Emily took in a deep breath, her heart fluttering. “Will broke off the engagement.”
The words floated on the air toward her friends; their reactions slow to emerge. Then their shocked expressions caused her breath to go shallow, and she understood what Sienna had meant by her comment a minute ago: Now they knew, it feltreal.
“What?” Blair’s mouth dropped open. “When?”
“A few days before our last coffee meeting.”
“Why didn’t you say anything before now?” Blair asked.
“We had enough to worry about without me dumping my problems on top of everything else.”
Blair chewed her lip. “Rocko hasn’t said anything. You’d think Will would’ve told him.”
Emily shrugged, blinking away more tears.
“I can’t believe this.” Blair looked down at the ground, pacing. “Did you see it coming at all?”
Emily shook her head. “He left a note saying our differences were troubling him. I didn’t even know we had any. But, apparently, the differences were that he thought it best to date the girl he’d met at the gym, and I guess he supposed I wouldn’t think the same.”
Sienna gasped.
“I have a month to get the house ready for sale. Even though it’s mostly ready. Our things are still in boxes. I’d kept it all empty for the kitchen remodel.” She swallowed against the lump forming in her throat. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she wiped it away.
“Where is he now?” Sienna asked.
“At his apartment, I guess—but his lease was up last week, so I’m not really sure.” She didn’t want to think about him shacking up with his little something from the gym. “He’s left everything we bought together at the house. We’re going to divvy it up at some point.”
“There’s no way Rocko knows,” Blair said. “I’m certain. Even if it’s escaped his attention to tell me, which it wouldn’t, he’d have offered for Will to stay at our house, and I haven’t seen him—not once.”
“How are you coping?” Sienna asked.
“My chest feels like I have a boulder on it.” Emily’s voice broke. “I have all the wedding plans to cancel, and I’ll have to let everyone know. It’s mortifying.”
“Oh my gosh, Em.” Blair gave her a hug and then Sienna joined in.
Trying not to make a scene with a total breakdown, Emily cleared her throat. “Let’s walk.”
The three of them quietly began to stride down the paved pathway.
“Look at us,” Sienna said as they paced along the trail leading around the bright-blue lake. “We’re all three brokenhearted for our own reasons. What a summer.”
“It’s unbelievable,” Blair said.
They fell into silence.
Emily turned her attention to the golden rays of sunshine on her face, the laughter of small children in the field, and the chirping of the birds. She stepped in and out of shady spots on the path, trying to focus on her breathing instead of everything on her mind. When they’d gotten far enough for the children’s voices to fade away, a warm breeze rustled the leaves in the trees, which was a welcome sound, since no one was talking.
They strolled over the Spillway Bridge to the Lake Trail when Sienna stopped.
Blair and Emily did too.
“I wasn’t expecting Emily’s news today, and I’d planned to share something good, but now I’m not sure any of us are in the mood for it.”
Emily looked over at her friend. “What is it?”
“It’s fine if you all don’t feel up to it.”
Emily and Blair faced her.
