A/N: Hi guys--I have the next chapter all ready to go early, so here it is! This is the last chapter in Toronto--after this, Jude and Rob head back to New York. So enjoy the rest of the wedding, but don't worry, there's plenty of drama to come back in the States :) Thanks for all of your reviews--you guys all totally motivate me to keep going. It's really great, so please, keep 'em coming!
We pick up right where we left off, with Rob discovering who was calling Jude's cell phone :-)
"Tommy?" Rob asked, looking at her confusedly.
Jude opened her mouth to explain but no words came out. She watched as Rob opened her phone and brought it to his ear.
"Hey, Tommy," he said into the phone. He eyed her suspiciously as she felt herself beginning to sweat. She watched him closely, her heart pounding, as he listened to something Tommy was saying.
"Yeah, okay. Hold on one second, she's right here," Rob said, cocking his head at her and holding her phone out wordlessly.
She swallowed nervously and took the phone, holding it up to her ear and turning away from Rob's intense gaze.
"What?" she asked quietly, her voice unsteady.
"Jude, we need to talk," Tommy said quickly.
"Tommy, I'm at my sister's wedding. She's having her first dance with Kwest. Now is not the best time," she said curtly.
"Okay, so when is a good time? You haven't returned any of my calls."
"Oh right, that might be because I don't want to talk to you. And the only reason why I'm talking to you now is because my boyfriend picked up my phone."
"Jude—please. Just meet with me. When you get back. I just…I have to talk to you," he pleaded.
She considered his appeal briefly, then shook her head. "I can't. Please, don't call me again."
At that, she slammed the phone shut, ending the call. She took a deep breath and waited a moment before reopening the phone and turning it off entirely.
"I thought you needed to talk to your editor," Rob said skeptically, watching her every move.
She turned back towards him, trying to maintain composure. "He can leave a message."
"What's going on, Jude?" Rob asked. "Why were you not answering Tommy's calls?"
She looked down uncomfortably, trying to soothe her nerves. "Because…we're not friends anymore."
"What? When did this happen?" Rob questioned in disbelief.
Jude looked up at him sincerely. "Rob, please, I don't want to talk about it. Tommy…he just…we just…I'm just done with him. That's all."
"That's all? Come on, what happened?"
"Rob, I'm asking you. As my boyfriend. Please. I don't want to talk about it," Jude said shortly. "I'm going to get a drink. Do you want anything?" she asked, standing up abruptly.
He silently shook his head as she took off towards the bar. He watched her leave, tapping his fingers against the table with his face scrunched up in thought.
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Standing at the bar staring into her cosmopolitan, she pushed the maraschino cherry around with a straw, replaying the last ten minutes in her head. She tried to calm down, breathing deeply and closing her eyes to relax. As she opened her eyes, she looked up to see Jamie standing next to her. He scrutinized her appearance and nudged her.
"Let's dance," he said.
"I don't think that's such a great idea," she protested, as he dragged her onto the dance floor.
"Too bad, Harrison. Looks like you could use it," he said, pulling her in to the slow dance.
She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, avoiding his eyes.
"So," he started, "do you want to tell me why you look like your dog just died?"
"Not really," she muttered quietly.
"It is your sister's wedding, Jude," Jamie remarked, swaying to the music. "It's supposed to be a happy day."
"I know," she replied. "It's just…have you ever felt like every decision you've ever made in your life has been wrong?"
He raised his eyebrows at her. "Not every one of my decisions, but I'm sure I made a lot of bad decisions. Why?"
She shook her head. "I'm just not sure how I got here."
Jamie smirked. "And you think I know? One minute I'm doing A&R for G-Major and then the next, I'm out in LA pitching new artists to investors."
Jude nodded, remembering his current job of managing a small recording studio in California.
"Do you ever regret any of it though? How you got where you are now?" she asked hesitantly.
He thought for a second, still swaying to the music. "You know, I don't. Not everything has been easy and I've definitely made my share of mistakes, but if I hadn't done all of those stupid things, I wouldn't be here. And I'm happy now. I have Becky, the studio is starting to grow—things are falling into place."
She nodded slowly, taking it all in.
He watched her closely. "Jude, I don't know what's going on, but I do know you. I know that even though you make stupid decisions like the rest of us, you always do what's in your heart. It's all part of Jude Harrison being true to herself."
She was quiet for a few moments, considering his words, then looked up at him. "Thanks, Jamie."
