Page 33 of The Bride's Secret

“Oh honey, now.” The woman moved across the aisle to sit by Carisa and held her close. She smelled like baby powder and Chanel number five. “Whatever it is, you can conquer this.”

Carisa nodded. “I don’t know.”

“You can, honey. I just know it. Tell me all about it.”

Carisa hiccupped. And then she told her story, all of it. She talked and talked. The story poured out of her in a lava flow of hot, bubbly explosions. People on her bus moved closer, everyone leaned in. Some came to stand nearby so they could hear better. And when she was finished, they cheered.

“That’s the best story I’ve ever heard. You gonna write a romance novel?” The lovely woman from across the aisle wiped her eyes.

“I could never do that. What I really want. Is to make things right with Wyatt.”

“Is he the hot tall one?” A woman a couple rows back called forward.

“Yes, keep up.” Her new friend waved a hand towards the back.

Carisa wiped her eyes. “Thanks for listening. I do feel much better now that I’ve shared all that.” She turned to face the woman and spoke to all the people listening. “You don’t think I’m crazy do you? Emotionally unstable?”

“No.” Many people piped up in the negative and she felt a little comforted. Then an old man laughed and shouted. “No more than the rest of us.”

Her soft hand patted Carisa’s shoulder. “You gotta get out of here, honey. When we stop, grab an Uber or something and get yourself back to the hotel. Wyatt’s waiting for you.”

“Oh, I hope so.” He’d gone to talk to Miss Spagnoli today. Who knows what kind of conversation they’d had about her, and then Wyatt might easily have seen that he didn’t have time or use for someone so pathetic in his life.

The bus at last pulled into a marina. They were to board the Flying Dolphin and head out for their sunset sail. But Carisa took the passengers’ advice and searched for Uber cars nearby. There were many to choose from so she set it up. The fare would be huge, but it was worth it to her to get back to Wyatt.

Many of the passengers hugged her farewell. The women kissed her cheeks. She was crying all over again in gratitude and appreciation. What a wreck. Wyatt would be crazy to want to be with someone like her.

On the Uber drive back, she chided herself a little bit for her weakness. Sure she had run from her wedding. But she was a successful person. Had a fantastic job, was well liked by everyone who knew her. So what if she didn’t have the money to live like Wyatt did. She was still doing well for herself. Even if she needed a few months to feel emotionally normal again, she was still a decent catch even for someone like Wyatt.

With those thoughts, as she pulled into the hotel front drive, she paid the driver and hopped out, full of energy, to find Wyatt.

The elevator wouldn’t come fast enough. When at last it dinged open, she rushed in and used her card to push the top floor. But it wouldn’t’ work. Frustrated, she waved it in front of the round black sensor. Nothing. The top floor wouldn’t light so she could push it. Others entered with her and she felt foolish so she stepped out and went to talk to the front desk. “My key cared isn’t working anymore.” Her fingers tapped. She shuffled her feet from side to side.

“Wyatt Jackson?”

“Well, yes, it’s his room. I’ve been sharing it.”

The skepticism in the woman’s face did nothing to boost Carisa’s confidence.

“He might have checked out. I cannot tell you why his key is not working.”

“What? That’s not possible. He would have told me. What time?”

“I’m not at liberty to give you details. For security purposes that’s all I can tell you.”

“But you’re saying he checked out?”

“I’m not at liberty to give you those details.”

Carisa pocketed the key. Keepsake. She let her feet take her wherever they would. He left? Just like that? She didn’t think she could function normally in public so she headed back to her own hotel room.

The elevator dinged again, this time on the fourth floor and she walked to her room door. She reached for her key and it worked. But when she stepped into the room, another key sat on the table. “What?”

She fingered it and then reached in her pocket. No other key. So she’d tried the wrong one on the elevator? Maybe? Energy coursed through her. She ran out of her room, down the hall and back to that dreaded elevator.

The button stayed lit this time and made no change even though she pressed it close to twenty times while she waited.

“It won’t make things move any faster.” A kid’s voice matter of factly pronounced.

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