Page 39 of Can't Get Over You
“Willa?” Finlay called.
Air whooshed, and then her friend’s voice was right in her ear. “Are you okay? Where’d you go?”
“I’m fine. I promise.”
“Well, thank God for that. Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
“No. I’m fine right where I am. I just wanted to check in, let you know I’m okay. What’s going on over there?”
“Your ex—and I sincerelyhopehe’s your ex—took off with his mommy. The coward got his feelings hurt when your dad and I ripped him a new asshole while his ex kept trying to claim her moral high ground?—”
“Excuse me? That little girl has to be four years old. Why did she only tell Matt about her three months ago?”
“Oh, you left before that one, huh? She said she didn’t tell him because she wanted to live in North Carolina. She wanted the help of her family, and she knew Matt would never leave Calamity. Can you believe it? Exactly what moral high ground are we talking about?”
“I can’t even imagine what this has been like for him.”
“Wait a minute. Fee, are you still going to marry him after all this?”
“No, I can’t. If he can keep a secret that big, then I’ll never trust him again.” She could never look into his eyes and see anything but shadows.
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. I know this sucks, but we’re going to turn this whole situation around.”
Her friend had no idea what hearingwemeant to her. “I’d love to hear how because, right now, my brain is closed for business.”
“Don’t worry about a thing. I’m going to borrow my dad’s car and come get you. We’ll go on the honeymoon together. I only packed for winter in Calamity, but I can buy everything I need on the island.”
For the first time that day—or really, who knew how long?— tears brimmed, and she blinked them away. “You’re the best friend in the world.”
“Yeah, yeah. You can tell me all about it while we’re sipping pretty cocktails by the ocean. For now, send me your flight details, and I’ll try to get on the same one.”
“No.” As tempting as it sounded to spend a week with her best friend, she couldn’t do it.
“What do you mean, ‘no?’ You can’t stay here. You just ran away from the town’s golden boy. It’s all everyone’s going to talk about. Come on. We’ll get out of here, let the scandal die down, and give you some time to figure things out.”
“I love you, Willa. In every way other than DNA, you’re my sister. And because of that, I’m not letting you take more time off work. If you bail on this case, you’ll lose your shot at making partner. You’ve worked too hard for it.”
There was a tiny pause. “I don’t give a damn about that right now.”
But it was enough to confirm what Finlay already knew. “You know what? I believe you. I believe you’d blow up your career for me, but I’m not going to let you do that. I promise, I’m going to be just fine.”
“I don’t know how. You were one minute away from marrying the love of your life.”
She shot to her feet as if a spark hit her back.
Those four words rang through her.Love of your life.
Boy, oh, boy, oh, boy.
There was so much tied into marrying Matt. They shared the same vision of a house on Bloom Lane, a bunch of kids, a dog.
The annual traditions of pumpkin patches and chopping down Christmas trees.
Waiting for the bus every morning, along with all the other families on the block.
Matt was her partner in making her dreams come true. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this.” Tears came back in a rush, and she got all hot and sweaty. “But he’s not.”
“You’re killing me here,” Willa whispered. “Not what, sweetie?”
