Page 121 of First Bride to Fall
“Uh. But that’s not a rumor,” Charlotte said. “You’re telling us that it’s true.”
Misty’s eyebrows arched. “What will people think, Nell? You’re engaged to a hometown guy the first minute and then off to marry someone in London the next?”
“I don’t care what anyone in Majestic thinks,” Nell said, but that wasn’t true. She cared about Grant’s opinion. Her heart ached because she’d sunk so low in his estimation. And at this point in time there was no repairing that.
“So Mom and Dad?” She stared at her sisters, but she already knew the answer. “Did they know about…me and Grant?”
“Yeah,” Misty said. “They heard all about it, from the McIntyres and the wineshop guy. After they pressured Charlotte and me, we had to tell them it was true. Because it was!” Her face fell. “As far as we knew.”
“They’re actually pretty excited about it,” Charlotte said.
So that’s what all those text messages were about. Both her mom and dad had been texting her frantically “checking in” and asking her to please call as soon as possible, but Nell hadn’t had a minute in between everything else. Misty had to have told Mei-Lin. That was a given. She sighed. “I’m guessing Lucas knows, too.”
Charlotte nodded. “Everyone knows, Nell.”
“Well then, they’re just going to have to ‘unknow’ things. Please do me a favor.” She shot pleading glances at her sisters. “Help buy me some time? I’d rather this not get out until I’m already on that plane to London.”
Charlotte wrapped her arm around Nell’s shoulders. “You don’t have to do this,” she said firmly. “I’ll go.”
Misty wrapped her arm around Nell from the other side. “I’ll go, too. You’ve been taking care of us for years. Let us take care of you.”
Nell’s heart broke, but she shielded her suffering with sarcasm. “I don’t think they allow polygamy in England.”
Charlotte shoved her arm. “Oh you!”
“Ne-ell.” Misty pushed her in the other direction, then latched onto her tight.
Charlotte hugged her, too. “You’re sure about this?”
“Yes, very.”
“So who’s going to tell Aidan?” Misty asked.
“I already have.”
Her sisters pulled out of their hug.
Charlotte stared at Nell. “And?”
“He’s cool with it.” Nell shrugged. “His car will get me from the airport on Thursday.”
“Wait,” Misty said. “He’s not coming himself?”
Charlotte moaned. “ThisThursday?”
Nell pursed her lips. “Yeah.”
Misty and Charlotte glanced at each other, and then Charlotte said, “When are you going to tell Mom and Dad about this change in plans?”
Nell grimaced. “Guess it’s gotta be sooner rather than later.”
Misty held Nell’s hand. “We’ll help you.”
“Yeah.” Charlotte took Nell’s hand on her other side. “We’ll tell them together.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next morning at Bearberry Brews, Nell and her sisters were waiting when their parents walked in. “Mom. Dad,” Nell said nervously. “We need to talk.”
