Page 76 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
“I wanted it to be a surprise!”
“How is a sheet a surprise?” Molly asks.
Yeah, Molly. I’m kind of wondering that too.
“I was going to cut it into strips, and ask the bridesmaids to take turns making a wedding dress out of the parts. Then afterward, everyone can vote on whose was the best.”
“Oh!” Kasey crows. “Like the toilet paper competition.”
Beau squawks. “Toilet paper?”
“People do this kind of thing at wedding showers,” Kasey explains. “But a sheet’s even better. It’s way sturdier.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Nat says. “Molly. You should play with us too.”
“She should,” Kasey says. “But first, have you seen Brady?”
“I think he had to take a call from Dr. Swanson,” Nat says. “So he probably went somewhere quiet. I’m sure he’ll be back soon. Come on. Let’s go find Olivia. She’s going to love this the most!”
As the four of them walk away down the hall, I’m left on the opposite side of the wall, standing in the dark. Alone. Stunned by Natalie’s performance.
What a study in contrasts. Here’s a woman who’s afraid to fly, but willing to move thousands of miles away to make a dream come true. She was scared to be caught kissing me, but brave enough to come up with a plan for escape. I could take a lesson from someone like Natalie, who’s honest about her fears then pushes through them anyway.
What if you told everyone the truth about what you really want out of life?
I consider this for a moment, emotions shuddering in my chest. I’d love nothing more than to admit I don’t want to go to vet school. And that it’s not about the enormous amount of time and money I’d save. It’s about wanting to be a writer. Not at night after work or on breaks. I want to make a real go of it. As crazy as it sounds. As unrealistic. Impractical. Impossible. But actually telling my family and friends and asking for their support would be a big leap. Like Natalie moving to California.
But what Natalie wants doesn’t hurt anybody else.
My gut twists, predicting the consequences.
Forget my family not understanding. I can handle their disappointment. But I can’t hurt Dr. Swanson. He’s counting on me to take over when he retires. There’s the deal-breaking difference. I won’t let someone down who took a chance on me. It’s one thing to take a leap of faith and make a big change in your life. It’s another to break a commitment. With a heavy heart, and an ache behind my ribs, I wait another full minute, then slip out the door.
Once I’m back in the pub, Mac’s the first one to spot me. “Brady!” He strides across the room to grip my hand. “Great to see you!” His broad grin snaps me out of my funk. “Ford was just telling me about what happened at the clinic. How you had to stay there overnight. Man. That’s a lot. You must be exhausted.”
“Yeah.” I nod. If he only knew. “I’m just doing my best to hold down the fort. But Natalie helped out so…” My voice trails off.
“Uh-huh.” Mac cocks his head. “I heard about that part too.”
Why did I say anything about Natalie? Just her name in my mouth gets my pulse skipping. It’s probably written all over my face now.
Mac shifts his weight, ducking his head. “I sure hope Mrs. Swanson’s going to be okay. She’s the best.”
“She is.” Both the Swansons are. “I need to check in with Doc Swanson again later, but he sounded hopeful. We’ve got a couple of pets staying at the clinic.”
“Big responsibility,” Mac says.
“Yeah.” My jaw shifts, and I can’t help feeling like Mac’s studying my face a little too closely. The guy’s always been smart and wise beyond his years. He’s had a lot on his plate recently. Not just raising Daisy after his ex-wife left them, but supporting Tess, Olivia, and Darby. And I don’t mean financially. Thanks to their massively successful construction company, the McCoys are all set for life. No, I’m talking about emotional support. Since their dad died and their mom—my Aunt Remy—moved back here, Mac’s been holding down a big fort of his own. At least he’s got Brooke now. And Daisy.
Family is everything.
“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Mac says. “And maybe now’s not the best time, but it’s not like I get a lot of chances to see you, living on the West Coast.”
“True.” I frown.Please. Don’t remind me how far the other coast is.
“But I’ve been thinking about you going to vet school,” Mac says. “And how expensive that’s going to be.”
Especially since I don’t even want to be a vet.“Yeah.” The cords along my neck tighten. “Very expensive. What I’ve saved so far will only make a dent. I’ll still have to take out some pretty big loans to make it happen.”
