Page 103 of Love Me Reckless

The word is going to get out soon that Kirilee St. Claire ran from the altar.

A giddy little chirp escapes my lips, but the elation that comes with it dies quickly.

Though I stand by my actions, this is far from over. Now comes the hard part—defending myself.

After a deep breath for courage, I dial my dad’s cell number.

“Hello?”

His voice is tense and harsh. “It’s me, Dad.”

“Kirilee, what have you done?”

I wince. “I… just wanted you to know that I’m okay.”

“Where are you?”

“Let me talk to Mom,” I say to cut him off.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” he says. “She’s in the bridal suite with the paramedics.”

Panic spikes under my skin. “What? What happened?”

“She collapsed, Kirilee, thanks to you.”

I hug my middle with my free hand while his hurtful words echo through my mind. “She needs help, Dad.”

“No, she needs her daughter to stop causing her so much stress.”

An awful sense of shame is creeping into my mind, but I shake my head like I can force it back. “That’s not fair.”

“You cannot just walk away from your responsibilities like this!” he barks.

Heat flares in my belly. “I’m not marrying Birch.”

“You know what’s at stake, Kirilee. This isn’t just about you.”

I swallow hard. “Indeed.”

“Come back and finish this.” His voice has softened some, no doubt because he’s misinterpreted my reply. He’s right—but that’s been the problem all along.

“I’m sorry I’ve let you and Mom down,” I say.

“Kirilee—”

I hang up before he can finish.

After several cooling breaths, I dial Grayson’s number and fiddle with the layer of taffeta on my dress while I wait for him to answer. He’s probably with Mom. A pang of guilt rocks through me. I hate that my actions could cause her so much suffering, but is there a limit to how much of myself I have to sacrifice to make her well?

“Kirilee, is that you?” Grayson whispers. I hear the swish of fabric and the soft click of a door.

“I’m sorry, Gray.” Emotions rise up inside me like a swarm of bees. “I know I’ve made a giant mess for you.”

“You’re okay?” He sounds calm. I release a sigh of relief. If Grayson isn’t upset with me, maybe there’s a ray of hope.

“Yeah. How’s Mom?”

“They’re going to transport her. I thought she was just… overwhelmed. But it’s more than that. Her blood pressure was extremely high, and they couldn’t find a vein for an IV to give her fluids. I overheard one of the medics discussing something about an irregular heartbeat.”

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