Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 69266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
“Come on,” she groaned. “After what August did…”
Piper had been there the day that I’d caught August cheating on me. She’d helped Hollin take care of me and had been hinting for the last several months that I should get back out there. That was all well and good, but how did one begin to get out there? I had never dated before. I had no clue where to begin. I wasn’t lucky enough to stumble upon another guy again, like I had with August. And anyway, look at how that had ended.
“Piper,” Blaire chastened.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring him up. I just want you to be happy.”
“Thanks. It’s fine. Anyway, party planning makes me happy. So, let me know if you need anything else for Monday.”
“What’s happening Monday?” Campbell asked, suddenly appearing at Blaire’s side and sliding an arm around her waist.
She giggled and turned into him. He pressed a kiss firmly to her lips. A good distraction. And I was happy for them, happy to see both of my brothers happy. I wanted that for them. I wanted it for me, too.
“Don’t change the subject,” he said against her lips.
“You kissed me,” she teased.
“Get a room,” Piper grumbled.
Campbell winked at her.
He asked his wife another question, but my phone dinged in my pocket. I pulled it out, planning to silence it. Then, I saw the name on the screen, and my stomach dropped out of my body.
August.
I swallowed and swiped on the message.
Hey, can we meet? Tamara told me that she came to see you, and I just need to apologize.
I shouldn’t respond. He’d been messaging me on and off since we broke up. At first, I’d answer his messages, and we’d text for days before I got mad all over again. I was sure Tamara had no idea that he’d done that. But eventually, I’d refused to answer. It hadn’t made it any easier because the messages still came.
We shouldn’t meet.
Nora, please…
No. It’s a bad idea. I don’t need an apology.
Which was a lie. I wanted one desperately. I wanted it to all go back to how it had been. Even though it was impossible.
No, but you deserve one. What happened…fuck, Nora, please let me do this in person. It won’t be right through text. You know it won’t. And you deserve better from me.
I closed my eyes against those words. Ones I’d wanted so bad earlier. And yet they were always going to be false.
But…I wanted to see him.
I didn’t want to be that girl.
But ugh!
I’m at my dad’s with my brothers. You can’t come here.
Meet me at the park.
I glanced around at the party. Blaire had successfully distracted Campbell. Hollin had wandered over to put his arm around Piper. Dad was arguing with Vail about the burger situation. Everyone was distracted. I could probably slip away for a minute.
I squeezed my eyes shut. Was it so wrong to want to see him? I wouldn’t have to do it again. Not ever. Fuck.
Fine. You have five min utes.
I made some excuse about taking a phone call and slipped back through my dad’s house. I snagged my jacket as I exited through the front door and strode toward the park across the street.
August hadn’t had to say where in the park to meet. When we’d been together, we always used to meet at the swings on family holidays. I sank into the swing and pushed off, letting it rock back and forth on its own. I felt stupid. I was being stupid.
It didn’t change how I felt to acknowledge that this was the last thing I should be doing. I was still sitting here on a swing, waiting for my ex-boyfriend, who was now engaged to someone else. I knew how dumb that was. But I would just let him say whatever he was going to say, and then I’d tell him not to contact me anymore. I might even get brave enough to block his number.
A throat cleared behind me. I dragged my feet in the dirt and turned around.
August strode toward me in his black peacoat, his hair perfectly put together, a tentative smile on his lips. “Hey, Nora.”
I swallowed back all the pain at seeing him, knowing he wasn’t mine. “Hi.”
“Thanks for meeting me.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “This is the last time.”
He nodded. “I figured.”
“It’s not fair to ask this of me, you know?”
“I know. I fucked up, but I didn’t want you to suffer.”
I scoffed. “You should have thought of that before you cheated on me.”
He kicked a rock in front of him, looking down at his feet. “Yeah. I know I can’t make up for that.”
“Make up for it? You’re marrying the girl you cheated on me with.”
He winced. “Uh, yeah. She really wanted to get married.”
I took a step back in disgust. Was he blaming Tamara for the engagement? How typical. “You still proposed.”