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“Shh, Sadie. The question is for Jude.”
Jude doesn’t say anything for what I swear is an entire minute, and the anxiety filling my veins rushes to my heart. She’s going to call us out. I just know it.
“Mrs. Wilkins, I would never ask Sadie to marry me if I wasn’t in love with her. You have my word.” Jude brings our joined hands to his lips, kissing the top of my hand. “I feel lucky to have my best friend be my wife.”
The air whooshes from my lungs. Whether from relief at his answer or because of how sincere he sounds and how it makes me feel, I can’t be sure.
My mom’s smile grows wider, and she looks at me, her expression filled with love. “I’m so happy to hear that. Oh, I wish Monty were here. He always said…” She waves again, reaching for a tissue and blotting her eyes.
Did we really just pull this off?
She quickly lowers the tissue, and through the remaining tears trickling down her cheeks, she says, “So, what are you thinking? We have to get you a dress, and oh, there’s so much to do. When are you thinking? A year? A year and a half? We can go to Lincoln to find a dress and?—”
I hate to do this to her. She’s probably dreamed about my wedding as long as I have. “We’re thinking small. At The Knotted Barn. And I’m just going to get something shipped in. No need to make a lot of fuss.”
My mom’s hand with the tissue lowers, and her eyes lock on mine. All her unanswered questions rest in her green hues. The guilt burrows deeper inside me.
“Oh. I figured… I mean, you always wanted a big wedding.”
“I…” I look to Jude for him to jump in here. I’m breaking my mom’s heart, and I’m one more assumption from telling her the truth.
“We don’t want to waste a lot of time,” he says, attempting the save, causing my mom’s back to straighten.
“Why?” The tears dry up fast, and she lasers in on me for an answer. “Why are you in such a rush? It’s because of the farm, isn’t it?” She shakes her head. “No way, you two.”
“No, what?” I ask.
“You both need to let this farm go.”
“It has nothing to do with the farm.” I turn to Jude, widening my eyes so he backs me up.
He clears his throat. “Mrs. Wilkins, we don’t want to wait another year. We’ve already waited so long, that’s all.”
Holy shit, I’m starting to think Jude actually can lie. Where did that come from?
“Really?” my mom asks, looking between us. “I suppose, if anything, your dad’s passing made it clear how fast things can change.”
Jude slides his hand from mine and wraps it around my waist, tucking me into his side. This is something we’ve never done, and my cheeks heat from feeling like a real couple. “Yes.”
She stares long and hard at us.
Jude’s hand slides up to my shoulder to the side of my head, and he leans over, kissing my cheek. “I’ll be right back. I have to use the bathroom.”
What? He’s leaving me? But my mom’s eyes stay on the cheek that he just kissed, so I think he might have helped our case.
“Okay,” I say, inflecting in my tone that he’s leaving me high and dry.
He walks through the kitchen toward the bathroom.
“Sadie?” From my mom’s tone, I know she’s asking me to tell her the truth.
God, this is killing me, but she’d never allow me to go through with the wedding if she knew the reason why, and she has enough to deal with right now.
“I love him, Mom.” It’s not a lie. I do love Jude. It’s only the whole marriage part that’s the lie.
“I know, sweetie. Are you sure?”
I nod. “Yes, Mom.”
