Chapter Fifteen

6/7/15

"CAN WE RUN by this small boutique before lunch?" Bailey asks as we head off in my car.

I nod. "Yeah, what are you getting?" I question knowing it obviously has something to do with the wedding.

"It's my garter!" she says excitingly.

My eyebrows pucker. "I thought you were wearing mom's garter?" I ask slowly. I have always wanted to wear my mother's garter at my wedding one day since I was young. It's lace and has pearls lining the edges. It's been passed down for years on my mother's side for decades, and it's the most beautiful piece of lace I've laid my eyes on.

"I am! I just had some work done on it," she tells me as she scrolls through her phone. I don't ask any more questions assuming she is having some pearls replaced and such.

I let Bailey direct me to the small boutique that specializes in veils and other wedding accessories. "I'll wait in the car for you," I say to Bailey as I park outside of the store.

She nods and hops out of the car, and starts off toward the entrance.

My phone buzzes and I grab it from my center console. I see I have a text from Max and can't help the smile that slides onto my face.

What are you up 2?

I quickly type a response. Hayley once told me I should wait a few minutes in between texts when responding to a guy so I would seem less eager. But I don't care if I come off eager. I like Max and need to start embracing my feelings for him.

Helping Bailey pick up some wedding stuff and then lunch with her. Wyd?

Texting the most beautiful girl I know that's what I'm doing ;)

Wow.... laying it on thick don't ya think?

It's all I know lol

A small giggle falls from my lips. I look up at the entrance of the store to see if Bailey is out yet, but she's not. I look down at my phone to see Max has texted me again.

So wedding stuff? My offer still stands by the way ;)

I roll my eyes at his text, though a huge grin stays on my lips. I'll keep that in mind :)

Are you busy next week? He texts back.

Nope! I respond way too quickly. I almost wince at how fast I texted back.

Well keep it that way I may have another surprise for you :)

My heart flutters, and my nerves of responding too fast vanish. I can't wait! I text back honestly.

The passenger car door opens and Bailey slides in. "Look, look!" Bailey exclaims as she shoves the small box into my hands.

"Okay!" I laugh at her enthusiasm.

I open the box to reveal a bedazzled garter. My heart and face immediately sinks. The once beautiful piece of antique lace decorated with delicate pearls is gone. In its place is a dyed piece of gaudiness.

"What did you do?" I ask as my heart aches. I always wanted to wear this garter on my wedding day. But now, now that dream is dead.

"I just made some small adjustments," she remarks.

She took everything about the history of this piece of lace, and threw it out to match her awful dress.

I frown, but decide to not push it any further knowing it will just upset Bailey. I don't want to fight with my sister over something so small. But at the same time it isn't small to me. I have been looking forward to this piece of my mother being with me on my wedding day. But now it's gone.

I clear my throat. "Yeah, um it's great," I mumble as I pull out of the store parking lot.

"It will match perfectly with my dress," she sighs.

I nod uneasily. "That's great...yeah."

* * * * *

We finally make our way to the lunch café, and find seats after we grab our trays filled with food. I get potato soup, which they make the best I've ever had in my life here.

"So is everything on track with the wedding so far?" I ask in between bites of my soup. A piece of cheese lands on my cheek and I hastily wipe it away. I always go overboard with the extra cheese.

Bailey smiles at my question. I have been trying a lot lately with my sister, and I think it's starting to show. I do love my sister, and I should be asking more questions about her life.

"I think so! A little over two months left and we have almost everything done," she says.

"That's awesome," I say truthfully. I know planning a wedding can be really hard. And while it can be annoying spending my whole summer planning her wedding, I am impressed at how together she has everything.

She stops eating for a second, and I can see she wants to ask me something. A part of me worries that she might ask about Cale, but I push it away.

In the past I would've ignored her look of questioning and changed the subject to avoid her question. But I'm turning a new leaf and being a better sister to Bailey. "Is there something you want to talk about Bai?" I ask taking the leap.

She takes a sip of her drink before speaking. "Well it's about Cale..." she trails.

"And?" I prompt though my lips purse at the mention of his name.

She shrugs. "Well, I know you two don't really like each other," she says timidly.

I open my mouth to tell her the opposite of just that. But I instantly shut it knowing I can't lie to her about this. "It's not that," I start. I sigh playing with my bread. "I don't want you to get hurt, so I just don't trust him yet." And what I say is mostly true. I don't want her to get hurt, and I don't trust Cale. But that's also for a whole other reason.

Bailey nods at my words. "I know it's fast, but I do love him," she tells me as her eyes light at the thought of him. My chest clenches at her words, but I also smile at her happiness. It's an odd mix of emotions.

"Then what's going on?" I ask.

She puts down her fork and leans forward onto the table. "He's been weird lately," she says.

I raise an eyebrow. "Weird like how?" I press.

"Umm, weird weird," she murmurs as if that explains everything.

"You're gonna have to be more clear Bai," I say.

"Well, like in bed," she whispers.

My face falls and my skin goes cold. "Oh," is all I can breathe out.

