Page 25 of Rebel Bride
Addy
As far as I know, Summer’s already been in touch with Dash. It’s between them.
I didn’t know that. Of course, she had to talk to him at some point, but something in me balked at the idea. Would she go back to him? Would he try to fix things with her? After all, “Carter’s Cool Crew” implied the groom thought Summer’s sprint was merely a hitch.
While the Kershaw Kinder chat bubbled away without me, my phone buzzed with a call from Rosie. She’d already left a couple of messages, so I answered.
“Yep.”
“Don’t ‘yep’ me, Hatch Wayne Butler Kershaw. What the hell is going on?”
She couldn’t possibly know, unless Summer had said something.
“You’re going to have to be more specific, Ro.”
“You were in the wedding party, but you didn’t even stick around for the fireworks.”
“Carter and I aren’t buddies. You know his mom only wanted me in there because she thinks some of Dad’s glory will rub off on her.” Which made little sense when the Carters were billionaires with their own glory cloud. “He’s got people closer to him to help him through this.”
“Well, I’d love to know what’s going through their heads here. Dash told NoBo that Summer was okay. But she’s not answering my texts or calls, so I’m not sure I take her ex-fiancé’s word for it. What if he … did her in?”
My friend, the drama queen. “He did not do her in. At least not personally. He’d outsource it.”
“Not funny. I just wish she’d call.”
Guilt at being in the know and unable to put Rosie at ease pinged me. But it wasn’t my place. Neither did I want anyone to know I was involved.
Because that’s what I was: involved.
“How long are you staying in Saugatuck?”
“A week, maybe two. I said I’d come back to help with the Rebels Youth Hockey Camp when the U-14 session starts up. For now, I just plan to chill.”
“Any word on your dad’s plans for next year?”
“You mean, since you asked me yesterday?”
She clicked her tongue. “I think you should talk to him. Tell him you’re looking to play for another team.”
Rosie and Special Agent Lauren were the only people I’d confided in about my desire to move.
“He would be so disappointed, and I don’t want him to make a career decision based on whether I’m here or not. Me telling him I’m looking to leave would hurt him. And that’s the last thing I want to do.”
If my father knew about my special guest, he wouldn’t be too pleased either. I was the golden child, and I didn’t usually make mistakes.
Maybe Summer wasn’t the only one who had gone a little mad back at that church.
Chapter Nine
Summer
* * *
The house was dark, so I switched on lights as I headed downstairs and wandered around. No sign of Hatch.
A chill coursed through me. I’d wanted to be alone, but I had hoped he wouldn’t abandon me on my first night in a strange house. I stood in the kitchen, looking out into the backyard. I couldn’t see a pool, so not sure what that was about. But there were tiki torch lights and the silhouette of someone in a chair.
I considered leaving him alone, but I craved human contact, even if it was sub-standard. Feeling a touch chilly, I picked up Hatch’s tuxedo jacket from where he’d draped it over a chair and shrugged it on.
