The Goodbye Bride Read Online Free

seven months since she’d left. How had she managed to fall in love and get engaged so quickly? Or maybe she’d been in love for longer than that. Maybe that’s why she’d left him in the first place. The thought was a punch in the gut.
    He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms, frowning. What the heck was he doing here? She had a groom somewhere, a groom she loved, and a church full of people wondering what had happened to her.
    It didn’t add up though. What had she been doing alone in a diner bathroom right before her wedding?
    Lucy wasn’t the only one with questions.
    But he’d have to put his aside for now. The doctor would be in soon with another set of questions. Lucy had filled out her own forms in the busy waiting room, and her pen hadn’t even paused over the address line. She’d jotted down the address of her Summer Harbor apartment, only pausing when she’d reached the insurance information.
    Lucy had no idea of the extent of her memory loss, and regardless of how she’d left things with him, he still felt protective. He’d have to break it to her easy.

    Lucy’s eyes fluttered open. She felt ever so much better. Thank God for medication. She was floating a little, but that was just fine. Better that than the horrible anxiety that had sent panic racing through her veins.
    Her eyes drifted to Zac, hunched over in the bedside chair. Thank God he was still there. But even with her blurry vision she could see the scowl on his face. It hurt. He’d always been so tender toward her. So protective and sweet.
    â€œWhy are you mad at me?” she whispered.
    His eyes darted to hers, his face softening. “Feeling better?”
    â€œMuch.”
    â€œGood.” He stood and paced the length of the room.
    He was so tall. So broad shouldered. He towered over her five-foot-four-inch frame, and when he took her in his arms, she felt safe and loved in a way she hadn’t since she was a young girl. His confident presence just took over a room, and right now his long-legged stride was making quick work of the space.
    He turned and faced her. “Lucy . . . there are some things you need to be aware of.”
    She pulled the sheet up against her chest. “What is it?”
    â€œThis . . . wedding.” He gestured toward her gown hanging in the small wardrobe with the door ajar. “It wasn’t ours.”
    She blinked, trying to see him. Trying to make sense of what he was saying. “Whatever are you talking about?”
    He drew a breath and blew it out. “We’re not together anymore, Lucy.”
    Why was he saying this? A burn started behind her eyes. She shook her head as a knot hardened in her throat.
    â€œWe were over months ago. I’m sorry to break it to you like this, but the doctor is going to have questions, and you need to know—you’re missing a lot of time.”
    Her heart was an aching hole in the center of her chest. It couldn’t be true. They couldn’t have parted ways. Zac loved her, and she loved him. So much.
    She shook her head. “No.”
    He neared the bed, stopping just shy of the rail, his hands stuffed into his jeans pockets. “It’s true. You’ve lost a good seven months at least.” He kept on in that matter-of-fact voice she was growing to hate.
    â€œWhy are you doing this?” Her voice cracked.
    â€œI’m telling you the truth. You need to know, and the doctor needs to know so they can figure out what’s—” His eyes stopped on something. He reached over and grabbed the newspaper he’d brought from the lobby. “What day is it, Lucy?”
    â€œIt—it’s . . . I don’t know. Our wedding day. November seventeenth.” She stared into his eyes at the long pause, feeling more vulnerable than she remembered feeling in a long time.
    â€œWe were sitting outside on the harbor,” he said. “Did it feel like November