“So why didn’t you?”
“Because he came back first, yelled, and scared the crap out of me! I dropped it! It was an accident, for crying out loud! It wasn’t like I found the phone and deliberately smashed it on the ground. Sheesh. Give me a little credit here.”
Josie studied her for a long moment. “Okay, sorry. Everything is just…I’m frazzled, that’s all. I still can’t believe this all happened.” She sighed. “And I’m doubly stressing out because not only was this a job for us but this was my brother’s wedding! The look on his face was just…”
“I’m sure,” Skye gently interrupted because she didn’t even want to think about it. She had seen it and it broke her heart.
“And then you go and break his phone…”
“Okay, for the record, it’s not like I dropped the cake and ruined the wedding. This party had derailed way before I dropped Elliott’s phone.”
“Still, you certainly didn’t help matters.”
Yeah, she knew that and still felt wildly awful about it. If he had simply let her pay to fix or replace his phone, she knew she would have felt much better–less guilty. The last thing she wanted was to be the reason Elliott had even more negative thoughts about this day.
And towards her.
Hopefully she hadn’t pushed him over the edge…
Although, in the grand scheme of things, a busted phone was nothing compared to getting dumped at the altar.
“Skye?”
“Hmm?”
“Look, I’m sorry I snapped. I’m just worried about my brother and being that I can’t snap at Tracy, I took it out on you.” She paused. “I’m going to go change out of this dress and then help with getting everything in order here.”
All she could do was nod.
“But I need you to do me a favor.”
“Of course. Anything.”
“Here,” Josie said, thrusting a large paper shopping bag into her hands.
“What’s this?”
“This is enough meals for a few days. For Elliott.”
She eyed the bag suspiciously. “O-kay…”
“He said he wanted to be alone, and he seemed annoyed with the family after the whole embargo thing…”
“The what?”
Josie then explained what went down in the groom’s suite and Skye felt her jaw drop and her eyes go wide. “It’s for his own good,” she explained. “He’ll realize that in the long run.”
There were no words and yet a million thoughts raced through her mind. “That just seems a little…”
“Drastic? Yeah, I know. But we all talked about this when he and Tracy first got engaged. I honestly thought we were never going to have to use it, but…here we are.”
Again, her psychology-degree mind was going wild but there was no way she was going to get into it with Josie.
Not today anyway.
“And why are you giving me his doggie bag?”
“Like I said, family members are probably the last people he wants to see. But you? You’re neutral and it won’t bother him if you show up and give him a bag of food. We both know he’s probably not going to want to cook for himself, and considering he should be heading off on his honeymoon, I greatly doubt he even has food in his house.”
“There’s always takeout…”
“Sure, but this way I can feel good knowing he’s at least going to have a few homemade meals. There’s crab cakes, champagne chicken, a couple of lamb chops, mashed potatoes, some baby quiche bites, and a plate of shrimp. All his favorites.”
“Jos, do you really think he wants food from the wedding reception? Don’t you think that’s going to be a little strange? Plus, this food should be going to the shelter,” she protested, pushing the bag back.
“Oh, please! That family owes my brother for what their heartless daughter did to him! If I thought he had room, I’d send all the food to him!”
“It was a good menu…”
Before she knew it, another bag was thrust into her arms. “And a bag for you since you’re doing me a favor.”
“Okay, but let me help with the cleanup and…”
“You’ve already broken a phone,” Josie said with a hint of a grin. “Besides, I have a lot of rage to get out so I am more than happy to stay and bark orders at everyone.”
“Yeah, I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.”
“I promise not to make anyone cry,” she promised. “Please just go and check on Elliott and text me later, okay?”
It was the last thing she wanted to do, but how could she say no without alerting her friend to there being so much more to the whole situation? Leanna was the only one who knew about her feelings and telling Josie certainly wouldn’t help.
Especially now that there was an embargo in play.
Which was utterly ridiculous.
Once she had her things, Skye waved to the servers she passed on her way out and once she stepped outside, she wondered how she was going to handle all of this. Elliott was clearly annoyed with her and she probably wasn’t going to be any more welcome than his family. Hopefully she could just hand him the bag and go without upsetting him even more.
“I had one chance to be the one to maybe make him feel better, and instead I made things worse,” she murmured as she walked toward her car.
Halfway across the parking lot, she froze.
Elliott was standing on the sidewalk looking more than a little lost.
Hanging her head, she knew there was no way she could just get in her car and go. How was it possible his family and friends just left him here? She glanced over her shoulder toward the building and considered going to get Josie, but immediately reconsidered.
“What have I gotten myself into?” she wondered as she made her way toward him. If he heard her approach, he didn’t let on. When she was beside him, she asked, “Are you waiting for a ride?”
Glancing at her, he held up his phone. “That was the plan, but I can’t get the app to work. So I was just trying to figure out what my plan B should be.”
Hanging her head, Skye knew she was in for a little more self-torture. “C’mon. Let me give you a ride.”
He may not have said any words, but his face said it all.
Laughing softly, she said, “I’m being serious, El. Josie asked me to bring you some food so you were going to be seeing me anyway. Might as well let me do this for you or I’ll just show up at your place later.” When he didn’t respond, she rambled on. “And really, is that what you want? You could be settled in and all cozy and comfortable and then I’ll come banging on the door–probably trip and hurt myself in some way–and then spill all this food on your floor. And with my luck, you’ll have white carpet or something and the only thing that will spill will have a red sauce.” She let out a long breath. “Then you’ll have to be reminded of me every single time you walk in or out your front door because…you know…red sauce stains. Is that really what you want?”
And then the most amazing thing happened.
He laughed.
An honest-to-goodness, genuine laugh.
And for the first time all day, Skye had hope–for both of them.