“Fate.” Marisa smiled. “There’s no other word to describe it. Mav was ready to get sober. His career is falling into place. You already have your life together. Face it, it’s your time to give this thing another shot.”
“Uh, no.” I shook my head frantically. “You’re wrong. Mav and I… can’t happen.”
“Ah, my sweet friend. You’re still in the denial stage.” She giggled. “That’s okay, I was there too. I actually thought I could marry someone else when I broke up with Luc! I was so delusional.”
“Really? You were engaged to someone else? How did I not know that?”
“It’s a long story. He was a childhood friend…” She sighed. “I’ll tell you about it someday. Suffice it to say, once Luc realized I was serious about moving on with my life, he started to realize he didn’t want to live without me.”
“I’m glad.” I couldn’t imagine either Luc or Marisa with anyone else. “You two are perfect for each other.”
She tucked a strand of silky dark hair behind her ear. “Thanks, I think so too. And for what it’s worth, you and Mav totally have that magic Luc and I have.”
I laughed. “How can you know that? You haven’t even seen us together yet.”
“No, but I’ve seen the way he looks when he talks about you.” She curled her hands around my shoulders. “And you couldn’t be more transparent. You don’t light up when you talk about him. You get this fearful look in your eye that I’ve never seen before, which is even more telling. You’re one of the toughest chicks I know, but loving Mav scares the hell out of you.”
I didn’t even bother trying to deny it. There was no point, Marisa had my number. “He didn’t just break up with me. He broke me.”
I was shattered into a million pieces and it was only through years of therapy and meetings that I was able to piece myself back together again. My mama told me I was being ridiculous for taking a first love so hard. But I took it so hard not because Mav was my first love, but because I believed he might be my only love.
“I know, hon.” She hugged me. “I know what it feels like to be crushed by the guy you trusted with your heart. The one who was your firsteverything.Believe me. But giving Luc another chance was the best decision I ever made. I can’t even imagine my life without him now.” She hesitated, looking into my eyes. “I guess you have to ask yourself, now that Mav’s come back into your life and you’ve gotten to know the man, instead of the boy, could you imagine your life without him?”
“I—”
“Don’t answer that now,” Marisa said. “Just think about it.”
* * *
The concert was incredible, and thankfully Amanda was able to make it through the entire three hours this time. I assumed Mav seating Noah with us meant Amanda wouldn’t have left unless they hauled her out on a stretcher. I’d never seen my friend fall into the love-at-first-meet trap, but apparently Noah was the exception to all her rules.
“Mav just texted me,” Noah said, holding up his phone. “He wants to know if we want to go out and grab a bite to eat.”
He glanced at Amanda and they did that thing long-time couples sometimes do, communicating with their eyes. Ugh.
“I’m guessing you two want to be alone, get to know each other better?” By that I meant,for God’s sake, don’t sleep with him on the first night, girl!Hopefully, my bestie could interpret my hidden meaning.
“I don’t want to just bail on you,” Amanda said, squeezing my hand. “At least let us walk you back to the hotel.”
“It’s fine.” I rolled my eyes. “It’s a ten-minute walk. I’m a big girl.”
“No way,” Noah said, typing on his phone. “My brother would kill me if I let anything happen to you.”
“What are you doing?” I demanded, frowning at him. “Please don’t tell me you’re asking Mav to babysit me. He must have a million people clamoring for his attention right now.”
“Yeah, and there’s no one he’d rather give his attention to than you.” He smiled triumphantly when his phone pinged. “His bus is parked out back. He wants us to walk you over there before we head out.”
I felt the panic rising again. Would I be alone on a bus with Mav? If so, could I trust him… and myself to behave?
“Guys, that’s really not necessary. I’m kinda tired anyways. I’m just going to head back to the hotel and—”
“Fine,” Amanda said, hooking her arm through mine. “But Mav can make sure you get there safely. I’m not leaving you in the middle of this mob, surrounded by handsy, drunk guys, to find your way back to the hotel alone.”
I knew there was no point arguing with her. Amanda could be just as stubborn as I was.
It took ten minutes, but we finally made our way through a rear exit, where security was stationed outside the door and next to each of several buses parked in a well-lit parking lot.
“Mav will be right out,” Noah said, after texting him again.
