Page 62 of Something Borrowed

This wouldn’t be awkward at all. But she needed the ride, and the woman offered. Brigid swung her bag in the back of the truck and hopped into the cab. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

Janine pulled away and navigated down the road. “I wouldn’t think you would leave so close to the wedding.”

The comment was said casually, but Brigid heard the censure in the tone. “Well, sometimes we can’t choose what we have to do. We don’t all have the luxury of making our own schedules and choices in life.”

Janine laughed. “You think anyone makes their own choices? We all answer to someone. The choice is how we handle that and where we draw the line.”

Brigid sucked in a breath, stung at the words, then let it out in a heavy sigh. “Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

Janine cast her a sideways glance. “So, what happened between you and Grady? He’s got his tail all twisted up the last day or so, and I can’t help but wonder why when he’d been so happy.”

Brigid looked out the window at the marshland. “I don’t think I want to talk about this with you.”

“Because I’m attracted to him?” Brigid’s head swiveled to her. Janine laughed. “He never took me up on my offers, no matter how obvious they were. He’d been out here for months, on and off, and not once did he ever consider anything with me or anyone else, not even dinner. And trust me, I’m not the only one who offered.”

Heat blossomed in Brigid’s face, and she narrowed her eyes. “Oh really? And why would you tell me this now?”

“I think you need to know he never took anyone up on anything. In fact, there was a rumor that he might even be gay or married.”

“Definitely not gay,” Brigid muttered.

“I figured. But the point is, he only had one person on his mind, no matter what you thought.” She turned into the gated community. “He spoke of you, you know. He talked about your career, your dedication, and how good you were at your job. I gather you helped a friend of his out of some trouble with a legal situation or something?”

Brigid had to think for a minute. “Yes, a woman he knew had some trouble with her building, and I helped get the owner to fix the problems. It was no big deal.”

“Maybe not to you, but it meant the world to a woman about to be evicted and to her kids who were living in an unsafe environment,” Janine responded quietly.

“I guess.” Brigid looked out the window. “I liked that case. I felt like I did something for once, something good.”

“Grady couldn’t stop talking about it. He said you were like a mama grizzly attacking that man.” Janine laughed at the memory. “I knew then that he loved you, no matter what the status of your relationship was.”

Brigid looked over at her, a question in her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“When you work on a cottage as long as we had to, and that place needed a ton of work, you talk about many things. I know you two never really dated in the traditional sense. But he’s totally gone over you, has been forever. When I first met you, I couldn’t see it. I couldn’t reconcile the woman I met on Monday with the woman he described. So, who are you really, Brigid?”

Brigid gave a rough sound of a laugh. “I think I’m just figuring it out.”

Janine pulled up to the Masters’ house and parked the truck behind a row of cars. She turned in the seat and stared at Brigid. “Grady is a good guy. But you already know that. I don’t know what you did to fuck it up, but I’m glad you’re back. He deserves happiness and, for some reason, he thinks you’ll bring it.”

“Why do you care? If I walk away, you might have a chance with him.”

Janine gave a rueful smile. “I have no chance with him. He sees no one but you. Even if you walk away, he’s a one-woman man. You’ll always own his heart. Don’t break it, Brigid.”

“I already have,” she mumbled.

Janine nodded. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

“Piece it back together the best I can.”

* * *

Brigid opened the front door to complete chaos. People scurried around the house, calling orders back and forth about flowers, dresses, pictures, makeup, and hair. Clearly, she had walked into the middle of the preparation. Here she thought she had come early enough to get here before anything had started, able to give her an apology in privacy but that wouldn’t happen, if Caroline would even speak to her.

“About time you showed up.” Anna demanded from the top of stairs. The other woman walked down the stairs, dark eyes flashing in anger. “I didn’t really expect you to come back. Thought you were too busy at work.”

“I quit.”

“So, you’re back.” A voice at the top of the stairs made her look up. Caroline stood with Delaney. The people swirled around them, calling questions, and Caroline raised her hand. “Everyone, out. Now. Except the bridesmaids.”

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