Chapter 24

 

Coffee cup halfway to her mouth, Gabby eyed her reflection in the bathroom mirror and tried not to wince. She’d spent the better part of last night crying after she’d left Flynn’s, and her puffy, red-rimmed eyes were a testimony. Dark shadows from lack of sleep only added to the wreckage.

At least the clinic was closed the next three days for Cade and Avery’s wedding. Today, she and Zoe were heading to the botanical garden pavilion to set up for the big day tomorrow. She had to get her act together or she’d look like the floor of the New York subway in wedding pictures.

Damn it, though. It hurt so bad. Flynn had said this wasn’t the end, but it sure felt like it when he’d looked at her last night as if he couldn’t take the relationship anymore. And what did that say about her when even Flynn couldn’t stick?

She didn’t get it, didn’t think she ever would. They were so great together and he’d never struck her as insecure. It was as if he didn’t trust her to know her own feelings, didn’t understand why in the hell she loved him in the first place.

And...he’d never said he loved her back.

Her stomach cramped and tears threatened again. She had no doubt Flynn loved her. As a friend. Through the years, he’d proven that time after time. A sickening swirl of pain filled her head, her chest. Perhaps that’s what all his reservations were about. Not her feelings, but his. Sex didn’t mean love, and maybe he realized his physical attraction and friendship had blurred the lines. That this wasn’t something lasting, just...lust.

She blew out a ragged breath and closed her eyes. If Flynn couldn’t fall in love with her, it was time to face reality. Twelve cats wouldn’t look too bad in her cute little house, right? She’d go broke on litter alone, but hey. Company was company.

God. Her heart hurt. Regardless of his feelings, she’d fallen for him. All her life, she’d wished for this. For love. To have someone look adoringly into her eyes and tell her without words she was his everything. Stupid, stupid.

Setting the coffee cup on the vanity, she shook her head and splashed cold water on her face. Zoe would be here to pick her up in twenty minutes. She needed to get her act together. This weekend was about Cade and Avery, not her own drama. Forgoing a shower until after they’d set up the pavilion, she pulled her hair into a high ponytail and called herself presentable.

Popsicle jumped up on the vanity as she was debating whether to bother with foundation to hide her dark circles. The cat eyed her coffee cup, then her. She had a thing for knocking stuff over. Just for the hell of it.

“Don’t even think about it.”

She lifted her paw and lazily blinked. I’m gonna do it.

“Popsicle,” she warned.

Blink. Sounds like a dare to me. Eyes on Gabby, the cat brought her paw within striking distance of the cup. Look, I’m so close. Whatcha gonna do?

Gabby sighed. “Can you not be a diva? Just for today? I had a really rough night and—”

Flink. The cat swiped her paw, sending the mug across the vanity.

Gabby grabbed it at the last second before it could crash to the floor. “Just for that, you don’t get your treat. I was going to adopt you a dozen brothers and sisters.”

Popsicle arched her back, fluffing her orangish fur, and jumped to the floor. Your threats are beneath me, peon. She stalked from the room with the air of a queen.

Rolling her eyes, Gabby headed to her bedroom to throw on a pair of jeans and a tee, then made it to the living room just as Zoe keyed her way inside the front door. Her hair was still bright purple. At least it matched the bridesmaids’ dresses.

Popsicle pranced into the room, realized Zoe wasn’t Flynn, sniffed, and strode back down the hall.

“Something I said?” Zoe shrugged at the cat’s retreating back and gave Gabby a once-over. “Wow. I like the train wreck look. It’s so in right now.”

Gabby glanced down at herself, noting her shirt was inside out and her socks mismatched. Cute socks, though. One from her bright green shamrock set and the other a pink from her Easter egg...

She sighed. “Thanks. I’ve been perfecting it all night. I was going for desperate and pathetic, but train wreck works.” She headed into the kitchen to turn off the coffeepot and set her mug in the sink.

