Chapter Thirty

8/8/15

"TELL ME WHAT needs to be done," I say as I run into my mother at the entryway of the small venue as she hangs up her cell phone. My parents had rented the space for everyone to get ready in before the ceremony on the beach.

"I need help with getting flowers to bridesmaids and boutonnieres for the groomsmen," my mother says as she points to a tray filled with Calla lilies. I smile at her words craving the distraction. The tray sits on the table near her right before her phone starts ringing again.

I pick up the tray as I hear her talk to some guy about shrimp and where he can put it, and she wasn't telling him where to put it for the reception. Seems like everything is right on cue to for the mayhem every wedding ensues.

The men are getting ready in a small room on the opposite end of the building from where Bailey and the rest of her bridesmaids are. I continue to head down the hall when I reach the men's dressing room, and I rap my knuckles lightly against the wooden door.

The door opens to show Cale's older brother Clayton who I've only met once before at his apartment when I told Cale to let me go.

"And we meet again," he comments sourly. He isn't a fan of me, though he doesn't even know me.

"Hi," I say evenly. "I have flowers," I tell him as I lift the small tray filled with their boutonnieres.

He lets out a sigh as he opens the door further for me to walk in. The room is filled with the Hasting men, all of which look too handsome for their own good.

I head over to an empty table as my eyes quickly scan the room. A small sigh of relief slips through my parted lips as I realize that Cale isn't in the room yet.

Ending things with Max wasn't easy, and seeing the one man I love marry my sister isn't any easier. But that doesn't mean I'm going to take away my sisters happiness for my own. So I keep my lips sealed, and set the tray down to unload the boutonnieres for the men.

I turn to face two of Cale's brothers and his father.

They all stand tall in their khaki colored slacks and white button up shirts that make them all look tanner then they actually are. Their skin bronzed, their hair tinted gold, and their eyes warm like honey. The Hasting men are men unlike any other.

They are perfect in a way that completely undoes women, and that's what makes them so dangerous. Even the father being married did nothing to lessen the flirting I know he receives from every single older woman in Easton.

"You all look nice," I comment as I take in the three men in front of me. "But aren't you missing another brother?" I question.

Clayton shrugs before grabbing his glass off of the table behind him. It's filled with amber liquor, and I'm suddenly dying for a shot of whatever he's having.

Mr. Hasting steps forward to grab one of the small flowers for their dress shirts when a voice comes from behind me making my heart stop momentarily.

"Colt always runs late," I hear Cale's voice call out.

I turn my head just barely so I don't see him just yet. Because I can't, I can't get lost in him right now. Not so soon after ending it with Max, everything is too fragile. So I nod simply in acknowledgement of his words, but don't respond verbally.

"Does anyone need help with these?" I ask as I take my eyes quickly over the family motioning my hand to the tray of flowers.

I receive a grunt from Clayton, and Mr. Hasting already has his on, but Chase comes forward with a big smile on his face. "Help a boy out?" he asks with a playful grin.

His easy going smile and bright eyes immediately calm me, and I'm thankful to have him as a friend at this moment.

"Of course," I say returning his smile.

I begin to mess with the pin on the back of the simple white Calla lily so I can pin it easily to his crisp shirt, but my fingers shake lightly making it difficult to open the pin.

"Nervous?" Chase asks with a raised eyebrow.

My eyes meet his before dropping back to the flower. "Just coffee jitters," I lie with a swallow to clear the lump in my throat.

I finally get the pin to corroborate for me, and I keep my eyes fixed on the right side of his chest as I slide the needle through the fabric and clip it into place.

"You look great by the way," Chase tells me getting me to raise my gaze to his kind eyes.

A small smile tilts the ends of my lips in gratitude. "You don't look to bad yourself," I respond back with a wink playfully. I wasn't lying. Chase does look great in his groomsmen outfit.

"So when is your hottie boyfriend making his way over here?" he asks and his unexpected words cause my blood to run cold. This time it isn't for the other guy in the room, it's for the man I hurt today because my heart and mind are stuck on someone who is just out of grasp.

I close my eyes briefly almost afraid to answer, but with Max not showing up today I have to get ready to answer questions about him. So why not start now?

"Um..." I start as a wave of anxiousness washes through me. My eyes instinctively find Cale as he stands right behind his brother Chase, and my eyes meet his as I speak my next words. "We broke up," I answer as if I'm speaking to Cale and only him. As if my words will change anything, even though I know my words don't matter to him.

