Page 71 of The Trouble with Runaway Brides

“What?”

She waits for me to walk in first. As soon as I step in, I smell her—Great-Grandma Dori. It’s not even her perfume; it’s just her, the way I remember her apartment at Northern Lights smelling. I soak in the pictures and the small space that consists of a kitchen, family room, and dining area, along with one bedroom and a bath at the back of the cabin.

“This was hers?”

“Well, you’re smarter than me.” She laughs. “It was her and Great-Grandpa Philip’s hideaway.”

“Like a sex place?” My face screws up.

“Ew, don’t talk about them like that.” She pretends she’s going to vomit.

“And why is this my home now?” I ask, stepping into the bedroom.

“Calista got it first and was instructed by a letter from Great-Grandma Dori that she could do what she wanted with it. She passed it on to me last year when Van moved in, and now I’m passing it on to you. Don’t run back to New York City. Just sit tight and see how this plays out.”

I shake my head. “Brinley, she said no.”

“Right now, she did, yes, but I don’t think it’s going to stay that way. Everyone sees it, but she’s probably scared, Lance.”

“Scared of me?” I ask in disbelief.

She shrugs, giving me a look like I need to think about it for a second. “You guys went from cordial to hating one another to wanting one another again. That’s a lot in a few weeks’ time. She made a promise to Will, and at this point, she has to be confused.”

“She already made her decision,” I remind her.

Brinley puts her fists in the air. “Seriously, Lance Timothy Whitmore, you drive me crazy sometimes. You just did a one-eighty on her. Give her some time to digest. And wouldn’t you rather be here than all the way in New York, thousands of miles away, when she does come to her senses?”

I blow out a breath and shove my hands in the pockets of my sweats. I have serious doubts Kenzie will leave Will. But what if she does change her mind? Or what if she wants to talk to me to see if there’s a real possibility that we could work out?

“The minute she marries him, I’m gone.”

Brinley claps her hands in front of her. “Understandable.”

“And you want me to just sit here for two weeks?”

“It’s got Wi-Fi. You can work.” She smiles.

“That sounds boring.”

“Eh, check out the closet. And there’s this.” She pulls a folded-up letter from her back pocket. When she hands it over, I know right away that the scratchy handwriting is my great-grandma Dori’s. I look at her in disbelief and she nods. “From what I know, I think we each have letters from her and that Calista is the keeper of them. And if you think you’re having a bad day, I had to interrupt her and Rylan having sex to get this, which is code for I saw Rylan’s naked ass drilling into our pregnant cousin on the kitchen table.”

“Jesus, Brin, I did not need that visual. Why were you in their house anyway?”

“They didn’t answer, so I went around to see if they were in the backyard or something and their drapes were open. I’m scarred for life.”

“Now I am too. Thanks for that.”

“So, I’m going to leave you to it. Van’s here.”

I look out the window to see that, sure enough, Van’s truck is parked next to mine. “He knows about this place?”

“Yeah, and so does Rylan. Now, do you want me to tell people you went back to New York?”

I think about it. From here, I can’t see or hear about Kenzie preparing to marry Will. “Yeah. I can’t be a part of her planning process now that I’ve admitted my feelings. Jeanette will have to fill in the day of the ceremony or something, I just know it can’t be me. I’ll text my dad about it.”

She hugs me. “I get it. I’d be the same way. Okay, if you need anything or get lonely, call me.” She squeezes me tight. “Otherwise, enjoy your time of self-discovery here.”

I roll my eyes. “Bye, Brin.”

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