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No, but he was another mistake. She had started to think that once she finished Sonora’s wedding and quit Something Borrowed, they could be together. That she could have everything; the career, the guy, and the life she’d always dreamed of away from Sweetheart.
She’d been willing to risk her reputation, her relationship with Kelly and her professionalism for him, and because she’d been so distracted, she’d almost lost her mother.
She was twenty-eight years old, and after everything she’d lost, she should have known that life wasn’t about your dreams coming true and having it all.
Believing that utter bullshit had almost cost her the most important person in her life.
Marley walked through the door of the hospital room, her mother was lying with the bed elevated and oxygen tube
s in her nose. When she saw Marley, she held her arms out, her eyes filled with tears, and Marley broke. The zombie state she’d been in cracked, and she cried out as she threw herself into her mother’s arms like she was seven years old.
“Oh, baby, I’m okay. I just woke up and it was so smoky I couldn’t see very well, but I made it to the front door. I’m alive.”
Her mother’s words made her sob harder. “I am so sorry. So very sorry.”
“Hey now, what are you sorry for? This wasn’t your fault.” She felt her mom’s lips brush her forehead and pulled back, needing to get the truth off her chest.
“Yes it was. The fire was deliberate, and I caused it.”
“How could you have caused it?” her mom asked.
“Because I humiliated Sonora Star last night, and she burned down the Sweetheart Café for revenge.”
Her mom cupped her cheeks and pulled her up to look at her. “All I heard is that Sonora Star is more than just a spoiled little princess, but crazy to boot. I don’t care what you did, her actions have nothing to do with you and everything to do with her being a deranged individual.” Her mother squeezed her in a fierce hug. “I’m just glad it was the café, and not anything that couldn’t be rebuilt.”
Marley wasn’t going to try to argue. She was just relieved to feel her mother’s warmth and know she was going to live.
Nothing else mattered.
* * * *
It was almost dawn. Luke sat in the waiting room, texting Brent and Kendall to update them on Marley’s mom. Slowly, the whole waiting room filled with Sweetheart residents, waiting on an update about Rose Stevenson. Turner and Delores were the only ones Luke knew by name, but he’d seen most of them around. Perks of living in a small town it seemed; everyone knew everyone.
Luke hoped Rose was okay, but he was also concerned about Marley. He tried not to take her cold behavior personally, knowing she’d been dealt the shock of her life and especially after everything he knew she’d gone through.
But she’d hardly looked at him, and he could have sworn she’d flinched away when he’d touched her.
When Kendall and Brent came through the door, Luke was pretty glad to see them.
“Is Marley’s mom okay? Is Marley?” Kendall asked.
Luke shook his head. “I don’t know, she went back a while ago and hasn’t come out to update us.”
“I can’t believe this,” Brent murmured.
Luke bristled at his comment. Brent had always been blind to Sonora’s faults.
“What? That your crazy ass ex-fiancée e almost killed Marley’s mom?” Luke asked.
Brent stiffened, but before things escalated, Kendall stepped in.
“Hey, okay, tensions are high, but let’s keep things in perspective. She’s my sister and I can’t imagine her doing this. So let’s not start throwing blame around.”
Luke ran his hands over his head with an exhausted sigh. “I’m sorry man, I’m just on edge.”
Brent nodded. “I get it. You don’t have to apologize.”
They went and sat in the corner, hardly speaking. When Marley’s friend, Rylie, came running through the door with Dustin the Douche behind her, Luke frowned, wondering why the guy was even here.
