I pause in the hallway, my hand on the knob. It’s early afternoon now, hours after the service was supposed to happen, and I can’t think of another time in my life that’s been more difficult. The image of her stricken face still dominates my mind, the way she looked at me as she apologized and then ran from the chapel.

Yeah, it was fake. Yeah, we were going to get the damn thing annulled by Friday next week. But it still stings because of how I really feel about her.

I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but standing at that altar today, I let myself start to wonder. I wondered if we could lie our way to reality. If there were a way to keep digging deeper and deeper and end up on the other side free and clean.

Her running away felt like she abandoned me. Just when I was beginning to work past the doubt and pain of her words last night, she just abandoned me at the altar. She left me out there, all alone, to face all those people by myself.

It was hard dealing with that. For a few minutes there, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get out of the chapel alive, surrounded by accusatory glares and shouted questions from her family. But I didn’t say anything. I didn’t betray her.

But I can’t let this stand without doing something. I have to tell her I’ll help make it right . . . I have to tell her that I want . . . something. Something I didn’t even have a chance to fully figure out before the whole day exploded into chaos like a party favor from hell.

I open the door to see her lying across the bed, her shoulders shaking from giant sobs. She jerks upright almost immediately when she hears me step in the room, and I see that she’s stripped out of her gown at least, wearing just a long nightshirt that makes my chest ache with conflicting emotions. I want to hug her, I want to kiss her, and I want to choke her. In the end, I stand right where I am.

“What are you doing here?” she says, her voice a soft croak. “Come to yell at me?”

“I came to see how you were doing,” I say softly, taking a step into the bedroom. “You left before anyone could even react.”

She sniffs, wiping at her nose with her forearm. Not sexy, but totally understandable. “I’m obviously not fine. But I’ll live.”

“I’m sorry,” I say quietly, sticking my hands in the pockets of my tux. “I should have done more.”

“Why? All of this is my fault. I deserve all of it. You only did what you were asked to do.”

“You don’t have to face it alone.” I step closer, but she scoots back, and I freeze, knowing that if I get closer, I’m going to spook her even more. “Your family is waiting to hear an explanation. Listen, I was thinking as I walked back here that I’ll tell them I made you do it. That I’m the one who had a marker on you, and that I’m the bad guy.”

I walk closer and sit on the far edge of the bed, reaching out slowly until I take her hand, that soft, warm hand that I didn’t get a chance to put a ring on today. The hand I regret leaving empty. “Come on. Get up, get changed, and let’s go out there and—”

Mindy pulls her hand back and snorts, shaking her head. “I’m done with everything but the truth. I deluded myself thinking this would just be some casual little white lie.”

“But I can still help . . .” I start, but Mindy holds up her hand, getting off the bed and stopping me cold.

“And we’re done too.”

I shake my head, trying to negate what she’s saying. No, it can’t be over. “Mindy, think about it. You’re just upset right now. Please, think about what you’re saying.”

She cocks her head, giving me a sad little half-smile. “No. For the first time all week, Oliver, I am thinking about what I’m saying. Your debt is paid.”

I try to speak, but she spins on a heel, going to the big doors to the balcony and hugging herself, her voice hardening.

“It’s fine with me. I totally understand. And I’m not mad. I can't imagine any man not doing the same in your position. The problem I have is more with myself. I’m angry for putting myself in this position. I don’t blame you for any of it. Hell, you wanna know what really pushed me over the tipping point to telling the truth? I suppose I should thank you, because you did. Seeing that pain in your eyes, I realized that I was going to ruin it for you too. It was just one too many people I’ve hurt. And while you never loved me . . . I did fall in love with you. And I can’t keep going on hurting the people I love. So, I just want to free you. Let me face my problem on my own.”

I stand up and walk over to the window on shaky legs. She really loves me? She said it before, but I wasn’t sure if she really meant it. “Mindy, don’t be so hard on yourself. I know you didn’t mean to do this with malicious intent. I see the good in you. You’re so special, so funny, and you’ve made me think. You’ve made me laugh. If you’re guilty of anything, it’s caring too damn much. You are a good person. I’ve seen your heart. You only wanted to please your mother.”

She’s quiet for a long time, and I’m beginning to think that she’s listening, that I’ll be able to bring her to me, that we can handle this together. But when she speaks next, her words hurt even more. “Please leave, Oliver. I don’t need you to try to save my feelings. I’m so very sorry, but I want to be alone right now. I’ll tell the truth, that it was my idea and I didn’t intend for it to go this far. And I’ll tell Gavin you did your part.”

Gavin and the money? I can’t believe that she still thinks this is about money. “Listen to me—”

“Just go!” she shouts, turning to me, furious and in pain. “Just forget this all happened.”

Her words tear at my heart. She’s being unreasonable, but I can see that she’s so emotional right now that I can’t get through to her. “Mindy, come on. Our plane leaves in the morning, I have one more night to stay in this town, you know.”

“I think you should go now.”

“Excuse me?” I ask, surprised. “Mindy, what are you saying?”

She shakes her head, pointing at the door. “I think it would be best if you don’t stay here tonight. I just can’t see you right now, and it’s going to make things even harder.”

I stiffen. As much as I hate it, I have to leave her alone or this could get worse. “If that’s what you want.”

“It is. Please leave, Oliver.”

I don’t want to. I want to defy her. But I know it’s pointless. She’s too overwhelmed with emotion.

“Very well,” I say quietly. I walk to the door and stop, turning to look back at her standing at the balcony door, staring out into the backyard again. “I know you don’t believe me. Maybe I deserve that, but I don’t think so. I enjoyed the time we spent together. Despite what you may think, it wasn’t about the money. I hope you work things out with your family.”

She doesn’t say anything as I walk out. I close the door and realize that I’ve got two suitcases worth of things in there. “Fuck it,” I mutter. Besides my tablet, there’s nothing that was all that personal. Instead, I start down the hallway. Maybe Sam can give me a ride to the airport or I’ll just call a cab.

I’m at the head of the stairs when I see Roxy coming up, heartbreak etched into her young and previously innocent face. “Oliver? What’re you doing?”

“Leaving,” I say softly. I can’t be angry at Roxy, no matter if she was part of the pressure that Mindy was feeling. I like the girl too much, and I know she would have made a great sister-in-law. “Mindy’s asked me to go.”

Her face goes white with shock. “What? Why? Oliver, if you think the rest of the family . . .”

I look at her face, seeing the tears in her eyes. My heart twists for Mindy at what she has to do and how her family is going to react. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know you over this past week, Roxy. And don’t ever give up on your singing. You’ve got a gift.”

“Oliver, please stop,” Roxy says as I start down the stairs. I don’t, and when I’m about halfway down, she calls out to me, wailing. “Dammit, please tell me what’s going on!”

I stop and look up at Roxy, promising myself that when I think about this week, it’s not going to be this Roxy I remember, but the Roxy who was a vision behind the microphone, the Roxy who made me laugh. “That’s not my place to say, Roxy. Give my regards to everyone . . . and take care of Mindy for me, okay?”

I turn and walk out, leaving the mansion for good. I can call for a cab while walking down the road.