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“Well, they could’ve fooled me for the past twenty-one years.” I scoff. “They always made me feel like I embarrassed them for being a hairdresser and wanting to explore everything and anything. They wanted a cookie-cutter daughter, but they got me instead.”
Summer reaches across the table and places her hand on top of mine. “They’ll come around, Zoey. They won’t risk not having a relationship with you and know they can’t push you to do something you don’t want. If Riley’s the one, they’ll just have to accept it.”
“I’m not even sure if what Riley and I had can be fixed at this point. He said it was my decision, but I’m afraid I’m just going to hurt him more.”
“Follow your heart, Zoey. It’ll always lead you in the right direction.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Riley
It’s been a week since Zoey left and took my heart with her. She texted me once to say she made it back home, but we haven’t talked since. I’ve been tempted a dozen times to reach out because I miss her so much, but then I decide not to and delete my message.
The worst fucking week of my life.
I told her the ball was in her court, knowing she had a big decision to make. I don’t want to be anyone’s second choice, and I thought it was different with Zoey. The betrayal I feel for not knowing the whole truth of why she was here still weighs heavy on my heart. Even though I believed her when she told me she loved me, I couldn’t beg her to stay or force her to choose me. Part of me wanted to, but the other part knew letting her go was the right thing to do. Her life was never here.
“Turn that frown upside down, Birthday Boy!” Diesel singsongs as he pours shots of tequila. “The ladies are gonna be here any second to pregame, and then we’re hitting the bar!”
Groaning, I take the shot from him and swallow it down. This wasn’t my idea, but after telling Diesel I didn’t want to celebrate and wanted to just spend the night alone, he made plans for the both of us. I don’t have enough energy to argue anymore.
“Cheers to twenty-three, you old fart!” He hands me another, and again, I swallow it down. Maybe it’ll numb me long enough to stop thinking about Zoey for more than ten seconds.
The doorbell rings, and Diesel claps. “They’re here! Get ready! Your birthday gifts have arrived…”
Grunting, I shake my head. I have zero interest in any woman who isn’t my wife.
Diesel lets them in and blasts the music.
Just fucking shoot me already.
“Alright, quit being a miserable bastard.” Diesel grabs my arm and lifts me to my feet before setting me down on a barstool. It’s the one from the kitchen that Zoey and I fooled around on. Great.
“Ladies, ladies…” Diesel says. “Lookin’ fine as hell. Let’s make the man of the hour feel better, shall we?”
Diesel changes the music, and soon, the girls are dancing in front of me. I have no idea who they are, but knowing my best friend, they’ve been bought for the night. Asshole.
I drink a beer while they strut their stuff, trying to tempt me to dance with them, but I push them away. A thanks, but no thanks approach and directed them toward Diesel instead.
“I’m getting a refill,” I tell him and leave the room before he can stop me. He has one girl on his lap while the other dances around them.
As I grab another beer from the fridge, I hear the doorbell ring again and shake my head. Who knows who else he invited? Probably more women. I’m going to need to be way drunker if Diesel has more shenanigans up his sleeve. So I grab two beers before walking back into the living room. It’s then I hear her voice.
“Oh, hi. Um. I’m looking for Riley, but it looks like I came at a bad time. I’ll come back…”
“Zoey?” Diesel says, standing and going to the door. I stand frozen, watching it all unfold, too shocked to move my damn feet. “What’re you doing here?”
“I came to talk to Riley…” Her sweet voice rings out, but I hear the devastation in her tone. Fuck, this looks really bad. “But never mind. You’re busy. I’ll go.”
Setting the bottles down, I rush through the room and push through Diesel and the girl. Zoey is already rushing down the stairs and back to her car.
“Zoey, wait…” I call out, following behind her. “It’s not what it looks like.”
She spins around and faces me, her expression unreadable as I approach her. “You don’t owe me an explanation, Riley.”
“You came back?” I ask on a breath.
“I’m sorry I showed up uninvited, but I wanted to give you these…” She hands me a manila folder. I watch as she chews on her lip—her nervous tic—as I open it and see it’s the annulment papers I first signed. Son of a bitch. “Hurting you will always be my biggest regret, Riley. I’m sorry for not telling you the whole truth sooner, but—”
