His "Childhood Friend" Planned My Wedding? Cool, I Planned My Exit! novel · Chapter 21 of 24

Chapter 21: Nothing Left to Announce

Dexter's POV

The microphone was warm from Lindy's hand.

A hundred people were looking at me, and in all of them I could see the same question.

Denise was beside me with her fingers on my sleeve.

"Say it's a misunderstanding," she whispered. "Say it, Dexter. Now."

I looked at the front row.

Casey was standing very straight, with her friend's hand on one arm and the bait shop man's on her back. She did not look angry.

She was waiting to see whether I would be a coward one more time.

"My name is Dexter Pennick," I said.

The speakers carried it out over the water.

"Everything on that screen is true."

Denise's grip on my sleeve went hard.

"I've known for six years that Lindy is Casey's sister. A man told me on a fishing trip and made me promise not to say so. He was dying, and I told myself the promise was a kindness."

I stopped. My mouth was dry.

"It wasn't. I used it so I would never have to have the hard conversation. I let Casey think I was cheating on her. I let her think she was crazy. She asked me to go to her father's grave and I went to a photo shoot instead."

Nobody coughed. Nobody moved.

"My mother didn't force me. I let her take the wedding and I let her build this, because it was easier than saying no."

I turned and faced Denise.

"I'm done with this, Mom."

"Dexter."

"You paid for a dress that you never asked the bride about. You told people she was sick. You put Lindy on a sidewalk."

"I did it for you!"

"No," I said, and for the first time in my life I did not lower my voice. "You did it so you'd get the family you wanted. I'm not that family. I never was."

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