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“What? No. I told you, it’s to keep her away from me.”
“Fuck. You can’t even see it, can you?” He runs his hand over his mouth, watching me with disbelief. “How could you do that to her?”
“No, you don’t understand. This is the only way I can make this work. I can’t be around her without wanting her, Dominic. It’s pure torture.”
“That’s a bullshit excuse and you know it. What the fuck, man. No wonder she’s been so broken up. You never even forgave her, did you?”
My irritation explodes into full-blown anger. “She left,” I yell. “She left me like I’m nothing. Like I’m not her fucking best friend. Because she was too busy with school and her stupid boyfriend.”
Dominic freezes. His glare hardens. For a second, I think he’s about to yell right back at me. But then he sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose between two fingers. “You weren’t there for the worst of it. You didn’t see the end of their relationship. But Blaze, you cannot blame her for what happened.”
“How? In what world is her abandoning me not her own fucking fault? In what universe am I just supposed to forgive her for ruining the best thing I ever had? For not even fighting for me?”
He works his jaw. “I think you should ask her yourself.” Then he moves to the door, pausing with his hand on the knob. He turns to look at me. “And your little outburst you just had? It proved my fucking point, Blaze. You’re still hurt, and you’re trying to punish her for it. I just hope that one day, you realize you don’t fucking deserve her.”
He disappears, and I’m left standing with his words reverberating in my chest. I work my jaw, staring at the door he left open.
There’s no way Dominic is right. I’m not a bad person. Never in a million years would I do what he’s insinuating. I’m just trying to keep Daisy away from me until after Charlie and I are married.
I just hope that one day, you realize you don’t fucking deserve her.
Clenching my fists, I move back to the party.
He’s wrong. He’s fucking wrong. I’m not trying to hurt her.
But even as I join Charlie, I can’t get Dominic’s words out of my head.
No wonder she’s been so broken up.
You never even forgave her, did you?
You cannot blame her for what happened.
Guilt curls in my stomach when I rejoin our group to find Brooke quietly listening to Char go on and on about plans for the wedding—the one that won’t be happening, because we’re eloping. Tomorrow.
When Brooke looks at me, I have to stop myself from flinching at the pain in her eyes. And even now, the shame of what we did last weekend still lingers in her expression.
Don’t deserve her.
You don’t deserve her.
You don’t fucking deserve her.
I shake myself. No. This is the only way. I made a promise to Charlie, and I intend to keep it. If she doesn’t want me to explain everything to Brooke, then that’s how things will go. My plan is working—Charlie’s mom hasn’t given us a single suspicious look today, I’m keeping my feelings for Brooke at bay, and this will all be over soon.
I glance at Brooke again.
The light she usually carries is still missing.
And, for the first time, I wonder if I’m part of the reason.
WHEN I SEE SOPHIA walking toward us, my body sags with relief. The more people in between me and Brooke, the better. And Sophia has always been easy to talk to.
But as she gets closer, I realize she looks just as uncomfortable as Brooke. I grin at her, but she doesn’t even notice.
“Hey.” Sophia goes straight for Brooke, wrapping her up in one of her signature hugs. “How are you feeling?”
“Mostly better,” Brooke says, trying to smile. “Just a dull headache. Oh, and trying to get to sleep is a nightmare. I don’t even trust my own house anymore.”
