“That was before—” She wouldn’t share intimate details of her broken relationship. “That is, I think I scared him off by taking things too seriously. I shared my feelings with him, and his response was to go snowboarding.”
“My brother goes to the driving range sometimes when he’s got a lot on his mind,” she volunteered, winding a comforting arm around Rachel’s elbow. “Maybe Gavin just needed to clear his head.”
Rachel bit her lip, knowing in her gut that it was more than that. Something was wrong. “I don’t know.”
“Guys don’t always know what to do with their feelings.” Emma shot a glance toward the bride as if to make sure the conversation was still private. “My mom says it’s like a foreign language to my father. We speak it all the time, but they don’t. Maybe he didn’t know the right words.”
“I hope you’re right.” Swiping her eyes with the tissue, Rachel wadded it up and tossed it. Her father hadn’t been that way about his feelings, she caught herself thinking. He’d been open. Demonstrative. But, then again, he’d hidden his depression from her his whole life.
Maybe Emma had a point.
Emma peered up at the clock on the wall before raising her voice again. “And I hate to interrupt, but, Kiersten, should we be worried the processional music hasn’t started yet?”
Grateful for the distraction before she melted into tears on a day that needed to be all about Kiersten, Rachel took a deep breath. Gathered herself. She looked up at the clock too and realized the wedding should have started twenty minutes ago.
“Would you like me to take a peek out there and see what’s going on?” she asked.
Even though seeing Gavin in his wedding finery in front of the altar was going to be a fresh hurt on top of all the others. A reminder of the future she wouldn’t have with him.
Kiersten glanced at her hopefully. “Would you?”
“Of course.” Heading toward the door leading into the church nave, Rachel steeled herself to see Gavin. Before she reached the handle, however, the door burst wide.
Luke Harris filled the archway, his broad shoulders stretching the material of his black tux, his sudden presence making the bride and all the bridesmaids squeal with dismay.
“You aren’t supposed to see the bride yet!” Luke’s sister shrieked at him, shoving ineffectually at his chest. “What are you doing?”
“Luke, go away!” Kiersten called from behind the bathroom door where she must have hidden herself. “It’s bad luck.”
The other girls were tsking and Rachel noticed a couple of Luke’s ushers in the nave behind him. Not Gavin, however. The best man was nowhere to be seen.
“I told you she was here to make trouble,” Luke called over his sister’s head.
He seemed to be addressing Kiersten, but he glared at Rachel like she’d just crashed the wedding.
“Was it even true what you told me last night about your dad having contact with someone in the Caribbean?” he asked Rachel directly. “Because I went against my father’s wishes to call the police about that.”
Diana and Heidi hung back, providing a human shield between Luke and the bride in case Kiersten came out of the bathroom.
Trying to follow Luke’s rant, Rachel focused on answering the question. “Of course it was true. Why would your father care about that?”
“What are you talking about?” Emma stood beside Rachel, fists on her hips, scowling right back at her brother.
Rachel wasn’t afraid of him, of course. He was a decorated military veteran, a hero, and all-around good guy. But she also felt glad to have an ally beside her who seemed ready to take him on in case he decided she really was too much trouble after all. Out in the church, the organist played a song from Handel’s Messiah, the holiday tune a little incongruous for a wedding, but she guessed the musician was stalling for some reason.
Luke’s parents crowded behind him, their matching frowns mirroring their son’s.
Confused and more than a little worried, Rachel wondered where Gavin had gone. Shouldn’t the best man be with the groom right now?
“Never mind.” Luke brushed aside his sister’s concern. To Rachel, he said, “I asked one thing of you. I asked you not to hurt the people I care about.”
What did he mean? She was the one who’d been hurt. Anxiety churned in her stomach.
“And I wouldn’t,” she insisted. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
Kiersten flung open the bathroom door, ignoring the protests of her friends. Stepping into the bridal parlor, she confronted her groom.
“Luke.” She pointed a finger toward him. “I want Rachel here. She’s my friend and she hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“Honey, you look so beautiful.” His face scrunched up, and Rachel almost felt sorry for him, he looked so agonized. “I sure don’t want to upset you, today of all days—”
“Don’t ‘honey’ me!” Kiersten shouted at him. “What is this obsession with Rachel?” she fumed. “Are you not over her yet? Is that what this is about?”
Rachel draped her arms around her friend’s shoulders, hoping to calm her down. “It’s not that.” She glared at Luke, willing him to spit out whatever he came here to say. “Can you tell us what I’ve done wrong now? Then go, maybe, so the wedding can get underway?”
She really wanted to go home, in fact. The sooner this day was over, the better. She’d been swallowing back tears for hours.
“I can’t get the wedding started yet,” Luke retorted, shoving a hand through his hair, rumpling it hopelessly. “Because the best man isn’t here.”
Beside her, Kiersten gasped. Or maybe Rachel had.
She felt the anxiety in her belly turn to panic. Gavin wouldn’t simply not show up for Luke’s wedding. He’d missed most of an important U.S. snowboarding team meet to be in Yuletide this week.
“I knew she came home to ruin this wedding.” Mrs. Harris had a triumphant set to her shoulders. “Haven’t I been saying that all week? You can’t trust a word she says.”
What was that about? Rachel’s mind raced, trying to fit together the pieces. This wasn’t just about her, Luke and Gavin. The Harrises didn’t like her being back in town for reasons that went deeper than that.
Emma whirled toward her mother. “Stop it, Mom. You’re not helping.” Luke’s sister turned to Rachel next. She laid a hand on her arm and asked, “Do you think something could have happened to Gavin?”
A pang shot through her.
All thoughts of the Harrises fell away.
He’d been on the mountain. Her panic turned sharper. All her worries about losing him were nothing compared to the idea of him hurt—or worse.
Rachel shook her head helplessly, but she hurried to her bag to pull out her phone in case she’d missed a call from him.
Luke spoke up again, his own phone in hand. “He texted me first thing this morning to say he had some things he was trying to work out. A problem.” He pointed to the phone, apparently reading that part verbatim. “Involving Rachel.”
Her phone, in the meantime, showed no missed calls or messages.
“What happens when you call him?” she asked.