"No problem. That's what your 'supposed' best friend is here for," he replied.
"You are my best friend," she said. "I promise."
"Okay, okay," he said with a grin, pulling her in and swaying to the music.
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As the clock ticked closer to midnight, the party came to an end. After hugging her grandmother goodbye, Jude collapsed at the nearest table, putting her feet up on one of the chairs.
"Make room…the lady in the 600 pound dress needs to sit," Sadie said, approaching Jude's chair. Jude quickly removed her feet from the chair so that Sadie and all 600 pounds of her dress could sit down. As she fell into the chair, Sadie sighed deeply.
"You have no idea how good it feels to sit down."
"Actually, I do," Jude replied with a knowing grin. "Sadie, every time I went to sit down in the last three hours, you conveniently had to go to the bathroom."
"Sorry," Sadie said remorsefully. "They passed out champagne during dinner and it went right through me."
"Clearly," Jude said with a smirk. "Where's the groom?"
Sadie turned behind her, eyeing Kwest on the far side of the dance floor saying goodbye to an older couple. "Hopefully getting a nice chunk of change as a wedding gift from those old people."
"Sadie!" Jude exclaimed.
"What? I'm just being honest," Sadie explained. "When there's a room full of people at your wedding that you don't know, you better hope they give you lots of money on their way out."
"Wow, marriage has tainted you already," Jude muttered sarcastically.
Sadie sighed, turning back towards Jude. "So, where's your boyfriend?"
"Ummm…I think he's outside talking to some people…" Jude said vaguely, not wanting to discuss their little spat earlier in the night and how they hadn't spoken two words since.
"Did you two have fun?" Sadie asked.
"Yeah," Jude replied, trying to sound upbeat. "It was a great wedding."
"It was, wasn't it?" a male voice came from next to them. Jude and Sadie looked up to see Kwest smiling down at them.
Sadie smiled widely as Kwest sat down next to her, grabbing her hand.
"So, Jude," Kwest started, "I hear you've had quite the interesting few weeks."
"Kwest!" Sadie yelled, hitting his arm.
Jude turned towards Sadie with a grimace. "You told him?"
"I had to. We're married. I can't have any secrets," Sadie defended uneasily.
"Even if they're my secrets?" Jude asked.
"Jude, don't worry. Who am I going to tell?" Kwest asked.
Jude shrugged. "It's not that…it's just…more people thinking I'm a horrible person."
"Hey, I don't think that," Kwest said sincerely. "You made a mistake. Besides, the second I heard you two were hanging out again, I would've bet this wedding gift that something would happen."
"Seriously?" Jude asked, looking at him skeptically.
"Definitely. Jude, I was trapped in that studio with the two of you. I know what happens when you hang out. Sparks fly," he said with a nod.
Sadie spoke up quietly. "You know, we did invite him this weekend."
Jude looked at them both in surprise. "You did?"
"Yeah," Kwest replied. "I told him that we'd have a seat for him and that fiancée of his. He was supposed to come but he called this week to say he couldn't."
"Did he say why?" Jude asked timidly.
Kwest shook his head. "Nope. He just said something came up and he was sorry he couldn't make it."
Jude remained quiet, suddenly feeling guilty.
Sadie saw her reaction and said, "It might've just been coincidence."
Jude shook her head. "It wasn't. He's not here because of me," she said. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to throw off your wedding plans…"
"Hey, don't worry about it. He was a last-minute addition anyway," Sadie replied.
Jude sighed deeply. "It doesn't matter. It's your wedding night, so we're not talking about this. Don't you have a honeymoon suite to go to?"
"Ahhh, we do," Kwest said, his eyebrows raised at Sadie.
Sadie raised her eyebrows too and quickly stood up. "Come to think of it, I'm tired. Maybe we should…"
"Go up to our room…yeah…." Kwest said impatiently. "Our room with the hot tub."
"And on that overly graphic note," Jude said, standing up too, "good night, you two. Congratulations and have fun on your honeymoon," she said, with a hug to each of them.
"Thanks, Jude," Kwest said, turning to say goodnight to the remaining guests.
Sadie looked at Jude with a smile. "I'll talk to you next week when we get back?"
"Definitely," Jude agreed, pulling her sister in for a hug. "Congratulations, Sadie. I'm really happy for you."
"Thank you," Sadie said. "And how about as a wedding gift, you try to have a low drama week while we're gone?"
Jude laughed lightly and nodded. "It's a deal."