Listen to Your Heart(25)

“I don’t know whether to kick your ass or welcome you to the family.”

“I know which one I’d prefer.”

Lynsey smirks and offers me a chair. I thank her and take a seat, nervously glancing around her office until I spot a picture frame on the desk. Behind the glass is a photo of Skye and Lynsey at someone’s wedding reception. I exhale a shaky breath and let my eyes linger on Skye’s beautiful face.

Lynsey sits on the edge of her desk. “That picture’s usually behind me, on my windowsill. I put it there on purpose. I wanted to see your reaction.”

I force myself to look away from the photograph and into the eyes of the short blonde woman who apparently holds my fate in her hands.

“And?”

She shrugs. “About what I expected, to be honest.”

“I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”

“Neither do I. Time will tell.”

“How is she? Is she here?”

“She’s meeting with a florist downtown. Do you honestly think I’d invite you here if I thought there was any chance the two of you might run into each other? She’d murder me if she even suspected I was talking to you.”

I nod in understanding. “How is she?”

“How do you think she is?”

“I think she hates me.”

Lynsey shakes her head. “This would be so much easier if that were true. But no. She’s embarrassed. Confused. Hurt. I’ve never seen her so hurt. She was with her last boyfriend for over a year and she wasn’t nearly this devastated when they ended things. I shouldn’t even be telling you that, but I think it’s important you realize the extent to which you’ve broken my best friend’s heart.”

I bow my head. “Would you believe me if I told you that I truly didn’t mean to?”

“I would. I’ve heard the ten thousand voice mails. Quite impressive.”

That means Skye’s listened to them, too. The thought makes me smile.

“I just want to talk to her, Lynsey. I want to make her understand. Everything just happened so fast. Any decision I make will hurt someone I love.”

“So you do love your fiancée.”

I can hear the disappointment in her voice.

“I do. Juliana’s my best friend. But I’m not in love with her. There’s so much you don’t know. Surely you’ve noticed that neither of us are particularly excited about this wedding.”

“I’ve noticed. Go on.”

I sigh heavily. “Okay, but this conversation can’t get back to Juliana’s parents. It’s very important that you continue planning the wedding as if nothing’s happened. We will be getting married in two months, just like we planned.”

I’m pretty sure I hear a growl escape from her tiny body.

“But we’re getting an annulment soon after.”

Lynsey frowns and slowly sits down in the chair next to me.

“All right, Caleb Lynch. Start talking.”

I spill my guts. The stage-four brain cancer. The grim prognosis. Every last detail. By the time I’m finished, Lynsey’s wiping tears off her cheeks. I’m surprised by how good it feels to tell someone, even though I’m not telling the person who needs to hear it the most.

“It’s a hoax,” she says with disbelief. “The entire wedding’s a sham.”

“Yes.”

“That’s why neither of you care about the details of the ceremony.”

I nod. “Honestly, I wanted to elope, but Luisa wouldn’t hear of it. You should see her face when she talks about the dress or the flowers or the stupid wedding favors. She absolutely lights up like the sun. If this charade of a marriage makes her happy for even one day, it’s worth it.”

With a quiet sigh, Lynsey stands up and walks over to the window.

“Skye was right,” she says softly.

“About what?”

“She said you’re not asshole. She’s right.”

I smile.

“You’re stupid, maybe. Misguided, definitely, but not an asshole.”

“I appreciate that. I think.”

“I could still choke you, though.”

“I understand.”

She sits down behind her desk. “I don’t think you do. You don’t realize how long it’s been since Skye opened her heart to anyone. And in a very short period of time, you managed to stomp all over it. You, with your 80s music and Dirty Dancing and making out on her couch. She’s crazy about you, and you are a total coward.”

Despite the tongue-lashing, I can’t help but grin.

“She’s crazy about me?”

This time, there’s no mistaking the growl that resonates from her throat.

“Sorry.”

“I don’t even know what to say. This is . . . horrible. What do the doctors say? I mean, how long does she have?”

“The original prognosis was six to eight months.”

“And where are we?”

“This is month number two.”

She nods and leans back in her chair, gazing at me with a look so sympathetic that it nearly breaks me. But I have to be strong, because Lynsey Evans is Skye’s best friend, and I know better than anyone how strong that bond can be.