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Austin really wished Sofi were in the car so that she could see the cold look he’d just sent her. He also would have liked to use her as a human shield against Rachael, who seemed to be scooting ever closer.
“No,” Austin finally replied. Better to say the one word. No frills, but it had to get the message across.
“You can’t marry Austin, Rach,” Sofi said softly.
Rachael huffed out a breath. “I know. So he should do this for me. Since he won’t marry me.”
“Rach, that’s asking a lot. For a guy to stand up in the middle of your ceremony and object.” Sofi was trying to reason with Rachael and Austin doubted she’d have much success.
“Then you’ll do it?” Rachael asked Sofi.
“Rach . . . ”
“Hang up the phone, Austin,” Rachael demanded.
“Rachael, Sofi is right. You need to do this. We can’t save you.”
“You would saveher!” Rachael accused, pointing at Austin’s chest.
She was right. If Sofi were getting married and she asked Austin to stand up and object he wouldn’t even think twice about it. He’d do it in an instant. But Rachael wasn’t Sofi.
“No one in their right mind would want to interrupt a wedding like that,” Sofi said. “It’s dramatic and ridiculous, thus making for great movie scenes but terrible real-life portrayals.”
Rachael threw her head against the rest behind her and Austin worried she’d hurt herself when she started groaning but soon realized the groan came from a place of emotional pain.
“He didn’t pick me up, Sofi. Austin came for you and Roland didn’t come for me.”
“Isn’t tonight his bachelor party?” Sofi asked.
“He chose his boys,” Rachael repeated.
“Maybe he didn’t see your missed call?”
“He answered. And said to call you or my mom,” Rachael replied.
The guy was a loser.
“I’ll be right there,” Sofi said. “Aus, can you stay with her until I get there?”
“Sure,” Austin replied because even though he might have said no had Rachael made the same request, he had to give in to Sofi.
Rachael leaned her forehead against Austin’s passenger window as he hung up. She stared out toward the large tree in her front yard, hiccupping. Was she crying or still that drunk?
Austin decided he didn’t need to look too closely. Sofi would be there to save him soon.
“She’s a good friend,” Rachael said between hiccups.
“The best,” Austin replied easily. He’d never known a truth more fully.
“I knew she would make me do this. That’s why I didn’t tell her. But a good friend would make me do this. Instead of having you object. That would have been more dramatic and ridiculous, though,” Rachael said as if it was a good thing.
Austin didn’t reply.
“I love her. Almost as much as you love her. Even though I tried to get you to love me tonight I would never take you away from her. She loves you too much. And I love her too much.”
Rachael was making little to no sense.
“You should love her like she loves you.” Rachael turned so that she was looking Austin in the eye.
