Free When Love Happens by Darcy Burke

him.”
    Frustration and helplessness crested over Tori. “See? This is why I didn’t tell any of you. I knew you’d all think it was a stupid mistake.”
    Sara held up her hand, which revealed how she’d pulled her sleeve down so she could worry the edges as she sought sensory input. “Waita second. I never said I thought you made a mistake. I asked why you kept it a secret. Maybe you could start at the beginning. How did you meet?”
    The pull to talk to her sister, to share, drew the words from Tori’s mouth almost involuntarily. “It was New Year’s, at the hotel grand opening in Kuala Lumpur. We fell in lust with each other.” That much was true. So true.
    Sara’s expression softened.“I can understand that.”
    Tori allowed a half-smile. “We saw each other for a few weeks after that—I went to LA a couple of times, and then we met up in Vegas. The wedding was a lark. We thought it would be a fun story to tell down the road.” Her heart started to beat faster as she permitted herself to think about things she’d shoved away for months. “To our grandchildren or something,” she muttered.

    Sara’s eyes rounded briefly. “So you went to Vegas intending to get married?”
    “No. I mean, maybe. I don’t know.” She brushed her hair behind her ear. “It was a great weekend.” The words came out in a whisper, as if she were afraid to say them out loud. And she supposed she was. It had all ended so badly . . .
    “Tori, what happened?” Sara moved forward, stopping just in front of Tori. “You’refreaking me out.”
    Tori tightened her arms around herself, feeling suddenly chilled. Her skin tingled, and her limbs began to shake. “It was the beginning of February.”
    All the color drained from Sara’s face. “Oh no . . . It wasn’t . . . ?”
    Tori nodded slowly. “It was that weekend. We got married Sunday evening. And I”—the shaking worsened—“I texted Alex after the ceremony. I’d told him aboutSean.” She looked at her sister, for the first time letting someone else see the pain she’d endured for so long. “You know how Alex was. We all confided in him. He was just so easy to talk to.”
    Sara threw her arms around Tori and hugged her tight. “I know. God, I know.” Her shoulders shook, and Tori knew she was crying.
    Tori embraced her sister in return, expecting her own tears. She was surprisedwhen none came. She pulled back. “He texted me back.”
    Sara sniffed, wiping her cheeks. “What did he say?”
    “He told me to be happy no matter what.”
    Sara smiled through her tears. “That’s so great. For that to be the last thing he said to you.”
    “But it wasn’t,” Tori whispered, tears now clogging her throat. “He called me later, but I didn’t answer. I saw his missed call in the morning, afterDad woke me up with his call.”
    Eyes wide, Sara put her hand over her mouth. “He didn’t leave a voicemail?”
    Tori drew in a ragged breath. “No. He called me at twelve oh eight a.m.”
    Sara turned and slumped against the wall. Tears tracked down her cheeks once more. “Why didn’t you tell any of us?”
    The weight Tori had carried seemed just a bit lighter, but it was still there, pressing on her chest,stealing her breath. “I couldn’t. I can still barely think about it.” Even now, she wanted to shake it from her head and find something else to talk about. Or better yet, leave and go lose herself in a long run or a bath or . . . anything else.
    Sara grabbed Tori’s hand and squeezed it, probably more for her own sensory needs than to comfort Tori, though it was for that, too. “You can’t feel guiltyabout not answering.”
    “How? What if he was reaching out for someone to talk him out of what he was doing?”
    Sara rubbed her thumb over the back of Tori’s hand. “Then he would’ve called someone else when you didn’t answer.” She blinked. Her thumb stilled. “Do you think he did?”
    “That person would have told us.”
    Sara stared at her.