She picked up her favorite derby bag, the one big enough to hold all her important stuff, and began to cram clothing and gear into it.
Then she sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, the implications of leaving hitting her. Shit. Gretchen’s wedding. She couldn’t be in it. Not now. And her derby team? She was going to have to bail out on them, too. Hot tears flooded down her face. She was disappointing everyone.
But at least Gretchen was easy to bail out on. As much as she wanted to run away and hide, Sebastian deserved a face-to-face good-bye. She picked up her phone and wiped away her tears, then texted Gretchen the bad news.
Next up, her derby sisters.
Chapter Twenty-three
Sebastian and Hunter had spent the morning rock climbing, and then Sebastian had gone to visit his father, since his mother had claimed to be out visiting friends. He’d spent a nice, quiet lunch with Dad, feeling a little guilty that he wasn’t spending more time with him. Dad’s health was getting more fragile by the year, and he wouldn’t be around forever. Sebastian vowed not to let his mother continue to chase him off from family visits.
As he’d left the Cabral home, he’d gotten a text from Hunter. Can you come by this afternoon? Need to have an impromptu groomsmen meeting. 2 P.M.
Sebastian sent back an affirmative, and then instructed his driver that he needed to go to Buchanan Manor instead of straight home. He sent Chelsea a text letting her know he’d be late for their afternoon skating workout through Central Park, but didn’t get a response.
Maybe she was still out buying soap supplies.
When his car pulled up, he instructed the driver to wait. “No idea how long this will take, so stick around.” He got out of the car and noticed a few others were parked. Those must have been the other men. Not for the first time, Sebastian wondered why they were having a groomsmen meeting in person when it could have been just as easily solved by a few phone calls or text messages. Or emails. Was the wedding called off? He’d seen Hunter earlier today and he hadn’t indicated any trouble.
Odd.
He said a quick hello to Hunter’s elderly butler and headed up the stairs to Hunter’s office. The door was open, and he knocked quickly, then entered. A few other men were there already. Asher, Cooper, Levi, and Hunter.
Hunter gestured at one of the chairs across from his desk. “Sit. We’re just waiting on Magnus.”
The other three men gave him wary looks as he sat down. “What’s this about?”
“I’ll explain soon enough.” Hunter’s expression was grave. Then again, he was usually somber.
Sebastian shrugged and checked his phone, looking for a missed text from Chelsea. She normally answered fast. Nothing again. Huh.
The men waited in tense, uncomfortable silence as Hunter continued to work on his computer. A few minutes later, though, Magnus entered, a big, strapping man with an equally perplexed expression on his face. “Hello, boys. Surprised to see you all here.”
Sebastian shot him a curious look, but glanced back down at his phone again. So did no one know what was going on? And why wasn’t Chelsea answering him?
“Good. You’re here.” Hunter’s gravelly voice distracted Sebastian away from his too-silent phone. “I asked you all to come here today because you are all good friends and business associates of mine. I’ve asked you to be in my wedding. I trust all of you. And you know that Gretchen is the woman I love and intend to marry, and she has her heart set on a big wedding with lots of pomp and circumstance. And because I can’t refuse her anything, I’m going to give her the big wedding she wants. Which is what brings me to today’s meeting.” For a moment, he looked pissed. “Quit sticking your dicks in the bridesmaids.”
Sebastian couldn’t help it. He snorted. That was one rule he wasn’t going to listen to, because he was married to Chelsea.