Cale's eyes widen in response to my words, and not being unable to take anymore of his response I break my gaze from him. I refocus on Chase in front of me as his eyes narrow in on me before tossing a quick glance over his shoulder at his brother who quickly turns the opposite direction. Pretending as if he wasn't watching me, wasn't listening to every word I say, waiting for me to make a move.

Chase's eyes connect back with me with a hint of knowing in his eyes, but I know he doesn't. He may be close, but he knows nothing close to the whole story.

No one does.

Suddenly the door of the dressing room shutting loudly rings through the air and all of our heads snap to the now closed door.

A couple wandering gazes through the air makes it easy for us all to notice Cale is the one who just left. Unease and eyebrows rise as no one says anything, and then their father comes forward.

"He just needed some air," he says as if his son's odd departure means nothing.

"What happened?" Chase asks breaking the silence in the room and refocusing his gaze upon me as he brings the topic back to Max.

I wet my lips and take a step back realizing how close I'm still standing to Chase. The way he's still watching me, and how he watched Cale makes me nervous he might grab onto even an inch of what is going on. Even an inch of what really happened between Cale and myself years ago and even just a few days ago.

It's my sister's wedding day, and nothing will take away from that. Especially me.

"Just didn't work out," I state as I take a few steps towards the door after grabbing the flower tray still filled with long stemmed bouquets for the bridesmaids.

I can tell Chase wants to talk more, and ask more questions. But I'm not ready for that yet, everything is still too fresh. So I have to get away and get some air before I face Bailey. Today is supposed to be the happiest day of my sister's life, the one day she should remember as perfect. And I want to make sure it stays that way.

"Gray—" Chase starts as if he's going to stop me as my hand slips around the doorknob.

"Well if you all don't need anything else," I say faking a smile as my heart suddenly can't find a reason to at the moment. I wait a pause more and when no one stops me I turn the handle. "I'm going to head to Bailey's room then," and with those words I head out the door and down the hall.

* * * * *

I walk back into the building through the French doors that lead out to the beach.

Being in Cale's dressing room for that long was a mistake. After I left I quickly dropped the flowers off in the bridesmaids room right across from Bailey's room and walked straight outside.

I needed air, I needed space, I need to go straight back to Illinois and eat tons of ice cream with Hayley. But I can't, I'm here, and I'm going to make sure today goes smoothly for my sister.

I slowly make my way down the hall and into the suite where Bailey has been getting ready all morning. As soon as the door shuts behind myself I know something is wrong.

I hear hard deep sobs before I enter the small room Bailey is in, and as the pace of my walk increases so does my pulse.

"Bailey what is going on?" I call out urgently. "Is everything okay?" I ask again as I turn the corner and see Bailey in her perfectly white gown sitting on a bench near the window.

She doesn't answer as I rush over to her hunched form. Bailey's body shakes as my arms circle her body trying to sooth her as panic begins to fill my body.

"Bailey," I say quietly. "You have to talk to me," I tell her. "Please," I beg.

She just continues to cry, but her face rises from her hands and her once bright blue eyes are filled with a storm. And she can't stop the rain.

"Did someone hurt you?" I ask as the tears continue to stream down her have mixing with her black mascara making a mess.

"He's gone," she cries through loud sobs as her body finally collapses into me and my arms pull her closer.

"Who's gone?" I ask though I think I know whom she is speaking about. But I need her to specify, I need her to verify my thoughts because who I'm thinking of can break me all he wants. But how dare he break my sister as well.

Her sobs suddenly go silent, but her body still shakes as if they are still flying through her. She lifts her head slowly from my shoulder and closes her eyes momentarily as she tries to take a breath, but is unsuccessful.

"Cale," she stutters out as her eyes slowly open.

My heart squeezes in pain as she says his name. Knots in my stomach ache and they pull tighter as the knots grow. How could he do this to her? How could he hurt in this way? My thoughts spin as the knot pulls making my heart hurt in a way I haven't felt in a while. Because my heart isn't breaking for me this time, it's breaking for my sister.

"Why?" I probe as I hold back hot tears of anger.

Bailey wipes the back of her hand against her damp cheek and smudges of her makeup smear even more.

"Do you know that since you told me that you and Cale were together I never once brought it up to him?" she explains to me as her hands pull out her teardrop diamond earrings. Beautiful, our mothers, and perfect on my sister.