Zoe followed. “What’s up, Gabs?” She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms. She was a tiny person whose head barely reached the bottom of the upper cabinets. She seemed even more petite in Gabby’s kitchen for some reason. Zoe had such a take-no-crap personality that she’d seemed bigger usually.

Pulling her tee over her head, Gabby righted it and put it back on. She rubbed her forehead to alleviate the tension. “Flynn broke up with me. Or I think he did. He said we need”—she made air quotes—“some space.”

Scratching the back of her head, Zoe frowned. “Twenty-five years of friendship where you two were inseparable and now he wants space? What did you do? Threaten his dog? Hijack a bank? Forget he liked ranch dressing over thousand island?”

Flynn liked French dressing best. A sob tore from Gabby’s chest. A fresh wave of pain threatening to pull her under. God. She’d dehydrate at this rate.

“Hell.” Zoe crossed the space and wrapped her arms around her, the top of her head barely reaching Gabby’s nose, but her hug was mighty. “I was only kidding. You have the vagina in the relationship, so of course he was the one in the wrong.”

She gave a watery laugh and stepped away, wiping her eyes. After a beat to calm herself, she told Zoe what happened. “I just don’t get it, you know? The only thing I can think about is, what if he doesn’t feel the same way about me?” She thought she’d known him and what he’d wanted, but everything was out of whack now.

Zoe eyed the ceiling. “I’m not as close with Flynn as I am to Drake or Cade, mostly because you two had that stronger bond, but this seems out of character for him.”

“Yeah. Perhaps I just bring out the worst in him, or being together did. All it took was one misguided comment from my mother and he suddenly questioned everything. He’s never lacked confidence or doubted us.”

Seeming to absorb that, Zoe nodded. “First, it’s impossible for you to draw out anyone’s bad side. Seriously, look at you. The good girl, a great buddy, the town sweetheart. Annoying, really. You make the rest of us look like henchmen with leprosy.” She waved her off when Gabby tried to comment. “I’m serious. Your heart’s bigger than the damn state and if anyone knows that, it’s Flynn. And I don’t think this is about him not returning your feelings. I get the impression he thinks he’s not good enough.”

Gabby stilled. The thought never occurred to her, not long enough to gel, anyway. She shook her head. This was thought for later. “We better get going. We have a lot to do before the rehearsal dinner and I need to come back and shower first.”

“Yep. I could smell you all the way outside.”

Laughing, she grabbed her purse. “Shut up.”

“I’ve bathed dogs who’ve rolled in skunk that smell better.”

Gabby grabbed her side, laughing harder. “I mean it. Shut up. I’m fragile today.”

Drake was standing inside the main hall at the botanical garden when they arrived, his back to the glass wall that led to the indoor atrium. At their questioning glance, he shrugged. “Avery enlisted my services.” He turned to Gabby, his stare assessing. “What happened to you?”

She eyed the ceiling. Pouted. “Just lie and tell me I look pretty.”

“You are pretty. No lying necessary.”

Whipping her gaze to his, she had to swallow another threat of tears. “Aw.” When he just kept his level gaze on hers, silently demanding she answer his original question, she rolled her shoulders.

“Gabby...”

Zoe scoffed. “Your brother happened, that’s what. She’s a weepy, gooey, white-hot mess because he’s no better than any other male.”

Drake flicked his glance at Zoe. “Go burn your bra over there. We’ll be right along.”

Zoe crossed her arms and set her feet. “Hilarious.”

“I’m not a white-hot mess. More like tepid—”

He refocused on Gabby. “What did Flynn do?”

Curses. Was it too much to ask to get a distraction around here? “I don’t want to talk about it.”

His unmoving presence remained in front of her, hands in the pockets of his worn jeans, stance wide, telling her he wasn’t going anywhere.

