That was all Wyatt could do. He stayed awake for some time, hoping his phone would ring or that he’d get a text. It was after two in the morning before Wyatt finally fell into a fitful sleep.
Chapter Sixteen
Chrissy’s eyes ached when she woke up the next morning after crying her heart out the night before. Now she had a three-hour car ride with Wyatt to look forward to. At least she’d have Bonnie and little Gunner there as a buffer. If she and Wyatt could avoid any serious conversations for the duration of their trip home, that would be best. Chrissy couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t start crying again, and that was the last thing she needed to do in front of him.
She was supposed to pretend to be his girlfriend. Crying over the guy was not only ridiculous, but he’d probably think she was being overly emotional and clingy.
Chrissy sighed. It’d taken about everything she had to ignore his knock on the door last night and the texts he’d sent. She would’ve turned her phone off completely except she needed to keep it on in case Mom or Emma needed her.
As much as she might like to, she couldn’t put the day off any longer. Chrissy dragged herself out of bed, took a shower, and repacked her things. She and Wyatt had agreed to head back at nine, and she managed to make it downstairs with only ten minutes to spare. She handed her luggage over to one of the employees who promised it would be loaded into Wyatt’s car when they brought it around.
There was no sign of Wyatt. She wandered to the patio door and stepped out on the deck. The numerous topiaries made it a little difficult to scan the deck effectively. She was just about to head in again when hearing someone mention her name made her stop.
The voices were coming from the other side of one of the topiaries. She remembered from yesterday that there was a wooden bench nestled there against the railing. Chrissy held her breath and tried to figure out who was talking.
“I don’t know what came over Wyatt inviting that gal like he did. She had no place here.”
Chrissy was almost sure that was Mrs. Tabor.
“She most certainly did not.”
As soon as she heard the man’s voice, she knew it was Wyatt’s father. She shouldn’t listen in on his parents’ conversation, but knowing they were talking about her meant she couldn’t quite walk away. No one else was close by since most people were either eating breakfast inside or getting ready to leave.
Mrs. Tabor clicked her tongue. “You’d think he would’ve learned his lesson before. He should’ve married Ashley. She certainly would’ve put a stop to this ridiculous charity he’s so obsessed with.”
“One thing is for certain.” There was some shuffling. “If Wyatt doesn’t come to his senses soon, he’ll see none of that money. I expect him to commit to the family business, and I expect him to marry someone who isn’t looking for a handout.”
His words drove a stake straight into Chrissy’s heart. She bit her bottom lip to keep quiet. More shuffling told her they were leaving the bench. Her throat tightened as she pushed on the door and went back into the resort. She needed to get as far away from this place—and these people—as she could.
Just when she was starting to feel like the walls were closing in on her, she noticed Wyatt visiting with some people. He quickly excused himself and strode in her direction.
“Hey. I was getting worried about you.” He cupped her elbow with one hand. “I didn’t invite Ashley—”
“Let me guess: Your parents did.”
“Actually, it was Violet. She—"
“Oh, good! I didn’t miss you guys.” Bonnie approached with Gunner on her hip. “Teething makes it rough on sleep. I sure hope we didn’t keep our neighbors awake.” She stifled a yawn. “Thanks for letting me go back with you. Gunner’s dad is supposed to be home right after lunch, and I could use the afternoon to chill before going back to caring for this little guy again tomorrow morning.”
Chrissy tried to ignore the feel of his hand on her elbow. It dropped away moments later when he offered to take Bonnie’s diaper bag. He turned to take Chrissy’s small handbag as well, but she shook her head. “I appreciate it, but you’ve already got your hands full.”
Grudgingly, he led the way toward the front of the lobby. Moments later, one of the doormen had his car brought around and all of their luggage loaded in the trunk. Someone else got the baby’s car seat strapped into the back where Bonnie secured Gunner and then sat beside him. That left Chrissy with the passenger side in the front. Wyatt waited for her to get in before closing the door behind her.
