Page 171 of Marry Me, Maybe?
The sheets smelled faintly of lavender, the kind of scent meant to calm a person, but my body refused to settle. I closed my eyes and tried anyway, but my thoughts wandered toward Ivy.
I’d spoken to her earlier, and her voice had been bright, practically bubbling through the phone as she gushed about her dress. She couldn’t wait to wear it tomorrow and “Nana” would braid her hair. She’d been on cloud nine, so proud, so certain she’d be the star of tomorrow.
Who would’ve thought? The same woman who once tore Matty and me apart was now helping stitch us back together. Emma had surprised me more than I cared to admit. I’d braced myself for sharp edges, for tension when she was around Gray and Ozzie, given she was still technically married to him, but Ozzie had handled it with his usual grace. Forgiving. Sweet. Always putting others at ease.Our pre-wedding dinner had gone smoother than I ever expected.
Except for one blip. Carter’s empty chair. No one said a word about it, but his absence pressed like a bruise under the surface.
And then, of course, there were my parents. They wouldn’t be there either. That thought pinched harder than I liked acknowledging. Turned out, I wasn’t ready to let go of that grudge yet. But was this the way I wanted to begin my new life?
I rolled onto my back, staring at the dark ceiling. It was too late to call them. And even if it wasn’t, did I really want the rough conversation that would surely follow hanging over tomorrow? No. I couldn’t let it taint the wedding. That was supposed to be about Matty, me, and our new start. The past could wait. I’d call them after the honeymoon. Face whatever came then.
The thought eased something inside me, a weight loosening from my chest. I breathed deeper, finally more settled, when my phone buzzed again on the nightstand. I knew better than to look, but I did anyway.
Matty:You awake?
I grinned, thumbing back.
Hudson:Yeah, couldn’t sleep. Lots on my mind.
Matty:Like what? Not running away, I hope.
Hudson:Don’t be silly. I’m going to do it.
Hudson:Let go of the past with my parents. Doesn’t mean I want them back in my life, but I don’t think I’ll have 100% peace of mind unless I let it go. I don’t want resentment to develop and ruin what we have. I want to give you the best of me.
Matty:Damn. Ur vows are going to make mine sound like a nursery rhyme.
Hudson:Lol. To be fair, I didn’t spend a lot of time on it. It’s easy to talk about how much you mean to me, Matty Magnuson.
Matty::) Can’t wait to see you walk down the aisle.
Hudson:U gonna cry?
Matty:Probably.
Matty:Definitely.
Hudson:If Rowan knew we were texting instead of sleeping, he’d kill us.
Matty:What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Wish I was in your bed right now.
My stomach tightened.
Hudson:What would you do to me?
Matty:Come outside. Let me show you.
I froze, then laughed under my breath. He couldn’t be serious.
I got out of bed, shoved my phone into my pocket, and padded barefoot across the floor. The house was quiet except for Rowan’s faint snoring down the hall, and I held my breath as though he might hear me thinking about breaking his rules.
I nudged the curtain aside and cracked the window open. Cool night air brushed my face. Matty’s truck idled at the curb, headlights dimmed, his silhouette slouched in the driver’s seat like he’d been there a while. My heart did a full somersault.
I thumbed out a text.
Hudson:How long have you been out there?
Matty:Half an hour. Debating whether I should climb through the window.