Out of nowhere, she was struck by how different the O’Grady brothers were in appearance. Drake’s near-black hair was neatly trimmed just above his ears and his eyes were a rich cocoa, unlike Flynn’s longish strawberry hair and hazel eyes or Cade’s bedhead dishwater blond and blue eyes. They were all tall, though, averaging six feet, and had the high cheekbones from their mom and wide jaw from their dad. Lean, muscular builds. Their personalities were unique, too. Cade mischievous and charming. Flynn had dry humor and subtle wit. Drake was pensive and cautious.

But they shared one common trait that Gabby never took for granted and respected the hell out of their parents for teaching—they all loved hard. Whether it was family, friends, or their pets, the O’Grady boys never shied away from feelings or thought it was beneath them to display affection. And when they fell in love, it was for life. Forever.

She and Drake hadn’t been as cozy as her and Flynn, but Gabby never doubted Drake cared about her. And the conflicted look he was giving her said he wasn’t comfortable with the drift between two people he loved.

After a tense beat, he nodded. “Just tell me if I need to kick his ass.” Before she could respond with more than a grin, his gaze darted around the room. “Any idea what needs to get done?”

Zoe whipped a folded paper from her back pocket with a wry smile. “Avery made a detailed blueprint. It’s color-coded.”

Drake barked a laugh and took the paper from Zoe. “Sounds like our girl all right.” He scanned the page. “I’ll start pulling out tables.”

Zoe followed him to the storage room.

Gabby glanced around. She hadn’t been in here since the Valentine’s dance. Light, open, and airy, the hall incorporated raw nature with subtle class. Long and rectangular, the room had the atrium on one side and a solid wall on the other. The public entrance was just off a small foyer and directly across the space was the built-in bar. Polished wood floors and rough-cut ceiling beams.

Ever since Drake and Heather’s nuptials so many years before, Gabby had wanted her wedding right here. Like any other girl, she’d fantasized about the dress and the cake. How she’d wear her hair and what colors she’d incorporate.

A pang of longing filled her belly and she missed Flynn so badly she had to close her eyes to focus on breathing. It hadn’t even been a day since she’d seen him, but this rift made it seem like an eternity. She wondered what he was thinking, how he was doing.

Honestly, everything between them, from their friendship to their romantic relationship, had always been smooth. Effortless. She didn’t know what to do or if she should even do anything. Last night, he’d said she needed to think, but her heart wasn’t conflicted. He was the one who’d pushed the pause button.

Zoe and Drake reemerged. Gabby shook her head and dug into the task at hand.

It had taken until midafternoon, but they got tables arranged and decorated with white linen. Votive candles were in pretty lavender dishes, adding ambiance. The florist would deliver flowers tomorrow. They’d strung twinkle lights along the beams and followed Avery’s directions to the letter.

Zoe ran Gabby home, where she showered, then donned a light yellow sundress to uplift her mood. Strapless and snug on her torso, the skirt flared just above her knee. She finished off the look with white ballet flats and checked her hair, which she’d left in loose waves down her back.

She had Flynn in mind the whole time she’d prepped. They hadn’t spoken since last night, and it wasn’t as if her outfit would suddenly smack some sense into him, but she wanted to look nice for him.

Grabbing the vanity, she sucked air and tried to quiet the nerves fluttering. It was no use. The only thing that would make her mood better, that would stop the rampant panic and unease, was Flynn.

She was the last to arrive at the hall. Avery and her mom, Justine, along with Gayle, stood by the pastor up front. The O’Grady boys’ mother was beaming bright enough to illuminate the room. Gabby figured it was because she never thought she’d see Cade settle down, and yet here they were. Brent, Zoe, and Drake were chatting nearby. Flynn was kneeling in front of Hailey, but his back was turned so she couldn’t read what he was signing to the little girl.

As if sensing her, he stood and slowly turned. The air crackled between them and, for a second, she took him in, surprised by the hum of energy. He wore gray dress slacks and a white button-down that did little to hide the powerful display of lean muscle underneath. His hair was casually brushed off his forehead, more finger-combed than neat.

