Page 116 of Break My Heart
I laugh. ‘Sounds like Sawyer and me when we’re competing against each other.’
Everyone looks at me.
‘You guys are back together?’ Lyndsay asks.
‘Oh, um, no. I meant when we were dating.’
‘Do you think you guys will get back together?’ Ivy asks.
‘Maybe,’ I mutter.
‘Wait.’ Lyndsay races up to me. ‘Did you say maybe?’
‘I’m thinking about it.’
‘What’s there to think about? You guys are perfect for each other and Sawyer loves you. We all do.’
‘Sawyer doesn’t love me.’
All the girls roll their eyes.
‘What? What’s that for?’
‘For you not admitting he loves you,’ Callie says. ‘It’s so obvious. We can all see it, and we know you love him too. So stop waiting and just get back together with him.’
‘I want to, but I still don’t know if I’m staying here. I don’t know if opening G’s again is a good idea. What if it’s like last time and nobody goes there?’
‘What would your grandfather tell you to do?’ Jen asks.
I smile as I picture him sitting in his brown plaid recliner. ‘He’d say he didn’t work all those years to save all that money just to have it be for nothing. He’d tell me to try again.’
‘So that’s your answer,’ Ivy says.
‘We need to stop talking about me. This is Callie’s day.’
Trina, Callie’s best friend, comes into the barn with Martha right behind her.
‘I found it,’ Trina says, handing Callie the photo. It’s a photo of Callie’s mom and stepdad and little brother, Ben. They died in a car crash a few years ago, leaving her with no family. She’s kind of like me that way. I have my dad, but he’s never been around.
Callie holds the photo in front of her, her lip quivering, her eyes tearing up. ‘I wish they were here.’
Martha puts her arm around Callie. ‘They are. We just can’t see them.’
Callie nods as Kira hands her a tissue.
Lou comes in. He helped Callie out after her family died and has been like a father to her. He’ll be walking her down the aisle today.
‘How’s my girl?’ he asks, going up to her.
Callie doesn’t answer, still gazing at the photo.
‘Hey.’ He wipes a tear from her cheek. ‘We said no crying today. Your mom wouldn’t have wanted that.’
‘I know,’ Callie whispers.
Lou leans down to her. ‘Your mom’s smiling down on you right now, alongside Nash’s mom, your dad, Ben. They’re all waiting for this wedding to start.’
Callie slips the photo into the top of her dress, just over her heart, then smiles at Lou. ‘I’m ready.’
