The Man Who Has No Sight - Victoria Quinn Page 0,91

finished, it was time for us to say something.

Tabitha rose to her feet to go first. “Well, I don’t know what to say. They say weddings are the most stressful thing to plan, but it’s been so easy…and I know that’s because of my future mother-in-law, Cleo. She’s amazing, and I’m so grateful she’ll always be in my life. Thank you to everyone for coming, for being a part of this special day. I love this man with all my heart.” Her hand went to my shoulder, and she looked down at me.

I drank my champagne and didn’t meet her look.

“And I’m so happy to spend the rest of my life with him.” She paused like she expected me to meet her look. When I didn’t, she sat down and leaned in to kiss me.

I got to my feet and held my champagne flute, my other hand sliding into my pocket. I stood there for a while, all eyes on me, the silence becoming louder as I continued to grapple with all my emotions. I used to be good with words, like my mother, but now… I couldn’t think of anything to say. “When I think about what kind of marriage I want to have, I think about my parents.” I raised my hand to gesture to their place at the head of the table. When I looked at them, neither one of them smiled, like they knew me so well that they knew whatever I said next wouldn’t be good. “They genuinely love each other, would never lie to each other, and I just assumed I would have what they have…someday.” My hand withdrew from my pocket, and I rubbed the back of my neck. “Most people don’t know that my dad was actually married before, to my birth mother. But she was a bitch, and it didn’t work out.”

Now, everyone flinched at my words.

Tabitha did too, her eyes widening and shifting to Kevin, like she knew I knew everything.

My dad rose to his feet. “Derek—”

“Sit.” I snapped my fingers and pointed down. “It’s my day. I can say whatever I damn well please.”

My dad stilled and lowered himself again.

My mom looked pale in the face.

I continued. “So maybe I’ll follow in my father’s footsteps. That the next time I do this, it’ll be right.” I looked down at Tabitha. “Because this isn’t fucking right with you.” I set my glass down and shoved my chair back to storm off. “Maybe you should marry Kevin. You know—since you’re both liars and cheaters.” I turned away.

Kevin got to his feet and pressed his hands into his chest. “Derek, wait. Let me just—”

My fist collided so hard with his face that I broke his nose and blood sprayed everywhere. I shoved him to the side so I could get past.

Everyone at the table gasped. Chaos exploded.

I moved around the table to get the hell out of there. I didn’t know where to go, who to call, what to do…because everyone who really mattered was sitting at that table, witnessing my demise, my raw humiliation.

I made it through the door and into the stairwell.

Dad came after me. “Derek.”

I ignored him and descended to the next floor.

He might be in his forties, but he was in phenomenal shape, so he caught up to me and grabbed me by the arm. “Derek—”

I flung his arm off me and backed away. “Just leave me the fuck alone.”

He didn’t reach for me again, but the pained look on his face showed how devastated he was by all of this.

I kept going.

This time, he didn’t follow.

I sat on the back porch and stared at the lake, a beer in my hand. Clear skies made the hot sun blanket the water with brightness, and the light hit the waves just the way it had every summer of my childhood.

It was quiet, only the sound of the water and the breeze audible to my ears.

But it also made me realize you couldn’t run from your problems; you just took them with you.

I’d blocked Tabitha’s number and did the same to Kevin. I hadn’t been at my apartment for the past week because I’d been here, spending my time fishing, cleaning my catch, and cooking it on the stove the way my dad taught me. Life was slow here, simple. My parents loved to come here, bringing all of us along or escaping on their own while my grandmother watched us.

This cabin was filled with happy memories, but those happy