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forty-four
Max
I sat there,bellied up to the bar, feeling like I was getting an ulcer as the wounded sound of Sophie’s voice kept playing in my head, over and over again. I wanted to scrap this plan and go talk to her—about every pathetic thing—but now that I was here, I might as well finish what I’d started.
The second I was done, though, I promised myself that I’d grab champagne and ice cream and run to Soph’s.
Just as I thought that, I saw long red hair and big green eyes out of the corner of my eye.
Lili was here.
The familiar pang of...somethingslammed into me as our eyes met and she smiled.
I’d thought about that smile so many fucking times over the years that it was ridiculous, honestly, and seeing it felt like returning to something comfortable, like visiting a house you used to live in.
“Hey, you,” she said, giving me a friendly hug before taking the stool beside me.
“Lil,” I said, motioning to the bartender to get her a drink. “What do you want—pinot?”
Her smile grew a little bigger. “Of course.”
I didn’t know how to broach the delicate subject, but I supposedit wasn’t my job to protect her anymore. I wanted to just say my piece—for my conscience’s sake—and get the hell out of there.
“So, the reason I wanted to talk to you.”
“Ah, yes,” she said, and I realized she looked different.Better.She’d always been beautiful, but there was something more relaxed in her smile, more alive in her eyes.
Maybe that was because it’d been a while, but she looked happy.
Shit, I’d probably never seen her look happy because she’d been with me.
“I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just going to spill it.”
“Oh, God,” she said, pushing her long hair behind her ear and crossing her arms. “This can’t be good.”
“It’s not.” I started talking, giving her a light version of what was happening. I told her that my best friend’s roommate’s sister knew her fiancé, and there were rumors that he thought she was having an affair and he was considering calling off the wedding.
“It’s very possible that he’ll do nothing and the wedding will go off as planned,” I said, unable to tell what she was thinking, “but I thought you deserved to know so you didn’t marry someone who wasn’t absolutely certain about you.”
I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t for her to close her eyes and say, “ThankGod.”
“I’m sorry...?” I watched as nothing but relief showed on her face. “What?”
She exhaled. “I’m not having aphysicalaffair, Max, but I’ve had feelings for someone else for a long time, and it’s recently come to my attention that he feels the same way.”
“Oh?” I said, and as she sipped her wine, it occurred to me that I didn’t feel the way I’d always felt around her. She was gorgeous and smelled good and I liked her, but I didn’t feel suffocated by how badly I wanted her in my life.
It had simmered into more of an affection, of a warmth for someone who used to be important to me.
Hell, I wanted to get out my phone and text Soph that very second that I’d had a breakthrough.
But would she take my call?
“To be honest, I’ve been brazen about texting this other person in an attempt to get Garrett to call it off.”
“That seems kind of shitty,” I said, picking up my pint glass.
“I know,” she agreed, “but my parents adore him, and I’ve been too scared to do it myself.”
