Page 46 of One Foggy Christmas
Annie laughs. “From what I can see, you and Nash are doing just fine on your own. He doesn’t need Dad’s money.”
“Well, there must be another reason he’s lying about being my husband. Maybe we should do some digging around.”
“You sound crazy.”
“I mean it.” I put my hand on her arm, pausing her brushes. “Has anyone investigated whether or not he’s telling the truth? Like that movie”—I snap my fingers, trying to recall the one I’m talking about—“you know, the one where she falls off the yacht and loses her memory, but he hates her, so he pretends like she’s his wife.”
“Overboard?”
“Yes! Maybe Nash isOverboard-ing me.”
“I hate to break it to you, but you are, in fact, married to Nash Carter. I’ve seen the wedding pictures.”
“Pictures?” The drop of my brows matches my frown. “Weren’t you at the wedding?”
She stops combing, sitting down on the edge of my bed. “No one was there. You eloped.”
What in the bizzaro world is happening? I would never elope.
For as long as I can remember—which I suppose doesn’t hold much weight at the moment—I’ve always wanted a big wedding. Everyone knows that.
“Why would I elope?”
“That’s what Mom, Dad, and everyone back in Skaneateles tried to figure out.”
“Didn’t I tell you my reason?”
“Not really. Everything happened so fast. One minute, you were engaged to Stetson, planning a wedding, and?—”
“Wait.” I sit up taller. “Stetson proposed?” The thought sends my heart into a frenzy. “We were engaged?”
“Easy.” Annie pats my shoulder, taming my excitement. “You were engaged for, like, a month before you called it off. Stetson and his family were devastated. We all were.”
Oh my gosh. I hadn’t even thought about Stetson’s family or his mom. Rebecca Roeshine probably hates me for what I did to her son.Ihate me.
And what’s worse, my mind and my heart still love Stetson. I want to ask where he’s at right now. Is he married? Single? Still pining for me? Am I a horrible person if I ask that? Want that?
I shake my head, refusing to believe this narrative I’m being told. “I wouldn’t just drop Stetson without a good reason. We’ve been together since third grade. Our families are best friends. We’ve spent every summer and Christmas holiday together since I was little.”
“But you did.” Annie shrugs. “You dropped all of us. We haven’t really seen you the last three years.”
My mom said something similar yesterday when I asked where Tate was. She got teary-eyed and said Tate couldn’t be here, but then she changed the subject by saying it had been a long time since I’d been home—another piece to the puzzle that didn’t fit. I love my family. I’d never goyearswithout visiting them.
“It’s like I’m a different person and lived a completely different life. Nothing turned out how I thought it would.” Moisture blurs my vision. “There has to be an explanation for it.”
Annie squeezes my fingers. “Maybe it’s time you start asking Nash these questions.”
My eyes flick to the door and the one man who holds the answers.
But he’s also the person I don’t want to talk to.
NASH
The keyto getting ready in your wife’s hospital bathroom without her knowing is shaving in the shower. My tiny hairs get washed down the drain like I was never here.
Technically, in Sadie’s mind, I neverwashere. I’m just some stranger.
My heart drops into my chest, but I decide not to dwell on the hurt.
