Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 69371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
I put my head back and close my eyes when a soft knock fills the room. I shake my head, turning and picking up the bottom of the dress as I walk to the door. My hand turns the handle, the sun hitting the bracelet that Edward gave me, not knowing that once I open this door, everything in my life is going to change.
Chapter 10
Luke
I walk out of the house toward my truck, tossing my bag in the back seat before starting the truck. The sun is high in the sky, shining so bright, making it a perfect day for a wedding. I swallow down the lump in my throat and shake my head.
My head goes back to the last conversation I had with her over two weeks ago. When I came back to the restaurant, I went straight behind the bar and poured myself two shots of scotch before I said a word to anyone. Mikaela came in and took one look at me and just waited. "If it's okay with you," I said, "I will take over the whole catering thing, but it'll be after Clarabella's wedding." She didn't ask any questions. She just nodded and went back into the kitchen. Only after my fourth shot did I agree to do all the prep work for her, which she gladly accepted.
So I got up at four o’clock this morning and went in. I made sure that everything was done before turning and walking out, not looking back. The minute I saw we were doing the rehearsal dinner and the wedding, I knew there was no way I could be there. Not a chance in hell. I would rather walk over burning coals than be in the same building as her and her family as they celebrate her getting married. So I'm leaving town. My goal is to go up to my secluded cabin where I get no Wi-Fi, no cell service, no nothing, and get totally shit-faced.
I start the drive out of town, my hands gripping the steering wheel as I make one stop on the way out. The restaurant. My plan is to drink until I pass out, but I have to have some kind of food first.
I go out of my way to make sure I don't pass the venue, making the drive in forty minutes instead of fifteen.
Pulling up to the restaurant, I see that the van is gone, so I know that Mikaela is gone. I park my truck, then get out and walk in. I nod to the chefs setting up for the day. "I thought you were leaving town?" one of them asks while I walk over to the fridge.
"Just stopped for provisions," I inform him, grabbing stuff in my arms, then walking over to the wooden table where I spent the morning prepping everything. Putting the things down, I walk to my office in the front and grab a bag. Walking back into the kitchen, I fill it up with enough food to last me at least four days. "Okay, I'm out. See you guys next week," I say, not knowing exactly which day I'm going to be coming back.
I place the food bag next to my bag and get back into the truck. "Next stop, cabin."
I'm almost out of the state when the phone rings, and I see it's Mikaela. "Hey," I greet, pressing the green button on the phone.
"Luke," she says, huffing. "Where are you?"
"Almost at the state line," I reply, looking at the phone.
"We have a problem," she says, and I don't know why but my heart freezes in my chest. "Van broke down." The words no caterer wants to hear. "I'm trying to get the food transferred, but you are the only one with a big truck."
"Fuck," I curse, knowing there is no choice. If I don't go, the food goes bad, and Clarabella ends up hating me for the rest of her life. "Send me your location," I say, turning the truck around and then pressing in her location and finding that I'm about thirty minutes out.
"It's fine," I tell myself. "I'll get there, grab the food, and bring it to the back of the kitchen." My finger drums the steering wheel as I drive back toward Clarabella. My heart pounds so hard in my chest I open the windows to get my breathing under control. "She'll be getting married, so there is no way you even have to see her." I try to talk myself off a ledge, but nothing and no words can calm me down. "I guess this is what I deserve after everything that I did. My penance." I laugh. "My penance." I roll up the window and blast the air-conditioning, knowing that I'm going to have to transfer the food from the van to mine.