Page 9 of The Other Plan

She stuck to her nonsensical answer, and I decided it wasn’t the most important question I’d asked, so I refocused on the one that surprised me the most.

“Why are you here? At the Bronson’s?”

She glanced up at the woman who looked just like her, and it didn’t take me but a second to realize they must be sisters. I’d almost gone face down on the lawn tripping over my own feet when I’d first glanced over and seen the woman who resembled Jenna so much. It’d felt like seeing a ghost.

The ghost of the woman who still haunted me a decade later.

But when I’d gotten closer, I’d known it wasn’t a ghost, and it wasn’t Jenna. Close but not quite. I’d noticed the slight differences right away. My elated heart had dropped like a stone chucked into the bay, only to soar again when I’d seen the real Jenna tucked behind the wine barrel.

“I’m the wedding planner,” she said matter-of-factly as she rose to her feet.

I stood up with her and watched as she wiped the blades of grass off her navy blue and white striped skirt.

My eyes bulged. “You’re the Bronson’s wedding planner?”

A cold expression tightened her face as she nodded. “Yep.”

“Wow. Small world.”

“Yep.”

Her stunted responses and her dagger-piercing gaze set me back. I’d thought about what might happen if I ever saw her again, but I’d assumed it’d come with some kind of an apology or an explanation for disappearing on me our last night in Hawaii.

I’d envisioned her racing into my arms and giving me some crazy story as to why she’d kissed me one minute then vanished the next. Her unexpected disappearance had terrified me to the point I’d been certain something bad had happened to her, and I’d even tried to involve the police. But she hadn’t been missing twenty-four hours yet, and then the next day, when I’d gone to her room to check again, the cleaning lady had told me she’d checked out. Her bags were gone, and so was she. I’d been elated she was alive and not kidnapped or dead, then devastated it meant she had chosen to leave me.

Without a word. Without a number. Without a goodbye.

Just disappeared and left me with a shattered heart and unanswered questions.

But no apology softened her gaze today as she blinked at me, only a coldness I’d never thought I’d see in the eyes that had used to light up when they’d connected with mine.

“I can’t believe you’re here. I never thought I’d see you again,” I managed to say.

But instead of responding with the explanation I hoped would follow, she just crossed her arms and leveled me with a glare. “Well, here I am. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to take care of. I’m very busy.”

She spun on her wedge heel and stomped away. As I stepped after her, the sister moved in front of me, her crossed arms and arched brows warning me not to follow.

What the hell?

“She said she’s busy. Your drink is on the bar.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but her granite expression caused me to clamp my mouth shut. I may have been almost a foot taller than her and packed about seventy-five pounds of muscle more than her petite frame, but I had no doubt Jenna’s feisty sister would kick my ass without much encouragement.

What I didn’t know was why.

“I, uh... thanks.” I shook my head and stepped back toward the bar, picking up the glass as I walked away. With a backward glance, I watched Jenna hurrying into the house.

“Just leave her alone,” the sister said.

“I think there is some misunderstanding.” I turned to face her but shrunk beneath her glare.

“There is no misunderstanding. Jenna doesn’t want to see you. Just leave my sister alone. It’s going to be a long week, and she doesn’t need to deal with this. Got it?”

It wasn’t often I found myself speechless. I’d made a successful career with my ability to chat with people, and I was always quick with my charming retorts. But one more look into those warning eyes, and I felt every word I wanted to say, every question I wanted to ask, incinerate in her fiery glare.

We stood staring at each other for a few beats before Eric called my name.

The sister smirked and waved me away. “Bye, now. Have a nice night, Carter.”