Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
I felt a tug in the back of my throat.
“What are friends for?” asked Moretti.
“Yeah, but there’s friends, and then there’s you guys.” Cole laughed. “I’d say we’re more than friends, but that sounds weird.”
“We’re brothers by choice,” Griffin said, throwing his other arm around Moretti.
Moretti slung an arm around my neck, and I finished out the circle with an arm around him and the other around Cole. For a moment we just stood there, heads together. It made me feel better. Stronger. We’d seen each other through a lot of stuff—good and bad—but we’d been there for each other. We called each other out on our bullshit, but we also lifted each other up. And I had no doubt in my mind that’s how it would always be with us.
“Awww, you guys are so cute!”
We separated and looked behind us to find Bianca standing there with a hand over her heart.
“Is it time?” Cole asked.
“Yes. But you’re so adorable with your group hug, I don’t even want to break it up.”
“It wasn’t a group hug,” scoffed Griffin, adjusting his lapels.
“It was a team huddle.” Moretti fussed with his cuffs. “A very manly team huddle.”
“I see.” Bianca looked amused. “Well, if you’re done cuddling—”
“I said huddle, not cuddle!”
“—then it’s about time you headed out there.” She laughed again. “I really wish I’d had a camera just now.”
“I’m actually kind of glad you didn’t,” said Cole. He smoothed his jacket over his stomach and took a breath. “Okay, are we ready?”
I nodded and put a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
We started to walk around the house toward the yard, and Bianca tugged my hand. “Hey,” she said, nodding at Cole, Griffin, and Moretti as they walked ahead of me. “There’s your answer, by the way.”
“Huh?” I wasn’t sure what she meant.
“The question you asked me on the stairs.” Her eyes lit up as she pointed at my friends, and her voice softened. “Right there, Beckett. That’s your proof.”
I wanted to ask her what the question had been—my brain was such a mess today—but she’d already disappeared into the house. Griffin gave Cole a fist bump and headed toward the patio where his mom stood, waiting for him to formally seat her. Afterward, he’d go into the house to collect his sister, whom he’d walk down the aisle.
With my head still in a fog, I followed Moretti and Cole up the right side of all the chairs, which I was surprised to see were full. I spotted my dad and Maddie in the second row, along with the Morettis. At the sight of her bare shoulders, my stomach muscles tightened.
We stood over to one side while the harpist began to play, and I couldn’t take my eyes off Maddie. The way the sunlight made her hair glint with copper. The way her sunburn had faded to a beautiful warm gold. The way the breeze ruffled the dress around her legs. I inhaled deeply, as if I might catch the scent of her if I concentrated hard enough.
She turned her head and looked at me over one shoulder, like she’d felt my eyes on her. But she didn’t smile or wave, and her expression was one of sadness, maybe even regret.
As the music began, she looked straight ahead again, and my heart sank deeper.
Twenty
Maddie
Fighting tears, I tore my eyes from Beckett’s and stared straight ahead.
I’d been on the verge of a full-on sobfest since I’d left him in the upstairs bathroom. After coming downstairs, I’d ducked into the first floor lavatory and leaned against the vanity, taking a few deep breaths.
I missed you so much last night.
Well, tough!
He deserved to miss me. I hoped he’d miss me for the rest of his lonely hermit-crab cowboy days. He could have had more, but he was choosing to lose me. He was closing off his heart and sending me away.
A tear or two leaked from my eyes, making my eyeliner and mascara run. Before heading back out, I grabbed a tissue and my cosmetics pouch and performed a quick touch-up.
But my heart was not so easily repaired. I felt like pieces of it were littered like scraps all over this town, and stitching them together would be impossible. My best bet was to leave before any further damage could be done. Go on with my life. Dedicate myself to being the best mom I could be. Maybe someday, someone would come along that would make me feel the way Beckett did, but if that never happened, I’d be fine on my own. I was never going to be careless with my heart again.
Holding my head high, I’d walked outside and found Mr. Weaver chatting with a handsome couple I thought might be the Morettis. With a smile on my face, I approached them and introduced myself.