Page 83 of With This Ring
“No, Parker, it’s not. And you deserve so much better than me.”
He rested his arm on the steering wheel. “I just wish I’d realized sooner that you were stringing me along while you waited for your ex to notice you.”
“It’s not like that—”
“Please don’t say anything else, Dakota.”
She pushed the door open and climbed out of the vehicle before turning back toward him. “I never meant to hurt you, Parker.”
“Too late,” he said before slipping his SUV into Reverse.
She stood in the driveway as he backed out and his taillights disappeared into the dark. Hugging her arms to her middle, she longed for the shame and remorse that crashed inside her to subside. But she knew she deserved to feel as bad as she did. She had led Parker on, and he did deserve better—so much better. She hoped he would find someone who appreciated him for the kind, patient, thoughtful, and sweet man he was.
Dakota swiveled toward the colonial next door, and for a moment, she considered knocking. She longed to sit on the deck with Hudson and talk until the sun came up, but tonight he’d seemingly kept her at a distance, which was probably for the best.
With a heavy heart, she trudged toward her front door. She would stare at her ceiling again tonight and hope that somehow she could get herself through this mess.
Chapter 19
The murmur of conversations faded behind Dakota as she made her way to Trudy’s bathroom, which was located beyond the modest family room in her Cape Cod–style house. Ever since she’d arrived for Layla’s bridal shower, she’d felt like she couldn’t breathe.
She’d planned to send a gift and avoid the shower, but when Layla texted her at the shop earlier in the day to make sure she’d gotten an invitation, Dakota felt obligated to come. She’d done her best to make conversation with Layla’s friends and Shane’s family members, but she felt as if the memories surrounding her might strangle her.
Every time she looked at the family photos on the walls, she was taken back to when she and Hudson had been a couple. She’d spent hours in this little house with Hud and his family. It seemed like only yesterday that this house felt like her second home, but now she was nothing but a memory, almost a stranger.
She washed her hands before exiting the bathroom, and when she moved past the kitchen, she caught a glimpse of the backyard. She took in the lovely landscaping of flowers along a rock path accentuated by benches.
Dakota crossed the kitchen and pushed open the back door leading to a small deck. She inhaled the fresh air as the warm, late-April afternoon sun kissed her cheeks. It was Saturday, and spring had fully arrived in Flowering Grove. The colorful plants in Trudy’s lush backyard danced in the warm afternoon breeze as bees buzzed around them. Three rabbits hopped by before disappearing into a bush, and two squirrels helped themselves to an afternoon snack from a nearby birdfeeder.
But despite the happy scenery, sadness built in Dakota’s chest as she leaned on the deck railing. She was still reeling from hurting Parker last night, and now the memories conjured up by Trudy’s house were about to send her into a bottomless, hopeless abyss.
She should have told Layla that she needed to keep working on her gown, which was the truth. She was still struggling to perfect the dress, and she only had a little over a month to finish it before the last fitting. The beading on the skirt still didn’t look right, and despite hours of work, she wasn’t yet happy with the sleeves or the train. Had she lost her touch?
The backyard gate opened with a squeak, and Dakota looked up. Hudson was walking through clad in pressed khaki shorts and a green golf shirt from an exclusive brand that flaunted his sinewy arms. A rush of nerves swarmed her stomach. His face was clean-shaven, and when his blue eyes met hers, he appeared as surprised as she felt.
She pushed her hands down her green sundress and patted her hair, hoping her French braid was still straight. Then she stoppedherself from groaning. Why was she always fussing about her appearance around him?
He reached the bottom of the deck stairs. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I wasn’t planning on coming.” She grimaced. “That came out wrong. What I meant was, I was going to send a gift so I could stay at the boutique and work, but Layla texted me and asked me to come.”
“Interesting. She texted me too.” He nodded toward the double glider behind her. “Want to sit?”
“Sure.”
***
They sat down, and Dakota looked out over the yard. “The yard looks different than I remember,” she said. “It’s nice.” She closed her eyes and pressed her hand to her temple. “Again, that’s not what I meant. Nothing’s coming out right today.”
“It’s okay.” Hud chuckled at her honesty. “I was never one to make time for helping my aunt with her yard work.” He blew out a puff of air. “But apparently, Shane wanted to show off his landscaping skills.”
“He did this?” she asked with a gasp, and he nodded. “He’s talented. If I had the money, I’d hire him too.”
“Yeah, I guess he’s pretty talented.” Hud’s smile dipped downward.
“That sounded sarcastic. Do you not think he’s talented?”
He wasn’t about to offer up his feelings about Shane when Dakota had made it clear she was Team Wedding. While keeping his focus on the yard, he gently pushed the glider into motion, and it creaked back and forth.