Groomless - Part 2 (7 page)

Chapter 8

Kate was out on a modeling assignment, and I was glad for the opportunity to sleep in, but it was a short-lived reprieve.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I reached for my robe and walked to the door. “Who is it?” I groggily asked.

“Luke.”

“Luke, this has to stop.”

“Just open the door for a minute,” he said. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.”

“Look, if this is about last night, I’ll make arrangements to pay you back. I’m so sorry about that. I truly am. I just need some time to—”

“It’s not about the stupid money, Julia. I don’t care about that. Please just open the door so I can talk to you.”

“Then what’s it about?”

“Please open up.”

Slowly and hesitatingly, I opened the door and motioned him inside. “Come on in,” I said, not hiding my frustration.

He walked in quickly and began pacing the floor a bit.

“What is it?” I asked, knowing something was troubling him. “This is my only day to sleep in this week.”

He held up the newspaper. “You’re on the front page!”

“What!? For not paying the bill last night? I thought you paid it for me.”

“No.”

“Huh? I thought you did. I saw you talking to the waiter.”

“I meant no, it’s not about the bill.”

“Well, what on Earth did I do?”

“It’s not about last night,” he said.

“Wait. I need coffee,” I said, squinting and rubbing my eyes to glance over at the clock. “Why are you here so early in the morning?”

“Just read the damn paper.”

I took the paper from him and read the headline aloud: “’Dying Man Gets Father/Daughter Dance.’” I then nonchalantly tossed the paper down on the couch.

“Well?” he said.

“It’s nothing. I knew they were going to publish it, and I was wondering how it would come out. I don’t know why they put it on the front page though.”

“Why wouldn’t they? You’re the talk of the whole damn town.”

I blinked, taken aback by his rude tone. “And you’re mad because…?”

“Because you lied to me, JJ. That Zack isn’t even… He’s a
fake
fiancé! It’s a bunch of nonsense, and you couldn’t even tell me the truth.”

“Oh,” I said, realizing I was busted. I’d failed to realize the ramifications of publicizing our story after I lied to my ex, and now I felt like an even bigger fool than I had in the restaurant before. “Um…yeah. There’s that.”

His gaze narrowed. “Yes, that.”

I let out a long breath. “I’m so sorry, Luke. Really.”

“Why would you lie to me like that?” he demanded, sounding hurt and upset.

“I guess I just wanted to set you free or something,” I explained. “You let me go once, and I didn’t want you to feel pressured to get back with me just because we bumped into each other again. New York is a big city, and I figured we’d both be just fine if we kept our distance, just kept going on with our lives.”

“You know how much I still care about you. If you didn’t know until our talk the other day, I’m sure you figured it out then. How can you just walk away from me when you’re not really taken at all? You know how much I still care.”

“The whole thing spiraled out of control. I assumed you’d leave me alone after you saw me trying on dresses in that bridal shop, because that was what you were supposed to do!”

“I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I’ve never been able to stop thinking about you, and when I saw you again, it only got worse. It was like an answer to some kind of prayer, bumping into you like that, like fate or something.”

I stared into those beautiful eyes of his. I couldn’t deny the emotion spreading across his face. I felt awful, and my heart broke. I knew I should have been honest from the very beginning, but I did not want to complicate things for me or for him by falling in love with Luke all over again. I didn’t trust him any longer after what he did to me, and I could not bear to have my heart stomped on by him again. I’d barely survived the first time.   

“I’m sorry about your dad,” he said, as if briefly changing the subject.

“Thank you. I forgot how close you two were.”

“Your father is a mentor of mine, a real role model, and I love him like he’s my very own dad. I guess that only makes it hurt worse that you would lie to me. I know we’re not together anymore, and it’s been over for a long time, but I didn’t think you’d push me away like that.”

“You left me, Luke…and it broke my heart.”

“I had to take that opportunity when it knocked. It was once in a life time. I couldn’t say no to the job of my dreams.”

“I would have lost my scholarship to photography school in New York City. I wanted my dream too.”

“I know. I guess we both went our separate directions and got lost along the way. I never once stopped thinking about you, though, and I always, always wondered what you were doing. After a while, you just stopped answering my calls and emails, and you even blocked me on Facebook.”

“Only because you started ignoring me first! I was heartbroken. I’m not sure I can ever get over that. You hurt me very deeply.”

He sighed, as if we’d reached a checkmate or some sort of impasse that we would never conquer. “Tell me about this fake groom of yours. He obviously likes guys.”

“Zack is one of my models, and yes, he’s gay. He’s also one of my best friends. He’s playing the part of happy groom so the reception can be a success.”

“It all makes sense now.”

“He’s really a great guy, and we go shopping all the time.”

“Well, I don’t think he’s gonna be up for any Academy Awards after that little slip-up with the script at the sports bar the other day. He was all over that guy.”

“I know. He’s only playing my groom because he’s my friend. I know it all seems so…high school or something. I guess I’m just making a fool out of myself, but this reporter, Miss Walking, thought the story might be a refreshing change from all the horror stories they have to print all the time. People get tired of hearing about wars and murders, you know.”

“I know, and I understand why you’re doing the reception. I think it’s amazing what you’re doing for your father. The newspaper article was very touching.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Of course, it didn’t mention your gay model posing as a fake groom.”