"What..." I trail awkwardly. "Why?"

"I didn't want to know the detail of his past," she explains. "It's his past," she pauses as she twists her engagement ring over her finger in circles. "I thought I was his future."

My heart breaks even more for my sister.

"What happened?" I push lightly needing to know what went down when I wasn't here.

Bailey unclips the silver necklace that hangs delicately around her slim neck, and places it next to her earrings on the nearby table.

"He told me everything about that summer," she says. "How it wasn't just a fling," she says next looking directly at me.

My eyes drop in embarrassment of my lie. When I told Bailey about that summer with Cale I made it seem like less than it was, and that wasn't fair to her.

"Bailey—" I start searching for the words to say to her in this moment.

But she cuts me off. "It's fine Gray," she tells me though her voice is even. "Doesn't matter now, does it?"

"Why did he tell you all of that?" I ask once again needing to know what words occurred between them causing Cale to leave my sister.

"He told me how much he loved you, and how he broke your heart," she tells me as the rain continues to fall from her stormy blue eyes.

"Yeah," I breathe quietly in agreement.

"Cale then told me what happened this summer," she says her voice turning icy towards me. "Everything Grayson," she emphasizes.

Her words cause a few tears to escape and fall down my face in complete shame of everything. Of the lies I've told everyone, of the secrets I've kept, and of everything in between.

"How he cheated on me with you multiple times—" she begins.

"We never slept together!" I exclaim cutting off her words as if they can assuage the guilt that flutters through my veins.

"That doesn't make it better," Bailey says pulling out of my arms and away from me.

"Bailey I..." I trail trying to find the right words but nothing comes because I know she's right. I messed up in a way that is irreversible and betrayed my sister in such a way that I'm disgusted with myself.

She stands abruptly from the bench as she attempts to take a few steps away from me. Though her tight dress stops her actions just slightly from trying to escape me.

"Just go ahead and go!" she yells at me. Her perfectly curled hair falls around her face, as streaks of makeup cut across her face.

"Go where?" I ask confused by her words as I stand from the bench as well. Though I keep a steady distance from her knowing she isn't my biggest fan at the moment.

"After Cale!" she shouts as if it's obvious. "He said he couldn't marry me because he loved you still," she informs me. Her words wash over me making my body run cold, but my heat beat faster. "So there you go, he's free now so go after him," she tells me with a snarl.

I'm frozen by her words, not knowing how to respond when Bailey begins to walk away as fast as she can in her constricting gown.

The sight of my sister walking away from me, angry, and hurt snaps me back to my senses and I leap forward to wrap my hand around her arm to stop her.

"No," I tell Bailey as I stop her from leaving.

Her body pauses as she begins to lightly shake again. I know she's crying and my whole heart hurts for her.

"Just go, please," she begs.

"No," I repeat, but this time stronger.

Bailey turns around to face me as fresh tears trail down her face from her broken eyes. "Why?" she breathes out as her voice cracks.

I drop my hand and step closer to her. "Because you're my sister," I tell her honestly.

She scoffs. "Didn't seem to matter much this summer."

I nod at her words, knowing she's right. So I don't argue. "I messed up this summer, I know I did," I say agreeing with my sister. "But Bailey I'm not going after Cale."

Her eyes meet mine as her eyebrows come together as confusion laced through her expressive eyes.

"But he loves you, and if you love him—"

"Doesn't matter," I say right away, breaking off her words.

"If that doesn't, then what does?" she asks as her shoulders sag in defeat.

I step closer to my sister. "You do," I tell her.

"What?" she questions still baffled by my words.

"You're my sister, and I know I fucked up, but you come first," I explain. "You're hurt, and I'm not leaving your side," I tell her strongly.

Bailey's eyes wet at my words and before I know it she's back in my arms as cries fly from her lips.

I step back to the bench, and bring my sister with me as she cries out all her sorrows on my shoulder.

"I'm still mad," she says through muffled sobs.

"I know," I whisper. "I know."

My sister continues to cry on my shoulder for her heart that is broken, and her love for a man that has been smashed into nothing.

A small part of me wonders what Cale is doing, or if he expected me to follow him after this mess.

But I won't.

I won't pick a man who broke my heart for my sister. I won't ruin what little I have left of my relationship with Bailey for Cale.

Because for the first time in a while I'm going to choose the right person. I'm going to choose my sister, my blood, and my best friend over a heart breaking love.