Page 20 of Roundabout

And all the new faces working alongside her every day.

I meet my boys at the bay they’re in, glancing around and asking them, “My fiancée around here somewhere?”

They both shake their heads.

Beck speaks first, eyeing me as he says, “Jeep’s not here.”

Yeah, I noticed that, too, but after Angela shared that fun story yesterday about a new hire admiring her engagement ring, I offered to take her to lunch today, so she knew I’d be coming by. She didn’t say anything in response though…so maybe she didn’t hear me.

Regardless, today’s Tuesday. She works at Pop Two on Tuesdays. Unless she and Beck switched up their schedules without telling anyone to keep all the employees on their toes, which they’ve been known to do occasionally. Although, she usually tells me.

She usually tells me everything.

“Did she go over to Pop One?”

“Nah, I was there all morning and didn’t see her. I just stopped over here during my lunch because this guy needs my help.” He jerks a thumb at Marc.

Marc’s head is already shaking. “I don’t need help.”

Beck scoffs and I force out a laugh.

While they argue, I pull my phone out, scrolling through my texts first. None are from Angela, but there is a vague one from the wedding venue’s planner asking me to return her phone call as soon as possible to let her know how we’d like to proceed. I click on my voicemails, lifting the phone to listen to hers specifically out of the five new ones awaiting my attention. Proceed? What does that mean?

“Hello, Mr. Walsh, I was hoping to follow up with Ms. Taylor directly, but I can’t seem to get ahold of her. Following our conversation yesterday, I spoke with my manager, and got some clarification regarding the questions y’all had. We understand things happen, unexpected expenses arise, feelings change. Your situation is unique in that we haven’t had time to prepare in advance like we normally would, and so the only money that’s been paid is your initial deposit. With that said, in the event that your wedding is cancelled, we would not require the full amount of your bill. I know that was Ms. Taylor’s main concern. However, you would forfeit the deposit entirely. Now, if you were to reschedule the date, your deposit could be put toward your new date—”

My ears fill with my heartbeat until I can’t even hear the wedding planner over it.

Cancelled? Rescheduled? What the fuck?

With shaky fingers, I exit out of voicemails, quickly scanning my missed calls and emails. So many notifications, but not one with Angela’s name on it.

“Ty?” I call out, my eyes still on my phone. “Do you know where Angela might be?”

“I assumed with you.”

I look up, meeting Ty’s gaze dead-on. Do I really need to point out that she clearly is not with me? I wouldn’t fucking be asking if she was.

Beck’s brother-in-law glances at Beck, Marc, then me, and I have to clench my phone in my fist to keep from throwing it.

“She was only here for a few minutes this morning. After getting something out of her office, she left again, saying she had an appointment that might take all day.” He shrugs like he’s sorry.

Turning away, I tap Angela’s name and bring my phone back up to my ear. It goes straight to her voicemail, so I hang up before trying again.

If the wedding planner was trying to get ahold of us to ask how we wanted to proceed, that means the wedding wasn’t cancelled…yet.

Is that what Angela wants? To cancel the wedding? Our fucking wedding. Why else would she ask about it?

Yesterday, Angela offered to tell the planner our theme, but she didn’t. She also offered to order the cakes. Did she even do that?

After a quick search, I dial the bakery we discussed using.

“Yes, hello,” I say when I finally get a person on the line and not an automated recording. “My fiancée was in there yesterday to place an order for a few wedding cakes for this weekend.” I nod along, telling the guy which name to look up.

The silence around me builds like a cacophony of pissed-off cicadas, forcing me to glance up and check my surroundings. Is she here?

Still no Angela in sight.

Fuck.