And behind us, I can feel Garrett’s stare while Rodriguez shifts slightly closer, keeping me pressed to his side.
Our tour guideat the brewery is maybe twenty-five and extremely enthusiastic about yeast strains in a way I’ve never heard anyone be excited about anything before. Everyone dutifully follows along, nodding at appropriate moments, sipping tiny samples of beers that all taste pretty much the same to me.
Rodriguez gets absorbed into a conversation with my dad and Owen’s dad within five minutes. I watch him from across the group, animated and laughing. He’s not acting right now. This is just who he is. Someone people actually want to talk to.
“He’s really great,” Olivia says, appearing next to me with a beer sample. “Like, suspiciously great. What’s the catch?”
“There’s no catch.”
“Come on. Guys who look like that and are also nice don’t just exist.” She’s studying me with that skeptical younger sister look. “You really like him.”
It’s not a question. And I don’t know how to answer it without either lying or admitting how much I actually do like him, both of which feel dangerous right now.
“He’s been good about all this,” I say instead. “Meeting everyone, dealing with the wedding chaos.”
“Jules. He looks at you like you’re a snack.” She nudges my shoulder. “I haven’t seen you like this in ever, actually. Not even with Garrett.”
Before I can decide how to respond without giving too much away, Garrett materializes on my other side.
“Hey Jules. Can we talk?”
Every muscle in my body tenses. Olivia glances between us, then takes the coward’s way out.
“I’m gonna go find Owen. Text me later?” She squeezes my arm and disappears into the crowd.
Garrett moves closer, lowering his voice. “I know this is kind of awkward.”
“It’s fine.”
“Is it? Because last night you could barelylook at me.”
“I looked at you plenty.”
“You looked through me.” He shifts his weight. “Look, I just want to make sure we’re okay. That you’re okay with all this.”
“Okay with all what?”
“Me and Melissa. The engagement. Being here for the wedding.” He pauses. “You showing up with someone new.”
“You’re engaged, Garrett. I’m dating someone. Last I checked that’s how moving on works.”
“That’s the thing though. You moved on really fast.”
The audacity. The absolute audacity of him standing here, engaged to the woman he cheated on me with, questioning my timeline.
“You got engaged a month after we broke up.”
“Six weeks almost, but that’s different.”
“How?”
“Melissa and I have history. We didn’t just—” He stops and recalibrates. “When did you and Rodriguez even start? Because I’ve never heard you mention him before.”
“Maybe you weren’t paying attention.”
“I paid attention, Jules. I know you. And this, him, it seems really sudden.”
“What do you want me to say, Garrett? That I’m miserable? That I’m still hung up on you?”
