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15
The restaurant is crowded when I arrive.I glance around for Trent and Becka, but don’t see either of them anywhere.
“Can I help you, sir?”the hostess asks.
“Uh, yeah, it should be under Bridger, but I don’t see the rest of my party.”
“That’s fine, Mr.Bridger, we can seat you.”
I follow her around tables with candles inside short glass vases as centerpieces and creamy-white linens.A quick scan of the room shows mostly couples dining here tonight.The whole thing feels weird, and I’m wondering why Trent wanted to eat somewhere so fancy.He’s usually more interested in casual dining when he’s not cooking at home with his wife.
“Your table, sir.”The young waitress points to a table set for two.Is Becka not coming?Frowning, I pull out my phone, pull up my brother’s contact information and then press call.
It rings several times before he answers.“Hey, are you at the restaurant?”
“Yeah, where are you?”
There’s a pause and then he says, “I’m not coming, but your date should be there any minute.”
I nearly choke on my own saliva.“What?”
“I know you’re probably gonna be pissed at me, and Becka thinks I’m way overstepping—”
“She’s right.”
“—but I’m sick of watching you waste your life pining for a woman who has no idea of all the things you do for her or how you really feel and who will likely never be able to return those feelings.”
My heart rams against my rib cage and then clenches painfully.This isn’t the first time he’s said something like this, but this is the first time he’s underhandedly set me up.
I know Jo will never see me as anything more than Robbie’s friend.Maybe she’d consider me her friend, but I’m not naive enough to think she’ll ever love me.
That still doesn’t change how much I love her.
“Why are you doing this?”I ask Trent.
“You know why.”
Fuck.The one time I say too much and it comes back to royally bite me in the ass.All this because of our conversation last week.
“I’m not going through with this, Trent.”
“Tris.You have to move on.This isn’t healthy.What are you going to do when she meets someone else?”
It feels like all the air in the room got sucked out, and I got punched in the gut at the same time.
“Well?”he asks, clearly wanting an answer.
But I can’t give him one because the only answer I have is the one answer he won’t accept.What will I do when she meets someone else?The same thing I’ve done for the last eleven years.Love her from afar.Love her silently.But the fact is I’ll never stop loving her.
“What would you do if Becka was with someone else?”
“Don’t.”His voice is low and murderous.
Yeah, I hit a nerve with that one.
“What you’re feeling right now, that’s what I’ve always felt for Jo.Why can’t you accept that?”
“Here’s the problem with your example, Tristan.Beckalovesme and she’smygoddamn wife, not my best friend’s.She’s mine.She never belonged to anyone else and she never will.It’s not at all the same as what you feel for Jolie, and that’s your whole problem.You believe that she’s the only woman for you so much that you’ve never let any woman even try.”He takes a breath.“I can’t bear to watch you live a life loving someone who will never appreciate all you do for her, who will never love you the way you deserve.You deserve to have a big love like I have with Becka.To be someone’s first choice.”
