Page 39 of You Complicate Me

Grace snorted. Nick O’Connor was as far from a boy as she’d ever been with in her life. He was all man. “He’s a good man, Mom. Leave him alone.”

“You barely know anything about him.”

She raised a brow. “I know more about him than you do. So, who are you to judge?”

“I never should’ve sent you to law school,” her mother grumbled. “You’re always so argumentative.”

Ruthie stuffed the used tissue back into her bra. “He probably goes through your purse every night while you sleep. I told you that you can’t trust an Irishman. You’ll see. All sperm, no scruples.”

Grace zoned out again as her mom and Ruthie argued about…something. She didn’t really care to listen or get involved.

She straightened up in her chair when Sadie stepped out of the bathroom, biting her lip, looking hesitant.

Sadie turned a small circle, arms held wide. “Well, what do you all think?”

Sarah clasped her hands in front of her as her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, honey, you look lovely. Just lovely.”

Even Ruthie murmured her agreement.

Grace frowned. “Mom, is that your old wedding dress?”

Sadie’s anxious eyes rose to Grace’s. “You don’t mind, do you? I just had trouble deciding on what I wanted to wear, and your mother offered me her dress.”

“No, of course I don’t mind,” Grace was quick to add. She’d been offered the same dress when she married Brad. She just hadn’t worn it because it was so far from her usual style.

There was no denying that Sadie looked like an angel—or, an underwear model dressed up like an angel—in the vintage dress. The delicate lace draped over her perfect form like it was made for her. But the style was so old-fashioned for a girl as young as Sadie. And what young girl had trouble deciding what to wear to her own wedding? Or serve at her own rehearsal dinner for that matter?

There was something off about the whole thing. Grace just couldn’t put her finger on it.

She was saved from further comment when Gage barged in, not bothering to look up as he pawed through a drugstore bag. “Sadie, I brought you some Gatorade to help replace your electrolytes and some—“

He looked up, caught sight of Sadie, and immediately dropped the bag. Their eyes locked, and Grace suddenly felt like an intruder in the room.

Her thoughts vacillated between oh boy, this isn’t good, and oh, boy, this is awkward.

Her mother caught her eye and her expression pleaded with Grace to do something. She sighed. Why was she always supposed to be the reasonable one?

“Hey, Gage,” she said casually, “did you see Michael on your way up here? Wouldn’t want the groom to see the bride in her dress before the big day.”

She put an extra bit of snarkiness on the words groom and bride to drive her point home.

That seemed to do it. He blinked a couple of times and looked over at her. Shaking his head, he bent down and scooped up the bag, handing it to Grace. Turning on his heel, he stalked out, slamming the door behind him after muttering a hasty, “Sorry to intrude.”

Grace glanced back at Sadie, who was still staring unblinkingly at the spot Gage had vacated as if she could still see him there.

That’s when she noticed the red splotches popping up all over Sadie’s throat. “Um, Sadie, are you okay?”

Sadie’s eyes widened as they flew to Grace’s. She seemed to try—and fail—to pull a deep breath into her lungs. Shaking her head furiously, Sadie’s hands flew to her throat, clawing at the lace there.

Grace and her mother and Ruthie must’ve looked like a Three Stooges sketch as they bumbled about the room, trying to help.

Ruthie stuck her head out the door and yelled for Gage, while Grace helped Sadie out of the restrictive dress’s bodice and Sarah fanned her face.

Gage stormed back in and shoved them all out of the way as he took charge. He stopped in front of Sadie and stooped down a bit so he could look her in the eye. “Close your mouth and take a breath through your nose,” he told her in his super-calm doctor voice.

She shook her head furiously, eyes locked on his, mouth opening and snapping shut like a landed trout.

“You can do it,” he urged, quietly. “Close your mouth.”

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