“Yeah, well, that kind of just happened. Zack insisted on filling the void. He loves the attention. The guy can’t get enough of the spotlight.”

“I’ve got a better idea.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Make me your groom instead. At least I like girls.”

I stared into those deep blue eyes of his and tried to make sense of his words. “Are you kidding me?” I said, shocked.

“Tell me the truth, Julia. Tell me you didn’t actually consider it after we bumped into each other at that bridal shop.”

“Well, maybe I did think about it. Hell, maybe I thought about it a lot, but then I came to my senses. Do you even realize how heartbreaking that would be for both of us?”

“It wouldn’t be real, so there’d be no feelings to get in the way, right? It’d just be for your dad, and you know he likes me.”

“I’m sorry, but Zack’s already got the part, Luke.”

“Hmm. Your dad says otherwise.”

“What!? You talked to my dad behind my back?”

“Yes. I went to see him, and he asked me.”

“And you said no, right?”

“Why would I? I care about you and your father. I’m a perfect fit, and he knows it.”

“My dad was ready to give the part of groom to a nurse a minute after I met him, the very nurse that slapped me with a $1,500 wine bill so he could run off to play with his little joystick. Why would he care if I choose Zack?”

“Because he didn’t know I was back in town.”

“Ugh!” Kate said, interrupting with a slam of the door. “Can you believe they canceled my assignment?” Then, without another word, she stormed off to her room.

“Listen, I better see what happened. Can I call you later?” I asked.

Before Luke could answer, Kate stomped back into the living room and handed me a note with a list of phone numbers and notes next to each one.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“While you were grocery shopping and running errands yesterday, all these people called. I didn’t get a chance to give this to you before, but I guess they’re all vendors and wedding businesses and caterers and stuff. They read your newspaper article, and they want to offer up their services for free.” She winked. “Looks like you’re one lucky bride.”

I skimmed through all her notes. “A limo service has agreed to give us a limousine for the entire day? But we don’t need a limo,” I said.

She smiled. “Says you.”

“We’re not going anywhere.”

“Girl, call these people back. We’ll need a limo to get to the New York City Banquet Hall.”

“Huh? Doesn’t that place have a ballroom?”

“Only the best!”

“It
can’t
be free. It’s gotta be mega expensive to rent that place out.”

“Just call them, Julia. You don’t ever look a gift horse in the ass, right?”

“Uh…I think you mean mouth,” I said, chuckling.

“Whatever.”

“I thought you said it’s going to be a small reception, just a backyard barbecue kind of thing,” Luke chimed in.

“It was supposed to be!”

“This is what happens when you get the media involved,” Kate said. “You’ve gone viral.”

I slapped my forehead. “My dad is going to kill me.”

“On the contrary, he loves the idea. He called earlier, and I talked to him about it. Oh, and about that…”

“Oh gosh,” I said, arching an eyebrow at her. “Do I even wanna know?”

“He wants Luke to be your groom. He said something about it feeling more like a real reception that way.”

“I’ve got Zack.”

“But your dad wants Luke.”

“I know. He’s delusional. He thinks Luke and I will end up together, but that’s just not going to happen.”

“Ahem.” Luke cleared his throat. “In case you forgot, I’m right here.”

I sighed. “I’m not budging on this one. I bet you and my dad planned this whole thing. I bet he called you and begged you to come back.”

“Seriously?”

“I wouldn’t put anything past the two of you.”

He laughed. “That’s not why you’re mad. You’re just upset because you never got over us. I get it. I really do, because I never got over us either.”

“What!? You couldn’t be more wrong!” Furious, I grabbed my purse and keys. He had hit a nerve, but I couldn’t bear to let him know that, so I made some lame excuse about needing some fresh air to clear my head.

“Where’re you going?” Kate asked.

“Anywhere but here.”

“I think we should talk,” Luke said, grabbing my arm.

I looked into his eyes. “There’s nothing to talk about.” And with that, I hurried out the door, trying to run away, as far away from him as I could get.

Chapter 9

I sighed when the phone rang. “What, Kate?” I snapped into it. “I’m sorry I just left him there, but I—”

“He left.”

“Oh. That’s good.”

“What’s going on, Julia?”

“He drives me nuts, that’s all. I had to get out of there before I punched him in the face or smacked him with that green skillet of ours.”

“He didn’t do anything.”

“Him being there was enough. It brings back all the memories.”

“Bad ones?”

“No. Mostly good ones.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“Yes, because it’s dangerous.”

“You’re afraid he’ll break your heart again?” she asked.

“Nope. That will never, ever happen, because I’ll never give him the chance.”

“Love is all about taking risks. It’s best to always follow your heart and intuition.”

“This is so embarrassing to admit, and you better not say a word to him, but whenever he’s close by, my stupid heart flutters like nothing has changed, even though a whole helluva lot has!”

“He’s single. You’re single. Why not just share a kiss and see if it’s still there?”

“We have.”

She squealed. “When and how was it?”

“Long story and it was fantastic. I haven’t felt passion like that with anyone else. When Luke and I kissed back then, the Earth shook. No one else since has ever made me feel that way, and I don’t think anyone ever could.”

“Yeah, well, just looking at him, I suppose every other guy would be like something that walked off the set of
The Walking Dead
. I get it. You want passion in your life. You’re tired of dating zombies. Not to mention that the guy is sizzling hot.”