The Window Seat (badLuckbrides #1)

Chapter 14

Kathlyn

Four Days Until Wedding

"Where are you, James? I look like an idiot sitting here waiting on you." I've been waiting around for him at the bakery for about thirty minutes and knowing him, I'm starting to get nervous. I'm beginning to think he doesn't take any of this seriously. He's managed to brush off practically all the important decision making since I got here.

"You didn't get my text?" I could hear voices in the background and wondered where he could possibly be that was that loud.

"Your text?" I squint, startled by a honk after a couple of cars barely dodge a fender bender right in front of me.

"Yeah, I texted you about an hour a—shit, it didn't send."

I roll my eyes, an immediate pout comes over my mauve lips. He couldn't possibly be that busy. He knew these two weeks were important. I'd be willing to turn my cheek at a couple of days where something came up. Fine. But not virtually skipping out on every thing we had planned to do.

"Basically—" he starts, but I hear the door open behind me. I turn around, Simon's standing at the entrance to the bakery and didn't notice me out on the sidewalk until I looked at him.

"You sent fucking Simon, again? Why this time?"

"I'm sorry, Kath—I just got busy today, but I promise I'll make it up to you."

"You had something more important to do than finish getting our wedding together?" I shake my head to myself. "You're really just giving me the impression that you don't care about any of this."

"Kathlyn, I'm just...I'm trying my hardest to finalize the designs for the brand before the wedding so that we can enjoy the honeymoon with no interruptions. Once I'm done, you'll have me all to yourself. I'm sorry and I'll make it up to you, promise."

I hung up the phone, for the first time happy to press the red button on him. I'm tired of his excuses. I'm tired of Simon showing up to everything. I'm tired of feeling like I'm marrying myself. "This is bullshit." I cross my arms. "He thinks you can just take his place?"

He shoves his hands in his pockets. "Well, no—"

I scoff, looking away. I don't know what I expected anymore. Was he going to dress Simon as the groom and have me marry him because something else came up on our wedding day? I wouldn't be surprised.

"This is shitty, I know. But I'm here to help, alright?"

"He's missing everything. This is our cake, mine and James's. This is our wedding, not mine and yours."

Simon doesn't say a word. He lets his hands flail out like he can't say anything against what I've said and he's not going to, and he follows me inside.

We take a seat at a table and just as we've pushed ourselves in, a man rolls out a cart with about twenty or so different slices of cake. I could just about cry over how bummed I am. This was supposed to be fun, to taste cakes together and discuss our favorites. But here I am, forced to be with Simon again.

He however, looks excited, his eyes gleaming over each selection. He's adorable and as I notice how cute he is, my pout fades a bit. He's always had a sweet tooth and this is right up his alley.

"Alright, which one first, boss?" he asks.

I look over the assortment of small slices, the little, dainty, silver forks sticking out of each. "The marble one looks interesting," I mumble.

He passes me the plate, smiling at me. Probably salivating.

Why is he suddenly being so sweet? Is it because I'm a charity case and he pities me? I feel like one. I also feel like I've hit rock bottom, looking to him for comfort. To feel warmth and acceptance in his smile. I don't want to cry in front of him. I hated crying in front of Simon, but I'm pissed off enough that I could.