I Was The Spare Seat The Spare Gift And The Spare Bride novel Chapter 05

Liam scanned the hall. Every corner. Then he pushed open the dressing room door Empty.

He called my number. It rang three times, then cut off. He tried again. Straight to voicemail.

His face shifted-from confusion to a kind of bewilderment he’d never shown.

Dad frowned. “That girl-never quick on her feet. Picking the wrong time to mess up.”

Mom agreed. “Exactly. Slow as always, and now she flakes on her own wedding? When she shows up. I’ll give her a piece of my mind.”

Liam didn’t respond. He turned and walked out. “I’ll check where she’s supposed to be.”

The hotel room-seventh floor. He knocked. No answer. He got a key card from the front desk and opened it.

Bed made. Window open for air. No gown, no makeup bag, no sign anyone had ever been there. Front desk checked records: “This guest checked out days ago. We withheld the deposit for early checkout.”

Liam stood in that empty room and felt something cave in his chest. He wanted to call me-or call my

friends. But he realized he had no way to reach anyone. All these years, aside from my number, he had no

way to find me.

My parents caught up. “No one?”

Liam’s voice went hoarse. “No. Hotel says she checked out days ago-never came here today”

“I’ll find another way.”

He walked out of the hotel, his hands trembling slightly.

Naomi had followed him. She stood at the entrance, bag in hand, makeup perfect. She hesitated, then

reached out to stop him.

“Liam… I wasn’t going to say this because you were about to marry her. But since it’s come to this

Liam looked up, dazed.

Naomi took a deep breath, as if summoning courage. “I want to tell you -I regret it I regret not saying

yes back then. I still do. I know you still love me. Can we… start over?”