The drive home was weird and awkward. Bonnie carried on the conversation about family members who looked different from last year, who didn’t come, and all the news she’d heard. Wyatt chimed in, although he kept casting concerned glances Chrissy’s way.
Chrissy knew not talking at all would be worse, so she asked for clarification about who different people were and commented when she could. For the most part, she rode in silence and listened to the siblings chat.
At one point, Gunner fell asleep. Not surprisingly, Bonnie joined him shortly afterward with her head leaning against the window.
Wyatt reached over and placed a hand over hers. “We need to talk.”
“Not now.” Chrissy removed her hand under the guise of having to fix the strap of her seatbelt and then straighten her hair. The last thing they needed was for Bonnie to hear any conversation they had. Besides, she didn’t even know where to begin. It was bad enough that he might have been engaged before and didn’t tell her. But if he really was trying to marry someone to get access to the money his parents had promised him…
There was part of her that wondered if Violet hadn’t just made up the whole story. Chrissy certainly wouldn’t have put it past her, and if she hadn’t heard something similar from Mr. and Mrs. Tabor, she might have been inclined to think that.
As far as Chrissy was concerned, the best-case scenario was that Violet had been lying, and any relationship Wyatt might have with Chrissy would result in his parents refusing to give him the money he needed to start Joyful Hope. That would make it even easier to cut ties. His dream was worth fighting for, and she wasn’t about to jeopardize his chances at succeeding.
No, it didn’t matter what he told her or what the truth might be. She had to walk away, and it was as much for Wyatt as it was for herself. They weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend. It ought to be as simple as a handshake and a thank you. The weekend had been wonderful up until last night, but now it was time to face the fact that real life was calling her back.
Chrissy’s stomach ached and her heart hurt. She just wanted to be home again.
~*~
Wyatt was losing her, he could feel it. It was as though everything they had together had been left on that beach, and the further they drove, the smaller any chance he had with her became. He wanted to talk to Chrissy and find out what Violet said, although he could certainly imagine. He knew he should’ve told her about Ashley before any of this happened. He resisted the temptation to pound the steering wheel with the palm of his hand.
He may have ruined everything with Chrissy before they’d even had a chance. He just had to get her to talk to him and let him explain.
Wyatt wished he could drop Bonnie and Gunner off first, but it made no sense. He’d have to go all the way across Clearwater, past Chrissy’s home, back again, and then back a third time to where he lived. It’d be obvious what he was doing, and he seriously doubted Chrissy would agree with his plans.
Gunner woke up not long after and fussed for the rest of the drive, effectively ending any chance at conversation. By the time they got to Chrissy’s home, Wyatt’s ears were ringing, and he knew poor Bonnie was beside herself trying to calm the baby down.
He pulled up in front of her house, put the vehicle in park, and went to the trunk to retrieve Chrissy’s things. They walked side by side to the front door. Before she had a chance to reach for the doorknob, Wyatt turned to her.
“We really do need to talk. Let me e
xplain. Give me a chance to set right whatever it was that Violet told you.”
She shook her head, her chin down and her eyelashes lowered. “We’re too different, Wyatt.”
He used his hand to gently lift her chin until her pretty eyes were on him. “Different isn’t bad.” They could hear Gunner crying from the car, and Wyatt was well aware of the fact that her mom and sister were probably watching through the window. “We’ve got something here, Chrissy. I don’t want to let it slip away.”
Moisture gathered in her eyes. She drew her bottom lip in between her teeth and shook her head again. “I can’t. I’m sorry, Wyatt.” She took a step away from him, her back pressed against the door. With one last, sorrowful look, she turned and made her escape.
His heart aching, Wyatt returned to his vehicle and glanced at Bonnie’s face in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth opened for a moment like she was going to say something before closing again.
To his relief, she went back to trying to calm Gunner, not that it seemed to make much of a difference.
“We’ll be back to his house in ten minutes,” Wyatt assured her. He did everything he could to focus on driving and try not to think about Chrissy. Not that it worked.
