Page 30 of The Wedding Favor

“Aidan…” We started this when we were dating. He would call me late at night when he couldn’t sleep and ask me to talk to him until he drifted off. It was another thing I knew I shouldn’t be for him anymore.

“Please?”

“Maybe you should ask Missy to do this.”

“But I like the sound of your voice,” he said.

I bit my lip, feeling myself cave. Like always. It was just a phone call. Except it wasn’t just a phone call, was it? It felt far more intimate than that. I must have been quiet for too long because he called my name.

“I’m here.” I sighed, closing my eyes. “I don’t think Missy would be okay with this.”

I wasn’t okay with it. Hanging up the phone was the smart choice. But where he was concerned, I was an idiot and I hated myself for it. In most areas of my life, I wasn’t afraid to tell someone no.

Unless it was Aidan.

“Missy knows,” he said. “She’s fine with it.”

I hesitated. “She knows?”

“Sure. We tell each other everything.”

Everything? The night before he’d proposed to Missy flashed in my mind. He’d come to see me in person. We’d gone on a walk in Legacy Park and there in front of the Legacy Tree, he’d told me he was proposing.

“I’ve got it all planned out,” he’d said, pacing. “I’m taking her to her favorite restaurant and doing it there.”

I’d smiled as a friend would but, inside, it had felt like a punch to my gut. This was happening. Aidan was getting married and it wasn’t to me. I’d jumped up and hugged him. “Congratulations.”

He’d held on tight, longer than he should have. I’d let him. When I’d pulled back, his hands had settled on my shoulders. One of his thumbs had made slow circles on my collar bone.

“Do you ever wonder if we should have tried again? You and me?” he’d asked.

Only all the time. “You’re the one who broke up with me, remember?”

“We could have found a compromise, maybe. If we tried.”

Except it had been his ultimatum and now he was proposing to another woman. And still my heart beat against my ribs wondering if there was still a chance even now.

“It’s too late now… right?” I’d held my breath, waiting for his answer. Surely he’d heard the longing in my voice.

“I love her.” With those words, whatever pieces of my heart were floating around had sort of crumbled in a pile of ashes and wasted dreams.

I’d forced a smile and tried to sound matter of fact and not like he was picking at a scab on an old wound. “You found your person and now you get to marry her. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.” I wasn’t sure if I was convincing him or myself.

He’d frowned. “It sounds like you’re saying goodbye.”

“Not goodbye,” I’d insisted. “Just a new season of life, you know? I… I’m happy for you.”

His dark eyes had held my gaze, and he’d taken a small step forward. When I didn’t move, he’d taken another. Before I’d understood his intentions, he was kissing me. Not a sweet, gentle goodbye kiss, either.

It had taken me a few seconds to react. After pushing him away, I’d scrambled backwards and touched my lips with trembling fingers. “What was that?”

He’d looked almost as shocked as me. “I thought you wanted me to kiss you.”

“Did I say, ‘Hey, you should kiss me’?”

“No. No, I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.” He’d held up his hands and closed the gap between us. “That was incredibly stupid.”

That had hurt. I was a regret now, an incredibly stupid regret. The back of my eyes had stung with unshed tears, and panic had rushed through me; he could not see me cry.