Right now, my heart is cracking open.
The invitation itself is gold-foiled with black lettering. There’s a watercolor poppy design that creates a border around the edges. It’s pretty.
It’s sonotJuniper—at least not the girl I spent every day with for fifteen years.
Juniper’s favorite flowers are tulips, specifically pink tulips, and she was always the silver to my gold. Not only that… It’s just sogaudy. It screams Debra, her horrible mother. She could give Martha a run for her money as far as helicopter parents go.
Still staring at the invitation, tears gather in my eyes and I try to blink them back. Juniper is getting married and I had no idea. My best friend for over a decade—the woman I thought I’d spend my life with, if not a man. I was okay with that, even though she was happy and in love with Asher in those alternate universes.
Fuck.Asher.
The only person to ever love Juniper more than me is him.
We don’t talk about her. It hurts too much but it’s a shared wound. I’ll have to tell him. He needs to find out from me. A tear slips down my cheek and I quickly wipe it away.
“Do you want a glass of w—” Liam holds up a bottle of white moscato but it slowly drops to his side. “Honey? What’s wrong?”
I shake my head and hold my hand up, stopping him from coming any closer. He comes around the island but leaves a few feet of room between us. His hand clenches around the granite as concern etches across his features. Liam’s never seen me cry before. Of course I do, I’m not heartless, but I tend to keep my emotions close to my chest. I can’t imagine what he’s thinking right now.
“Calypso, is that from Stefan?” He’s already patting his pockets, searching for his phone.
I could have guessedthat,actually.
“No, no,” I say quickly. My voice breaks on the second syllable and more tears drip down my cheeks. Dropping the envelope on the counter, I press my palms against my eyes.
I hear Liam shuffle forward and pick up the invitation. He sucks in a quick, tense breath.
“Juniper …? That’s your old friend?”
I nod. “And Asher’s ex-girlfriend—should have been fiancée. I have to tell him.Fuck.” I grit my teeth to stop a pitiful sob.
“That’s a worry for later,” Liam says in a low, soothing voice. “What do you need, honey?”
You.
“Nothing. I don—” The ache grows as I try to push Liam away. Taking a deep breath, I look up at him with sad, red-rimmed eyes. “Hold me.”
It’s no louder than a breath, but Liam is quick to pull me flush against him. His strong, protective arms wrap around me and hold me close. “Shh. We’ll get through this.”
We.
Liam has never even met Juniper, but he’s taking on this burden with me. I imagine myself actually taking some of this weight off and handing it to him. In my mind, Liam slings the heavy bag over his shoulder as easily as he carried my tote bag that first Sunday morning together at the farmer’s market.
I don’t have to sit with this knowledge alone. I won’t have to tell Asher alone. I’m not on my own, and I’m less scared of that fact every single day.
“It’s been years,” I confess, still nuzzled against his chest as he holds the back of my head. “I haven’t spoken to Juniper inyears, and it still hurts this badly. Will it be worse for Asher?”
It’s a rhetorical question, and Liam doesn’t answer. I know the truth anyway.
Yes. It will, in many ways, hurt worse for Asher.
“Fuck,” I grit out. Clumsily, I push away from Liam’s chest and rub my hands across my face. There’s make up all over them, and a few black spots on Liam’s shirt too.
I open my mouth to apologize but Liam shakes his head. “Don’t.”
Biting my lip, I cross my arms and stare at the gold invitation. “I don’t know what to do with it.”
“Do you want to throw it away?” He sees the answer in my eyes: no. He opens the junk drawer and shoves the invitation in there. “Out of sight, out of mind, then?”
