Page 16 of The Runaway Bride of Blitzen Bay (Blitzen Bay)

“Yeah, Elle. Just—”

“I know. I know. I’m focused on my gut now. I’m starting to think straight again. Just go get him, okay?”

She nods and disappears. A few minutes later, Steve charges through the door.

“Having Kit bring me to you. That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think?”

“Oh, you’re about to see dramatic. Explain. Now!”

He rolls his eyes. “Dad needs help with the oil business, now that he’s splitting his time between L.A. and Dallas. He asked if I’d start with the company after graduation.”

“You’re getting your MBA after graduation. And I’m going to law school. Or did you forget that?”

“I decided I didn’t want to keep going to school. And you can go to law school in Dallas.”

“I’m going to law school at Pepperdine, where I’m enrolled to start in January.”

“Noelle, I think it’s time for us to move on from California and be around family again.”

“What are you even talking about right now? You’ve never said anything like this to me. And now you’re springing it on me the night before our wedding?”

He puts his hand on my cheek. “As long as we’re together, it shouldn’t matter where we live.”

I’m trying to think of how to reply to that when Trip walks in. He looks directly at me.

“Noelle, Steve just told me he hadn’t talked to you about the move yet. That was a mistake. I’m sure you’re just reacting to the quick change in plans, but Steve and I have been discussing this for months. I’ve already talked to the dean at the SMU law school. You can start there whenever you like, and we put an offer in for a house in University Park. You’ll love it there. It’s a little bohemian—like L.A. without the smog.”

I’m too much in shock to say anything.

Trip continues. “Look, I know you love it out here where it’s wild and free, but that was college. It’s over now. It’s time for both of you to grow up. You’ve had your playtime. Take a few more minutes, but then you need to come outside to thank our guests before they head out.”

As he leaves, I look up at Steve. His eyes look tired. I swear he’s aged five years in the last ten minutes. “Steve?”

“I made a mistake, okay? I should have talked to you about it. God, he has a way of hypnotizing me. We don’t have to move if you don’t want to.”

“You made an offer on a house in Dallas.”

“We can unmake it. It’s fine. We’ll stay here until you finish law school and then talk about it some more. Maybe I can work at his production company out here.”

He looks down at me. His lip’s trembling. The only other time it’s done that is when he was lying to me about making out with one of my sorority sisters.

“Let’s go out and say goodbye to our guests,” I say, starting toward the door. “And then I want to go to my room. I need some alone time.”

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