Chapter 46: Cuts Like a Knife


    The ufortable tension between the bride and groom permeated the entire dining room. Bree could


    feel a crawling in her skin that made every inch of her body itch. All she wanted to do was rip her skin


    off, but since that wouldn’t solve the problem, she did her best to ignore both of them, praying it would


    all be over soon, and she could get on a ne back to Nashville and never think about any of these


    people again.


    Even the people who had no idea anything had happened between Monica and Trent could still feel the


    uneasiness around them. They were pretending to be fine, talking to each other. Monica would giggle


    every once in a while and touch his arm. But it was fake. It was a good thing she was trying to be a


    model and not an actress because she would’ve never made it as thetter.


    Soft conversation filled the room from time to time, but for the most part, the jubnt party atmosphere


    that had surrounded the group all week was gone, reced by confused expressions of people who


    wanted to know why they felt bad who had no exnation.


    After dessert was served, a few of the older couples got up to dance. There was a quartet ying


    ind music in the room, and they were very talented, but all Bree could think was that she needed to


    get out of that room. Now.


    Hank made his move first, though. He was sitting closer to the door. He got up and nodded his


    goodbyes to a few people,pletely ignoring the bride and groom. He looked briefly at Bree, but she


    felt like that was an ident. Then, he was gone.


    And she was right behind him.


    Bree didn’t say goodbye to anyone. She’d left her guitar locked up in one of the closets at the chapel,


    so all she had was her phone and her room key. While she wasn’t as fast as Hank, she was on a


    mission. She saw him veer off of the path toward the beach and followed right behind him, running a


    few steps, and grabbing him by the arm.


    He must’ve known she wasing because he said, “What do you want, Bree?” before he even turned


    around.


    “I don’t know. But… I couldn’t let you walk away by yourself.”


    “Why not? You think I’m gonna go for a long dunk in the ocean?”


    “No, but I know if anyone else in the whole world feels as shitty as I do right now, it’s you.”


    That’s when he turned to look at her. An exasperated smile took over his face. “Yeah, I guess so.” Hank


    opened her arms, and she fell into them.


    “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I told him. I’m sorry I told him, and it didn’t do either one of us any good.”


    “Me, too,” Hank admitted. “I should''ve taken the pictures to him myself, but I was too afraid of losing


    him. Now, I know we’ll never be the same as we were before, but he doesn’t even seem to care.”


    “He cares. Couldn’t you see the tension between them? He’s upset, but he doesn’t know what to do.”


    “Honestly, I didn’t pay much attention to them at all.”


    “The whole room could feel it,” she said. The two of them started walking again. The moonlight was


    beautiful out over the water, the soft wavespping against the shore, but it was difficult to admire


    anything when Bree felt like the entire world was spiraling out of control.


    “He wanted to talk to me, but I avoided him. I didn’t know what he wanted to say, but I expected it to be


    pretty ugly. Now, I’m guessing it wouldn''t have been at all. How can he still let me stand up there next


    to him tomorrow after what I’ve done to him? Is he really some sort of saint or somethin’?”


    “Hardly,” Bree replied, folding her arms. “No. I think he’s afraid of what everyone is going to think if he


    doesn’t go through with this. I don’t even think it’s the money. He’s afraid of the judgment. I think he’s


    always been a little afraid of what other people thought, a little more than you or I have been anyway.”


    “Yeah, I can see that, but only because he doesn’t want to let anyone down. He won’t want to


    disappoint his parents, but he also won’t want to disappoint Monica’s parents. They’re good people.”


    “That’s true. They are. But they’ll be more disappointed if they end up getting an annulment or a


    divorce.”


    “Sure. But that’s two steps down the road, not right now. He’s thinking about right now. Besides that, I


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    wonder if it’s even urred to him that I’m probably not the only one. I don’t think I am.”


    That was news to Bree. “You think Monica’s slept with other guys while she’s been engaged to Trent?”


    “Hell ya, I do. I can’t prove that, though.”


    “Is that why you took the pictures? In case you ever wanted to tell him the truth--so she couldn’t deny


    it?”


    “That and because I wanted pictures of myself with such a hot girl. But... maybe.”


    “I’m sorry I stole them. That was pure evil on my part.”


    “Yeah it was. But I don’t me you. Have you deleted them off of your phone?”


    “I will.” Bree pulled her phone out and did it right then. “Trent has them, though. He stole them from


    me.”


    “Figures.” Hank let out a deep sigh.


    They walked on for a few minutes in silence. Bree could see her room off to the right, across the sand


    and the palm trees that lined the walkway. It would be easy to go back there now, go to sleep, and not


    wake up until she had to go y her song. Then, she was catching the first flight out. “Let me ask you


    something, though, Hank. If Monica wanted to be with you now, say she broke up with Trent, would you


    be with her?”


    “Yes, of course. No doubt about it.”


    “Really?” Bree was shocked. “How could you do that after what she’s done to him?”


    He shrugged. “I love her. I’d do anything for her.”


    “But Hank… she’s… a horrible person. She’s been doing her best to ruin your life and Trent’s. How can


    you love someone like that?”


    “Hell, Bree, I don’t know. But I do. Maybe that’s Trent’s real problem. Maybe he still loves her, too.”


    That was thest thing in the world Bree wanted to hear. “Maybe so.” She took a deep breath, held it,


    and then let it go. “I’m gonna call it a night.” She patted him on the arm. “Take care, Hank. It’ll all work


    out.” She didn’t believe that for a minute, but she’d said it anyway. It didn’t matter--he didn’t believe it


    either.


    Bree headed back to her room, thankful to be inside and alone. Her n now was to take a hot bath


    and do her best to go to sleep. She turned her phone off, made sure the door was locked, and closed


    the curtains. She’d had enough of the world for one day.