Chapter 7

Ishould be a nervous wreck. That was what I told myself as I stepped through the automatic doors of the Rosewood Ridge Retreat Center. Makenna, the receptionist who checked us in the day we arrived, was at the front desk. Her bright smile quickly faded when she saw me.

"Sadie!" she called out. "Where have you been? And Derek?"

Her gaze slid to Derek, who approached the reception desk beside me. There was a hint of amusement in Makenna's expression as she looked at the two of us. Just a twitch of her lips that was so brief, Derek might not have even caught it.

Then she straightened, her expression returning to stoic as she reached for the phone next to her. "I found her," she said into the handset. "The missing bride. She's here."

As she hung up, Derek teased, "Do you get a reward for that?"

Makenna's expression shifted to one of surprise. I wondered how well the two of them knew each other. He was house sitting the home at the edge of this property, so it stood to reason some of the employees might know him.

"I just need to see my parents," I said. "Nobody else. Are they in their room?"

Makenna's gaze jumped to the door behind me. "Your dad went out looking for you," she said. "Your mom's in the banquet room with some of the guests."

The banquet room—that was where the reception was being held. It was an outdoor wedding, but most of Rosewood Ridge's wedding receptions were inside, the wedding coordinator said.

Great. If I wanted to see my mom, I'd have to face her with other people around. My ex-fiancé might even be in there.

My first thought was to go hide in my room, maybe grab my phone and text my parents to come meet me. Makenna could give me another key. It wasn't like there was any doubt as to my identity.

But no, that was what the old Sadie would have done. The new Sadie was brave. Courageous. A woman of twenty-three who'd just lost her virginity to the hottest guy on the planet. That Sadie could handle a few disappointed relatives.

"Let's do this."

I hadn't planned it, but I grabbed Derek's hand and led him toward the banquet room. It was hard to believe that just yesterday, I'd wandered this area, excited about my big day. My thoughts had been focused on the wedding itself for so long, I hadn't realized my impending sense of doom had everything to do with what would happen after the ceremony. Not just my wedding night, but every day after, when I was bound to my ex-fiancé for life.

"You okay?" Derek asked as we traveled the hallway that led to both the banquet room and the spa. There was an outdoor pool on the other side of the spa, just past the spot where an indoor pool was located, though I hadn't taken a look at it yet. I just saw the signs with arrows indicating it.

"Never been better," I said, looking over at him and smiling as I squeezed his hand.

He squeezed back, and the tender look he gave me melted my heart. Somehow, having him by my side made my worries dissipate. No matter what, everything was going to work out just fine.

The banquet room was mostly empty when we entered, but the smell of food still lingered in the air. After I ran out, had everyone just sat around eating dinner like nothing had happened? I had no right for that to bother me, but it did.

There was a table toward the back, and a group of people sat around it. I recognized my mom and my maid of honor, Tammie. She was the one who spotted me and jumped up.

"Sadie?"

The old me probably would have dropped Derek's hand and rushed toward her, but the new me balked at that idea. Tammie had always been a good friend, but she encouraged me to marry Matthew when I started having doubts. And when I came to her about them, she laughed them off as cold feet.

"Matthew's a good catch," she told me. "You'll be the power couple in town."

Even as she walked toward me, my mom right behind her, Tammie's gaze was on our linked hands, a frown of disapproval already forming on her all-too-easy-to-read features.

"Sadie!" my mom cried out, brushing past Tammie. "Where have you been? What is going on? Who is this?"

So many questions, I wasn't sure which one to answer first. "I can't marry Matthew," I said. "I won't marry Matthew. In fact, I think I'm going to stay here."

My mother and my best friend were both standing in front of us now. Tammie couldn't seem to take her eyes off Derek, but I wasn't sure my mom had even glanced at him yet. In her world, guys who worked with their hands weren't human beings to be acknowledged by name. They were side characters—extras in a movie.

After a long silence, Mom laughed. Just one burst—"Ha!" Like an actual string of laughs wouldn't be worth it.

"Here?" Tammie said, finally shifting to look at me. "As in this town?"

"Yep," I said.

I looked over at Derek, who returned my stare, a smile breaking out over his face and lines crinkling around his eyes. Yes, I was definitely in love, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he'd taken my virginity. It was the way he looked at me, the way he kissed me. He felt it too.

I might have been scared in the aftermath of our lovemaking, but now I knew it. This was the real thing.

"What about Matthew?" Tammie asked. I turned back to my former friend, who definitely had judgy eyes directed at me. "Don't you think you owe it to him to talk to him?"

"He left."

The voice behind me seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. When I turned, letting go of Derek's hand, I saw Makenna from the reception desk. She held a small purple sticky note in her right hand, which she was extending toward me.

"I was asked to give you this message," she said. "He and his family just checked out."

I breathed a sigh of relief, thanking her as she walked away. When I turned back to face my mom and friend, a small crowd had gathered behind them.

"What does it say?" my Aunt Millie asked, peering down at the note with amusement.

I held it up for anyone interested to read. "It's an address," I replied. "The note says ‘return ring to Colt Jewelers.'"

Aunt Millie shook her head. "Well, I'll be darned. I knew that boy was after Sadie's family's money. Y'all wouldn't listen to me, though."

"Hush, Millie," Mom interjected. "Why don't we go back to the room and discuss this privately?" She then shifted her gaze to me. "It's a family matter."

I shook my head. "I love you, Mom, and I appreciate your concern, but this is my life, and this time I'm standing on my own two feet. If I do get married, it will be to a man who loves me for me. Matthew never loved me, and I never loved him either. Love is the only reason to get married."

"You've got that right," Aunt Millie said. "Marriage is hard enough. It'll never survive without love."

That was why Aunt Millie had always been one of my favorite relatives. She spoke her mind, and like me, she didn't place a high priority on money. It was nice, sure, but I'd rather be happy in a small town surrounded by people who liked me for me than at the country club every Friday night, surrounded by people who knew nothing about me and couldn't care less if I lived or died.

Aunt Millie gave me a wink as I reached for Derek's hand, clasping it tightly. His fingers immediately entwined with mine, giving me another squeeze. He hadn't said anything since we entered, but just standing here next to me was enough.

It was exactly what I needed, in fact. I had to do this on my own. I had to stand up to my family and anyone else who thought I was wrong for walking out on Matthew at the altar.

Someday, they'd all look back and realize it had been the smartest thing I could have done. But for now, at least Aunt Millie and Derek got it.

"Let's go get my belongings from my room," I told him.

I looked over at Tammie. As my maid of honor, she was in charge of making sure I had everything I needed. I had one last duty for her before I exited this building.

"Could you grab my purse and phone from the bridal room and leave it at the front desk?" I nodded toward the receptionist. "Makenna will make sure I get it. Leave it with her, and I'll grab it on my way out."

I didn't wait for her answer. Instead, I turned and tugged on my man's hand, leading him from the room and toward the front desk, where I could get a key to grab my belongings.