His gaze traveled the length of her, heating as it descended, and the burn singed her from across the room. Lips parting, his brows furrowed. His jaw ticked as if he were trying to grab a hold of a logical response, but his expression belied control. One glance said he thought her dress would look better on the floor. And he wanted to put it there.

She sucked in a rapid breath as his eyes met hers, shrinking the distance to inches without either moving. Her heart pounded. Abject longing and barely restrained lust stared back at her, unblinking. Hopeful, she smiled.

But...he flinched and turned away, his back rigid.

Her stomach plummeted in dread. She wrung her trembling hands, hurt pummeling her heart. He’d...dismissed her. The one person who’d never skimmed right past her as if not noticing her presence. The only man who’d ever bothered to truly look.

She was just another face in the crowd.

Unable to pull in oxygen, she teetered. With her throat tight and the hot sting of tears in her eyes, she focused on the floor until she could get her bearings. She would not cry and ruin this night for her friends. Her lip quivered and she cursed, pressing her mouth into a thin line.

Flynn, kneeling in front of Hailey, signed something. The girl tapped Flynn’s mouth and darted her distracted gaze around the room. Unsure what that was about, Gabby watched with her head tilted. Hailey repeated the gesture twice more.

“He spoke to her the other night.” Cade stepped beside Gabby. He took a sip from his water bottle and recapped it, attention on his brother and soon-to-be daughter. “As in, he opened his mouth and talked.”

“Really?” she whispered and looked at Flynn. Hailey loved him. They had their own special bond Gabby had witnessed from the first time he’d met the girl.

“Yeah. It was the damnedest thing. He said it was a slip-up.” The plastic crinkled as he fisted the bottle. “I can’t tell you the last time I heard his voice. Hailey’s been trying to get him to do it again ever since.”

Flynn hadn’t mentioned it. That was exactly the kind of thing he would’ve told her, too. It made her wonder what else he’d been keeping and why he suddenly felt the need to keep her in the dark.

The longer she stared, the more she ached. She brushed a strand of hair away from her face and forced herself to look at Cade instead. He was handsome in black slacks and a blue dress shirt. “It embarrasses him, his voice. Based on how others have responded, he knows his dialect and tone are unusual.”

Cade shifted his eyes to her with one corner of his mouth quirked. “He talks to you, though. Imagine my surprise when he mentioned that.”

She shrugged. “At work, sometimes his hands are occupied. And when we’re, you know, it’s not always ideal to sign.”

He was shaking his head before she’d finished. “No, Gabs.” After a pointed, pronounced glare, he studied his brother. “When Flynn spoke to her, Hailey started making sounds like she wanted to also.”

Her hand flew to her chest. “God. Are you serious? That’s amazing.”

“It is amazing. Her teachers are going to start speech therapy after we get back from our familymoon.” Cade nodded and breathed a laugh. “Christ, Gabby. I about cried like a baby, I was so fucking proud.”

She grinned for the first time all day, warmth filling her. “You’re going to be the best dad.”

He faced her, crossing his arms, his eyes suspiciously misty. “Because you gave my brother the confidence to be himself, it started a chain reaction. There’s no telling if Hailey might’ve started to do this on her own, but I doubt it. She’s got a soft spot for Flynn, I think because he was silent, like her, and it gave her the boost to try.”

He shook his head as if in awe. “I love that kid, Gabs. She’s not mine by blood, but damn if every one of her milestones isn’t mine, too. So, thanks for that.”

“Cade.” She pressed her lips together to keep from spilling tears. “This mascara isn’t waterproof, you ass.”

He threw his head back and laughed, then pulled her in for a hug. His heavy sigh stirred her hair. “Flynn will get his head out of the sand, I promise. It’ll be okay. You’ll see.”

For a moment, she actually believed him.