Page 59 of Wedding Wrecker

I clasp my fingers on my nape in frustration. “Yeah, because we’re roommates, and I couldn’t drive. We’re not sleeping together.” I don’t know why I’m even explaining this to him. Maybe it’s guilt. Have I led Kyle on? Have I led myself on?

Kai stares at me as if I've told him rainbows are black and white. “Oh, you’re waiting with it until marriage, or something?”

“Did he say something about this?” I bark, and Kai rolls his eyes.

“He didn’t have to. I’m an empath. I can see he’d do anything for you. So you respond by hitting on another guy, and then attacking the dude he might want to get some from, since you’re not giving him any.”

Okay. So maybe I was jealous, not just worried about my drunk friend. It’s because I remember how he was putty in my hands, how eager and open he was. The truth is that I do want him for myself, even if I’m not worthy of his love.

I rub my eyes again. “I fucked up, okay? Just leave me alone!”

“No way, dude, I’m not gonna have you on my conscience,” Kai says and pulls on my torn shirt. “You need to give him time, but you can’t sit outside in this rain. Come in. From the back, because people shouldn’t see Levi’s letting you back in.”

I let out a trembly sigh and let him lead me behind the cafe in silence. I need the warmth, and he doesn’t say much when he makes me tea in the tiny staff room either.

I’m left to my own gloomy thoughts, but at least I’m not in the rain. Kai even offers me a T-shirt with Rainbowology’s logo so I don’t have to sit in the wet and torn one.

The party goes on for a while, but all I can think of is Kyle in our home all alone, suffering because of my actions. My heart keeps aching each time I wonder whether I shouldn’t get in the car and go talk to him, but maybe that would only make things worse? He did tell me he doesn’t want to see me tonight, and while I don’t have anywhere else to sleep, I might at least give him the time remaining until the cafe closes. It’s not like he’d have anywhere else to go. While I’m the one paying for the apartment, it’s our home and he deserves to be there just as much after everything he did for me.

I don’t even know how much time has passed when the door of the staff room opens again and Levi walks in with a stern expression.

“Wow. You fucked up big time.”

I put my head in my hands. “I know. I warned him I’m a shithead.”

Levi groans. “Oh, please. Spare me this bullshit. Where is he?”

I shrug. “He went home…”

Levi grabs a large box off a shelf marked Lost & Found and shrugs, placing it on the table in front of me. “I’m not gonna tell you how to live your life, but that guy is crazy about you. And I’ve known you long enough to see that it’s not one-sided. I swear you’ve probably spent more time with him in those past two months than you did with Cassian throughout your whole relationship.” He puts my hat on my head and throws a folded umbrella into the box. “If I had a guy making me packed lunches to take to work, I’d marry him.” Levi winks at me, trying to lift my spirits, but I’m so beat down I don’t have the energy to smile.

At least I don’t have to answer him when my phone rings, but when I see that Kyle is the one calling, I try to take the call so fast the phone almost falls out of my hands.

“H-hello?” I ask, going stiff while Levi stares at me from behind the open box. All I can hear is swishing noises, but then, the familiar voice fills me with joy that’s almost immediately replaced by dread.

“Logan? I had an accident.”

Chapter 22

Kyle

The ground is spongy under my feet, and I can barely see anything in the downpour, even with the small flashlight held between my teeth. It’s so cold I can’t feel my fingers, but the tap of water hitting the leaves in the canopy above urges me on like a war drum. I grab a large branch and drag it toward Jekyll’s desperate barking.

I lose my focus when he goes quiet, but then my boot starts sliding toward the hole that swallowed my dog minutes ago. I pull back and lean over the void surrounded by undergrowth, blinking away the raindrops falling in my face. The glow of the flashlight catches Jekyll’s eyes below, and he yelps as soon as he spots me above. His fur floats in the muddy water already reaching his neck, and if I don’t do something, he might never cuddle up to me again.

I should have paid more attention, driven with more care. Or not driven drunk. Such a bad fucking idea, but I guess I’m filled with those. From proposing to Madison, to following a dude just because the sex was good.

I’m a fuckup.

And if crashing my car into a tree during a storm wasn’t bad enough, I ended up having to call Logan for help after Jekyll dashed into the woods and ended up falling into a sinkhole.

“Kyle! Where are you?” I hear Logan’s voice from afar as lightning strikes in the distance, briefly turning the darkness into a blurry day.

My heart leaps, and I turn toward the voice, flashing my light to attract attention. I’m beyond my pride. “Over here! Help!”

“Stay where you are!” The other voice belongs to Levi, and I all but leap with joy when I realize that Logan brought reinforcements.

Moments later, Logan emerges from the wall of rain first, dressed in a Rainbowology T-shirt and a worn coat. “Where is he? Are you okay?” he asks, as if our… whatever it was, hasn’t ended so brutally only hours ago.