Bryan by Kali Hart

1

HALEY

Drivingthe getaway car in a wedding dress is hard. Zero of out ten, do not recommend. I’m trapped in a bubble of chiffon, constantly patting it down from the steering wheel as I keep my high-heeled foot pressed to the gas pedal. I can’t afford to slow down as I zip through the back roads of Daisy Hills.

Where in the hell is that country highway?

Adrenaline pumps steadily through my veins. It’s the only thing keeping me from completely losing my shit.

I ran out on my wedding.

I actually did it.

I didn’t think I possessed the courage to admit Tyler was wrong for me. Not until I saw the lipstick smudge on his collar. Someone had scrubbed at it until it was nearly invisible, but the hint of hot pink still lingered. Confirming suspicions I’d always had, but never wanted to entertain. Two seconds after my eyes connected with that barely-there lipstick stain, a man from my past burst into the venue.

“I object! You can’t marry him, Haley.”

A warmth spreads through my chest as Bryan’s words echo in my mind. I’ve been dreaming, hoping, that he’d stop the wedding since I switched venues at the last minute—not that I’d admit that to anyone. I just never in a million years thought that he’d actually do it. Not after the way things went down between us two years ago. With the horrible way I left him.

I’m so relieved when I see the turn for the narrow two-lane highway I could cry. It’s a barely used mountain road few know about or use. Though it does offer spectacular views, there are no pull offs to safely admire the scenery. The dead-end road is steep, narrow, and pitted with tiny potholes. That’s before it turns to a dirt road notorious for washing out during heavy rainfall. Tourists are strongly discouraged from traveling it. Which is exactly how the people living on this mountain want it.

Pity there isn’t any rainfall in the forecast.

I know this road so well I could travel it, blindfolded in the dark, and not miss a single sharp curve.

Chiffon blocks the rearview mirror and I slam it down for the fiftieth time to ensure I’m not being followed. I can’t wait to get the hell out of this monstrosity. The god-awful princess dress my overbearing mother insisted I had to have. I gave in because she started sobbing hysterically about her dreams being crushed when I came out in the mermaid gown that stole my heart. She had the audacity to call me chubby—one of the reasons I changed venues last minute. If she was going to ruin my dream dress experience, I was at least going to get married in my hometown instead of some flashy city venue.

In hindsight, my perfect dress would’ve been wasted on the wrong groom. The getaway would have been a whole lot harder, too.

The flat highway starts to climb, making me seriously regret these stupid shoes. They’re not practical for walking, running, or pressing the gas pedal all the way to the floor. But I didn’t have to time to kick them off. Natalie, the best wedding planner on the planet, yanked me away from the altar, shoved keys in my hand, and pointed me to the getaway car while everyone was still staring at Bryan.

She knew I didn’t want to marry Tyler. Even asked me yesterday if I really wanted to go through with this.

I lied, of course. To her. To myself.

I cringe, certain my mother will make the new wedding planner’s life a living hell for aiding and abetting the runaway bride. When I’m ready to face everyone, I promise myself that Natalie is one of my first priorities. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll make sure her career doesn’t go down in flames before it even has a chance to blossom.

The steep road grows windy. The two lanes narrow even more, now barely wide enough for two cars to pass. Not many people own cabins on this mountain—just Bryan and about a dozen others. But he’s the only one who doesn’t live here full time. Each time I swerve to miss a pothole, I hold my breath and hope no one is coming down the other side.

The pavement turns to dirt with a lurch and my stomach flips with it.

Holy shit. I really did it. I left him.

A tiny bubble of hysterical laughter passes my lips as the sedan’s engine groans, and I try to pull myself together. I know, I’m pushing the car to its limits on a road no longer meant for front-wheel drive vehicles. It’s a good thing it’s a rental. I suspect the shocks will be shot at the end of this bumpy drive.

“Come on, baby,” I murmur to the car, patting the steering wheel like it’s a horse. “We’re gonna make it. You got this.”

I continue around the mountain until the sun reappears and the foot of Bryan’s driveway comes into view. A wave of peace washes through me as I exhale a shaky breath. It’s my first easy breath since I came back to Daisy Hills more than a week ago.

You can’t marry him, Haley.

Bryan.

My heart squeezes as his name whispers over it and I pull into the driveway. We used to come here all the time when we were sneaking around, secretly head over heels in love with each other. No longer running, no longer afraid that someone is behind me, I stop at the top of the drive and see the cozy cabin for the first time in more than two years.

It looks exactly the same, from the cedar planks, to the covered porch, to the purple and blue wildflowers sprinkled all over. The garden gnome I’ve always been a little creeped out by sits at the base of the stairs. Bryan’s grandma gave it to him and he hasn’t had the heart to get rid of it. I hope the ceramic gnome still has the key.

Getting out of the car is harder than getting in. My dress catches on several things—on the gear shifter, on the radio knobs, on the seatbelt. When I hear a tear, I feel a small thrill and start to laugh.

Within seconds, that laugher threatens to turn to sobs. With a deep inhale, I force my impending breakdown to wait a little longer.

I abandon the suitcase packed for a honeymoon in Cancun and make a beeline for the garden gnome who’s been watching me since I pulled up. I lift him from his perch, surprised at how easily he lifts from the ground. Has Bryan been here recently? I didn’t make the trek out here expecting him to show up like some knight in shining armor. I’m not sure I could even handle that right now.

I wouldn’t exactly fight it, though …

When I ran, all I could think about was being alone. Bryan, aside from his late grandparents, is the only other person who knows this place exists. It was the first location that came to mind when Natalie handed me those keys. The only place I knew I’d be safe from everyone else’s judgment until I got my head on straight.

The gnome offers up the key from the secret compartment inside his shoes.

I’m so relieved I actually hug him.