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22
BEAU
Iwoke up the next morning with more than a little pain in every single one of my joints. But after the day I’d had—after realizing I was totally and completely in love with Lyndi—there was no way I was going to risk sleeping next to her and facing all of those emotions in that… situation.
When we talked about what was really going on between us, when I told her I loved her, I needed her to be in a position where she could take some space if she needed it. Not feel forced to share a bed with me.
So, today then. At some point, when it wouldn’t steal the thunder from the bride and groom, I planned to tell her how I felt. No lies, no faking, no contracts. And most importantly, no fear. Just the real, honest-to-goodness truth.
I loved her, and I didn’t plan to let her get away.
“Hey, how did you sleep?” she asked when she emerged from the bathroom in a floral dress that looked like it was made to be worn by her.
“Great, thanks,” I replied once I found my voice. “The couch really wasn’t all that bad once the cushions were dry. I definitely couldn’t stay with you again.”
I’d said it because I was leading up to telling her it was because I loved her and didn’t want to put any extra pressure on the situation, but her face fell like I’d failed some kind of test I didn’t know I was taking.
She sniffed. “About last night…”
“What about it?”
“Was that song… did that mean what I think it meant?”
My pulse pounded in my ears as I took in the uneasiness in her eyes. Did she not want it to mean that I loved her and wanted to be with her? Because that was absolutely what it’d meant, and I’d hoped it would have been clear as day to her.
“That depends,” I said, easing into this situation like it was an ice bath, “what did you think it meant?”
She opened her mouth to reply, but then the front door opened, and Layla poked her head in. As Lyndi rushed over to the door, I let my head fall back and closed my eyes.Nice timing, Layla.
While they stood by the door and spoke in hushed tones, I busied myself with pulling on my suit jacket and straightening my lapels. We had to go to breakfast, so maybe now wasn’t the time for this big confession, after all.
Layla slipped out again, so Lyndi made her way back over to me, looking even more conflicted than before we’d been interrupted, if that were even possible. “Listen, Beau. I think we need to break up.”
I rolled my eyes, realizing I was in for quite a journey for this woman. I wouldn’t trade it, because I knew once we got past all of this we’d be fire. But we had to survive all ofthisfirst. “Break up?”
“I mean, well, you know what I mean. I think we need to stage a breakup. We can do it in front of the family and make it heartbreaking enough that they’ll leave me alone about dating simply because they’ll know I’m not ready.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and loomed over her, stepping into her space. “Oh, yeah? And what happens if they do the opposite and push you even harder so you’ll get over me?”
She backed up. “Then I’ll freak out and tell them to leave me alone.”
I followed, not giving in. “You could do that anyway.”
She backed up again, then glared at me when I took another step. “Beau.”
“Lyndi, we’re not breaking up.” I spoke slowly and clearly, so there’d be no misunderstandings this time. And yeah, I may have alsointentionallyclenched my dang jaw and made my voice sound rattled. She knew I was good at taking directions, so here I was, taking them.
Her throat pulsed as she swallowed hard. “Why not?”
“Several reasons, one of which being the fact that this day isn’t aboutyou and me, it’s about yourcousin. Do you really want to cause a scene on her wedding day?”
“No.”
“Exactly.”
“Then we’ll do it—”
I shook my head with a smile. “No, we won’t.”