There are certain things I never wanted to know about Bailey and Cale and this is it. Hearing about their romps in the sheets makes me want to throw up my freshly eaten soup. I push my bowl away, and run a free hand through my hair.

Sadly Bailey continues. "Lately when we have sex he's like in this weird daze."

I shudder at the images that enter through my mind. "Dazed how?" I ask unenthusiastically.

"It's like he's a mad man in a rush to no where," she says like it's a bad thing. In my experience a mad man in bed can be quite exciting.

"Well, is it good?" I ask with a shrug.

"Of course, it's always good," she laughs.

I force down the bile that rises through me.

"Awesome," I mutter sarcastically.

"But it's like he can't get off," she says. As soon as the words leave her lips the water I am drinking begins to choke me. I cough a few times as some water flies from my mouth.

"Are you okay Gray?" Bailey asks after my coughs finally quiet. She looks around with an awkward smile at all the onlookers that are staring at me like I'm crazy.

I roll my eyes. "I'm fine," I say loudly to get everyone's eyes off of me.

Bailey looks at me oddly, but says nothing at my reaction.

I take another sip of water to clear my throat. I try to get back on track to our earlier conversation suddenly interested in what she was saying. "What do you mean he can't get off?"

"He does sometimes," she states like it's obvious. "But other times he just rushes off into the bathroom and I hear the shower running, and I don't know it's just odd," she says. "I try to get him to talk to me, but he's been really closed off lately also," she pauses as water fills her eyes.

"Bailey," I say as I place a hand on hers. A part of my mind is still on Cale and the odd distance he is creating between him and Bailey. But I can't focus on that at the moment, because Bailey needs me.

"What if he regrets proposing to me, what if he doesn't want to marry me—"

I cut her off. "Don't even go there Bai! He loves you!" I tell her honestly. It hurts to say but I know Cale does love her, I can see it. I didn't want to at first, but I can't deny it any longer.

"How do you know?" she asks doubtfully.

I wet my lips. "Because I know Bai. It's the way he looks at you," I say.

"How does he look at me?" she asks.

"Like you're the first shooting star he's ever seen," I mumble. I instantly wish I could take my words back because I can see the sudden confusion that coats Bailey's face from my words.

"How do you...where have you heard that?" she asks with the skin between her eyebrows puckering.

I wave my hand feigning dismissiveness. "Oh you know around..." I chuckle awkwardly.

She narrows her eyes at me. "That's what Cale's father says to his mother. It's like their thing...I've never heard anyone else say it before..." she trails.

I swallow the lump in my throat. "I must have heard one of them say it then, like Chase or someone," I lie clumsily.

Bailey nods at my words though I can see she doesn't believe everything I'm saying, but she doesn't question anything either. She shakes her head and clears her throat changing the focus on the conversation.

"So how are you and Chase?" she asks suggestively.

I roll my eyes. "We are just friends," I sing annoyed.

She laughs. "Whatever you say," she shrugs.

"I do say," I push.

"Well Cale thinks—"

I lift a hand cutting her off. "Nope, nope, and nope. Cale needs to stop thinking cause there is nothing going on. Promise." Annoyance flashes through me at the way Cale keeps assuming things are going on with Chase and me. At the same time I'm pissed he thinks he has a right to even ask questions at all. Anything that even remotely lingered between us is over and he needs to realize that, and soon.

"Okay," she drawls.

"Plus I've been texting Max and we are going on another date next week," I tell her.

"Oh! He asked you out again?" Bailey asks happily.

I nod failing at keeping the smile off of my face. Max makes me happy. I don't know if it's his infectious smile, or his silly humor that always raises a giggle from me.

"Is this turning serious?" Bailey asks with a smirk.

At her question a nervous knot forms in my stomach. "I don't know and I don't even want to go there right now," I say. People keep trying to push their agendas onto me and I'm not having it. Why can't I just be having fun? Why does being twenty and dating someone all of the sudden mean wedding bells?

"Well, you could start thinking about the future Gray," Bailey says.

"Why?" I ask as I spin my spoon in my now cold soup.

"No ones getting younger," she comments. She laughs it off like she's making a joke, but I know she's not. Married with two kids by twenty-four is Bailey's goal, and to her I'm slacking because I haven't found a man yet.

A harsh puff of air flies from my nose. "Yup," I mumble as I sit back in my chair.

Bailey continues on with telling me how I need to be looking for a good guy. While at the same time informing me more about the wedding than I care to hear at this point. My mind is on Cale, and why he is acting weird with Bailey. He has been more agitated lately, I have even noticed that. But the question is, why?

My phone buzzes on the table. I see Max has texted me again.

You look beautiful today

I glance around the restaurant strangely, but don't see Max anywhere. A puzzled expression slips onto my face at his words.

How do you know? I text back.

Bailey goes on while I wait for Max's text back.

I don't have to see you to know you look beautiful Grayson

My heart beats a little faster at his words, and a part of me melts a little inside. Maybe picturing a future with Max wouldn't be so bad, but as soon as I think that a wave of nerves crash over the thought.

Nope, too soon.