A moment later, he felt Bonnie’s hand on his shoulder. She gave it a squeeze. “I’m sorry, Wyatt. What happened?”
He shrugged. “What didn’t? Violet. Mom and Dad. Life.” He sighed. “She won’t even hear me out. I’m not sure what Violet told her, so I can’t even explain or defend myself.”
“You should go back after you drop us off.”
“I don’t think so. She needs space, and maybe I do too.”
“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” It was clear from the tone of her voice how she felt about it. “Come on, Wyatt. You were happier this weekend than I’ve seen you in a long time. I may not know Chrissy all that well, but she wasn’t exactly hating it either.”
“Maybe. But she’s made it clear how she feels now.” He wasn’t even sure how he felt right now. He certainly should’ve known better than to open himself up to this. His family didn’t want him alone, but they only had one type of woman in mind for him. Bringing Chrissy to the reunion had opened them both up to hurt, and her to ridicule.
Bonnie squeezed his shoulder again and let her hand drop. Once at her employer’s home, Bonnie unstrapped Gunner and lifted him into her arms. Apparently that’s all the baby needed because, after an hour of crying, he quieted quickly. Wyatt helped her get the car seat and luggage into the house. He would’ve offered to give her a ride to her house since her car was at the shop, but she only lived a block away, and he knew she preferred to walk.
He gave his sister a hug at the doorway. “Be careful walking home, and have a good rest of your Sunday, okay?”
“You, too. And Wyatt?” She gave him a sad smile. “Don’t give up on this, okay?”
“I’ll see you later, Bon.”
With a wave, he got back into his Jeep, thankful for the blessed silence that filled the cab. He decided to go home, take a shower, and then lie down for a nap. The plan might have worked, too, if his dreams weren’t filled with the sound of Chrissy’s laughter or the memory of their kisses.
Chapter Seventeen
Chrissy had no intention of going to work on Monday morning. She’d called the coffee shop the afternoon before and told them she was taking a sick day. After turning her alarm off, she’d climbed into bed early Sunday night. She would’ve been just fine sleeping the day away until Emma woke her up by sitting on the edge of the bed.
A glance at the clock told Chrissy it was much earlier than she would’ve liked. “What’s up, Emma?”
“Mom and I didn’t want to leave before one of us checked on you. Are you going to be okay?”
“Oh, sure.” Her voice was thick with sleep and laced with sarcasm. She sat up partway in bed. “Are you headed to the country club?” She tried to sound as normal as she could. Emma needed the job, and Chrissy wasn’t about to discourage it. The thought of Wyatt being there, though, made her chest hurt.
Emma frowned. “I think it’d be too weird. I have another lead or two, and I thought I would check on those first today.” The sisters leaned against the wall together. “I’m worried about you.”
The irony wasn’t lost on Chrissy. How many hours, days, and nights had she spent worrying about Emma and her health? How many times had she wished she could take away even a fraction of the pain her little sister felt? Now Emma was sitting silently, trying to offer what reassurance she could, when Chrissy wasn’t sure anything was going to help.
She took a shaky breath. “I just needed some time before I have to go back to work and wonder whether he’s going to walk into the coffee shop.”
“I wish you’d tell us what happened.”
Chrissy gave her a sad smile as a tear slipped down her cheek. “My carriage turned back into a pumpkin.”
Emma leaned her head against Chrissy’s with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Chris.”
“Yeah, me too.”
They sat in silence until Emma finally gave her another hug and crept out of the room. A moment later, before leaving for work, Mom came in long enough to give her a hug and tell her that there were donuts on the kitchen counter.
Chrissy tried to go back to sleep and finally gave up. She dragged herself out of bed, took a shower, and changed into a fresh pair of pajamas. She’d just thrown her dirty clothes in the hamper when her gaze caught on the bag of seashells Wyatt had helped her gather. She’d tossed the bag on top of her dresser last night. What was she going to do with them? She swept the bag into the top drawer and closed it before heading for the kitchen.
