Page 38 of All I Feel

“Who said I was getting any ideas?”

Arching a brow, I said, “I’ve known you my whole life. With one look, you think I don’t know what’s going through that head of yours?”

My best friend just grinned at me. “If what’s going through my head isn’t what’s really happening, then can I ask you one question?”

“Sure.”

“When are you going to see him again?”

“Tomorrow night.”

Lark stared at me for several beats. Then she burst out laughing. Only after she settled down did she speak. “Okay. I see. You’re right. I totally got the wrong idea.”

“I’m serious!”

She waved her hand in the air dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed. “Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to join me tonight when I share the news with my mom and Harper, but if you insist on being insufferable…”

Just then, the door opened.

Two women walked in. One was Lark’s client. The other was one of my wedding clients wanting to do a trial run for her wedding day makeup.

We greeted the women, looked at one another, and Lark said, “I don’t have anything else planned tonight. I’m happy to go with you.”

I smiled at her. “Thanks, Lark.”

“Love you, babe.” She smiled back before shifting her attention to her client. “Good morning, Miranda. How are you doing?”

I didn’t listen to Miranda’s response. Instead, my eyes slid to the side. “Hi, Eleanor. Ready for your trial run.”

“I’m so excited,” she bubbled.

Jerking my head to the right, I said, “Follow me, and we’ll get started.”

With that, I did my best to put my personal life on the backburner while I focused on my client. But I would’ve been lying if I said that when I finished Eleanor’s makeup that it didn’t remind me of the day Lark and I had gotten our makeup done to see what we’d look like on our wedding days. It wasn’t that I recalled the look so much as it was that I suddenly remembered the way Ace had looked at me that day—it was the first time he’d called me Princess.

A smile played on my lips, and I found myself thinkingmore and more about him throughout the day. It was a great way to forget that my heart had been broken.

ELEVEN

TESSA

It had been rather challenging notto blame myself for what Ryan had done to destroy our relationship. Of course, on the surface, it was simple enough. He’d made his choice to be unfaithful, and it wasn’t difficult to understand that was the cause of our downfall.

But I’d have been lying if I said I didn’t still have moments when it was tough not to put the burden of what happened to us on my shoulders. Ryan might’ve mentioned he’d cheated because of my unwillingness to jump right into bed with him at the start. It wasn’t even that which led me to feeling partially to blame.

It was something else. Something more.

Because I knew.

There hadn’t been a day in my life when I hadn’t known what it was to feel tremendous love. It was in the hugs, kisses, kindness, and laughter with family and friends. But it was also in the tears. Like the ones spilling down my momand sister’s cheeks. It was in the looks of utter devastation on their faces when they learned that Ryan had been unfaithful.

With disbelief etched onto her features, Harper asked, “When did this happen?”

Lark’s body tensed slightly beside me on the couch in my parents’ living room before I answered, “It was the night of your birthday when I learned about it.”

“Oh, my God. Why didn’t you say anything?”