“That’s great. I’m really happy for you, Gemma. You deserve the wedding of your dreams.”
She stares at me as if there’s something on the tip of her tongue. “I waited.”
“What?”
Gemma inhales a sharp breath and looks away before locking her green eyes back on mine. “After you left, I waited. Years, actually.”
I wasn’t expecting her to say that. My throat goes dry, unsure how I should respond, and all I can muster is an apology. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Well, how would you? I never heard from you again.”
Fuck.
The hurt in her tone is undeniable, and this is the last place I expected us to have this conversation.
“Gemma…” I step closer.
“No.” She shakes her head. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It doesn’t matter. I’m over it.”
The bitterness of her tone has me halting. She never got closure. Neither did I, but honestly, it was my own stupid fault.
“We—”
The phone rings and interrupts us before I can tell her that we should talk in private, but she holds up a finger.
“Don’t worry about it. I gotta take this.”
I purse my lips and give her a curt nod. “Alright. See you Monday then.”
She gives a slight wave as she answers the call with a sweet greeting. I make my way out of the shop and blink hard, avoiding the sun.
Fuck. That conversation didn’t go as planned. I hope working there isn’t the worst fucking idea I’ve ever had. If it all backfires on me, things will end worse than they did the last time I left, and I’ll shatter more than just her heart.
Instead of going home, I stop at Everleigh’s boutique.
“Well, how’d it go?” Everleigh asks as she counts money from the cash register.
“I start Monday.”
She looks up at me. “Did you see Gemma?”
“Yep. Apparently, she had no idea her dad was interviewing me.”
She averts her eyes and purses her lips. “Oh, really? I must’ve forgotten to mention that detail.” She closes the register, then hangs the dresses in her hands on a rack.
“Oh, right. Even though you have an impeccable memory and can remember exact conversations from twenty years ago. I’m sure you just…forgot.”
Everleigh rolls her eyes. “I have selective memory.” Even though she’s younger, she often tries to keep me in line as though she’s my big sister.
“Well, tell me how it went.” She puts her hands on her hips.
“More awkward than when you tried stealing a box of condoms from the store when you were thirteen.” I chuckle at the memory. She was embarrassed the sheriff called and begged me not to tell our grandparents.
“Tyler!” She grabs a balled-up piece of paper and throws it at me. “That was a dare!”
“And you’re lucky Father Tim was there shopping and talked the owners out of pressing charges.”
Everleigh blushes, then buries her face in her hands before meeting my eyes. “Ah, I almost forgot that part.”
“Well, times that by two, and that’s how awkward our interaction was. And now I’m going to see her every day.” I lean against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I’m surprised my phone isn’t blowing up yet, though she might never talk to me again for not warning her.” Everleigh bites into her lower lip, then waves it off. “She’ll get over it.”
I snort. “She blurted out that she was engaged.”
“It’s not like you can miss the massive rock on her finger.” She moves around the store, and I follow her. She stops and hands me a few shirts. “Make yourself useful and hang these on the back wall.”
“I don’t work for you.” I smirk.
She turns and glares. “You’re living in my condo rent-free. Shut up and use your height to hang those up so I don’t have to use my extension pole.”
I nearly choke. “Your stripper pole?”
“Goddammit, Tyler.” Everleigh bursts out laughing, then walks to the corner of the shop. “An extension pole. It’s a garment hook or hanger retriever for clothes that are high up.”
“From now on, I’d go with one of those names instead.”
“You haven’t changed a bit.” She hands me the pole.
“What’s that mean?” I’m more different than she’ll ever realize.
“Means you’re still my annoying big brother.” She points at the wall. “Now put them up there for me, would ya?” She grins, then pats my arm before walking away.
Once I’m done figuring out which shirt goes where and how to balance the hangers properly on this stupid retriever pole, I do exactly what she asked. When I’m finished, I find Everleigh on the other side of the store.
“Gemma said they picked a date for the wedding. When is it?”
“March thirteenth.”
Only seven months away.
“They were engaged a long time before setting one.”
Everleigh nods. “Mm-hmm. He proposed early on, like he wanted to claim her and for everyone to know she was his but wasn’t in a rush to actually get married.”
“Why do you think that is?” I watch as she organizes a shelf of candles.
“Honestly…” She looks over her shoulder at me and frowns. “I think she likes the idea of loving him and having the picture-perfect life, but in reality, she’s second-guessing if it’s the right thing to do. Gemma loves her cottage, and I know it’s been eating at her to give it up, which is why she won’t move in with him.”
“They don’t live together?”
“Nope. He’s been asking for months, and she’s adamant about waiting.”
Interesting.
“So why’s she with him?”
Everleigh goes back to organizing some bracelets by the counter, and I follow her as she walks and talks.
“I have a few theories, but Gemma denies them all.”
“Which are?”
She finally stops and turns, folding her arms over her chest as she studies me. “Why do you care so much? I thought you moved on.”
“I’ll always care for her well-being, even if I’m not in her life, Ev. All I’ve ever wanted is for Gemma to be happy, and if this guy doesn’t make her happy…”
“She tries to be.” She shrugs, and her face falls. “Jerry really likes him and the idea of them getting married.”
“Really? Her dad approves?”
“Oh, totally. He’s over the fucking moon about them finally setting a date. Robert will be able to take care of her financially, and she’ll always have what she needs. Growing up, they didn’t have much, and Jerry knows she won’t have to worry when they start a family. It makes him happy as Pops eatin’ warm apple pie, and Gemma wants nothing more than to make her dad happy.”
“Do you think that’s why she’s marrying him? To appease Jerry?”
Everleigh goes behind the counter. “I’m not sure, but even if it was, Gemma wouldn’t tell me. I’m only speculating from what I see and hear. She’s not super open about their relationship, but then again, Gemma has always been private.” She gives me a look, and I read between the lines. Gemma didn’t share every detail of our relationship, but Everleigh knew enough to threaten me when I left.