She’d brought her cell phone but hadn’t yet turned it on. Now that Mom and Emma were out of the house, though, she didn’t feel comfortable with not having a way for them to contact her.
Chrissy turned her phone back on before chucking it onto the couch. She got herself two chocolate donuts and a glass of milk, set them on the coffee table, then glared at her phone. Which would be worse: Reading or ignoring text messages Wyatt might have sent? Or to find out that he hadn’t tried to contact her at all?
They never had donuts in the house. Obviously Mom had picked them up specifically to try and cheer Chrissy up. She wasn’t sure it was working yet, but boy, they tasted good. She managed to ignore her phone until she’d consumed one of them. That’s when she finally decided that she may as well rip off the bandage already.
There was one text. Chrissy squinted at the screen as though that would lessen the hit of seeing who it was from. Wyatt’s name caused her heart to constrict.
“I’m sorry I dragged you into this mess, Chrissy. I hope you can forgive me one day.”
What did he mean by that? Sorry that she was upset? Sorry that Ashley showed up and Violet spilled the beans about his previous engagement? Or sorry that he’d asked her to go as his pretend girlfriend in the first place? Tears once again clouded her eyes.
She wanted to punch the wall. Not only had she opened her heart when she’d been determined to do just the opposite, but somehow Wyatt had managed to take up residence there. She was pretty sure it was never going to be the same.
~*~
Talk about an excruciatingly long week, and it was only Wednesday. Every day since the reunion, Wyatt wrestled with himself over whether he should stop by Clearwater Coffee or not. He never did hear back from Chrissy after sending her the text. Then again, after everything that happened, he couldn’t blame her. Although he still didn’t know what had been said. Bonnie and Lucy knew nothing about it, and Violet was dodging his calls. That alone told him she had a guilty conscience.
Whatever Violet might have told Chrissy, it was probably only full of half-truths. He wished Chrissy would give him the opportunity to set the record straight. But first, he needed to know exactly what he was working against.
Wyatt recalled Violet bragging about her Zumba class every Wednesday evening and how it
was doing wonders for her thighs. It wasn’t exactly news he would’ve paid much attention to, but maybe Lucy or Bonnie knew where she went.
Two texts and twenty minutes later, he had the name and address of the gym Violet frequented. This gym had childcare, which meant she certainly wouldn’t miss the class.
Wyatt finished his work day and headed for the gym. He didn’t want the kids to have to listen to what could only be an unpleasant conversation, so he watched for Violet to arrive and waited for her to check the kids into childcare before approaching her.
His sister came around the corner and jumped a foot when she spotted Wyatt. She frowned, creases deepening between her eyes. “What are you doing here, Wyatt? I have a class in ten minutes.”
“You and I need to have a discussion.”
“Later.” She tried to push past him.
“No. We’re having it now. If you’d like me to follow you to your Zumba class, just say the word.”
Violet sneered at him. She glanced around and ushered him to the café area and an empty corner table. She always had been afraid of what others might think of her, and apparently the people milling about the gym were no exception.
Wyatt leaned into the back of his chair. “What exactly did you say to Chrissy that night at the bonfire?”
She flipped her hair over her shoulder and opened her mouth to respond. Wyatt held up a hand to stop her.
“I want the truth. If I find out you lied to me, so help me…” He forced himself to unclench his fists. “Spill.”
Her shoulders fell along with the corners of her mouth. “I told her that you and Ashley used to be engaged. I may have insinuated that she was the one who called it off and that she’d never gotten over you.”
“You what?! And I suppose you made sure she saw Ashley talking to me, too, didn’t you?”
Violet shrugged.
Ugh! First Chrissy had to hear about the engagement from Violet when she should have heard it from him. Then add in the lies and seeing Ashley there with him, and it was no wonder Chrissy was so upset. It bothered him that she hadn’t given him the chance to explain. He glanced at his sister and the way she was avoiding his gaze. “What else?”
Marrying Chrissy (Brides of Clearwater Book 3) Page 14
