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“But, um, it didn’t take long for things to get real between us,” I say as I look down at my hands.
When I glance up at Becca, she’s staring at me with wide, unblinking eyes.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you, Bec,” I say, feeling like a jerk. “But Tyler didn’t want his mom to find out so we just thought it was easier not to tell anyone.”
She starts to nod. “No, it’s okay. I mean, it makes sense. His mom was pretty relentless about trying to set him up. I understand why he did it. And I understand why you kept it a secret.”
“You’re not mad that I didn’t tell you?”
She smiles and shakes her head. “Of course not.”
My shoulders relax as I let out a breath. Becca goes back to hugging me.
“We weren’t together long, but I fell so hard for him. He was so sweet, so thoughtful, so protective over me. He was the perfect boyfriend. It was so easy to fall in love with him.”
I hug my knees to my chest and rest my cheek on the tops of my knees. “It just hurts that he chose a job he didn’t seem to even want all that much over me. Over our relationship. But if that’s what he wants—if that job is what makes him happy, then he made the right choice.”
I close my eyes and huff out a breath, the ache in my chest deepening.
When I glance at Becca, I see she’s pursing her lips and looking off to the side.
“What?” I ask when she turns to look at me.
“It’s just…look, Gage made me promise not to say anything, but you should know.”
“Know what?”
She hesitates for a second. “Tyler is pretty unhappy in LA.”
I sit up, surprised. “He is?”
She nods. “Tyler and Gage talked on the phone the other night and I guess he told Gage that he doesn’t feel like he fits in there. I think he’s having a hard time adjusting. And apparently he kept saying that he missed you so much.”
My heart skids, slamming against my ribcage. “Oh…”
“I’m not trying to get involved in your love life,” Becca says. “But maybe Tyler’s not as happy as you think he is. Maybe he thought taking the job was the right thing to do, but maybe now that he has it, he’s having second thoughts. And maybe when he’s back for the wedding, you two can talk about what exactly that means for your relationship.”
I sit there, quietly pondering what my best friend has told me.
I hate that Tyler is sad. I want him to be happy more than anything. But knowing that he’s taking our breakup hard too gives me a weird kind of comfort, as horrible as that sounds. It makes me wonder if maybe his feelings for me run as deep as mine do for him.
It makes me wonder if maybe he’s in love with me too…
I shake my head. I shouldn’t be speculating about all this. And I shouldn’t be putting expectations on his feelings for me. When he comes back next weekend for the wedding, I’ll take him aside after the ceremony and ask if we can talk. And then maybe—hopefully—I’ll get some clarity about things between us.
Becca looks worried as she focuses on me. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.”
I shake my head and grab her hand. “No, I’m glad you did. You’re right. Tyler and I should talk about things.”
She gives me a small smile as she helps me up. “I hope you two can work it out.”
My heart aches. “I hope so too.”
Chapter 34
Tyler
Gage clinks his bourbon glass against mine as we stand in an office in the back of Se’bon, minutes before his wedding ceremony.
