzy had called me right away. I could be there for him right now instead of being three hours away.

I wrangle the cat into her carrier and scan the guestroom for anything else of mine. Luckily, I didn’t bring much with me. After I pack everything in my rental car, I find my father in the garage cleaning the inside of his Audi.

“What’s wrong?” he asks as soon as he sees me approaching him. He puts down his rag and bottle of spray cleaner.

“I’m sorry, Dad, but I need to go back home. Right now.”

“Now?” His eyes flash with concern. “Why? What happened?”

“Jude’s aunt just called me. He was hurt on the job site and he’s in the hospital. I need to go be with him.”

“Oh, honey. I’m sorry to hear that. I really don’t want you to leave, though. We love having you here. Maybe you should stay. You can call him, maybe do a video chat, put your mind at ease.”

I glare at him with impatience. “Dad, I need to be there in person. His aunt says he has a bad concussion.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to run to him.”

“Yes, actually it is a good idea. In fact, it’s the only idea.”

“Skylar, I know you care about him but—”

I cut him off. “Dad, I have to be with him. He took care of me when I needed him. Many times. He’s the only one who ever has.”

His eyes darken at that. I don’t mean for the comment to hurt him, we’ve made a lot of progress the past month. But it’s the truth. “I just worry about you,” he says apologetically. “I’m trying to be a good dad.”

I smile softly. “I know you are, and I appreciate it. But I need to be there for him.” I give him a quick hug. “I’m glad we had this time together.”

“We are, too. Lynn is going to be upset when she comes home and you’re not here.”

“Can you please tell her goodbye for me? I’ll be back. We’ll talk on the phone. I’m going to figure out what I’m going to do. Soon.”

I’ve been saying that for weeks and I still don’t know what I want to do. My heart seems to be gravitating to everything back home in New Hampshire.

Everyone always says to follow your heart, but how are we ever supposed to know if it’s leading us to the right place?

Chapter 50

Skylar

By some miracle, I don’t hit any traffic on my drive back to New Hampshire. I return the rental car and take an Uber to Jude’s house to drop off Gus and check on Cassie, who’s so excited to see me she dances on her back legs with her little front paws waving in the air. Kneeling on the floor, I pet her and let her kiss my face before I drag my suitcases upstairs.

It feels odd being back in the house after being gone for a month. On one hand, I feel like I’m home. But on the other, I can’t help but wonder if this is home anymore. Jude might not want me to live here again. For all I know, he could be involved with someone else by now. Our brief chats have been just that—brief, light. Not too flirty. Nothing serious. Total avoidance about us.