Page 75 of Fragments of You

“He what?” My jaw goes slack.

“Apparently, he was convinced it was only a matter of time before you spilled his big secret, and he wanted Paisley to hear it from him. I guess he thought maybe if he was the one to tell her, she could find a way to forgive him.”

“And did she?”

“I think the bigger question you should be asking yourself is will she forgive you?”

“Me?” I act like the idea is absurd, but in reality, it’s the very reason I hadn’t told her myself.

“You knew that Felix was sleeping with her fifteen-year-old sister, and you never said a word. Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do.” She calls me on the lie.

“How pissed is she?” I ask instead of answering.

“On a scale of one to nuclear meltdown, I would say she’s the latter. She just found out the man she was supposed to marry next month slept with her sister behind her back for two full years and that he and her sister have been hiding it from her this entire time. And that the man she has loved basically her entire life knew and kept it from her too. How would you feel if everyone you cared about was keeping a secret from you that had the power to implode your entire life? I can imagine you wouldn’t be too happy with those involved.”

“Iris, I—”

“Why didn’t you tell her, Nash? This is Celine we’re talking about. My God, she was just a child when it started, and you knew and said nothing. Why?”

“Because I didn’t care. I walked in on them at Paisley’s birthday party that April, but by then I was so far gone that when Felix begged me not to say anything to anyone, I agreed. Because I did not care. I didn’t care who he was fucking, let alone that it was Paisley’s little sister. All I cared about was numbing the pain I carried with me every day. That’s how bad it got, Iris. I walked in on my best friend fucking my girlfriend’s baby sister, and I. Did. Not. Care.”

“Nash...”

“I knew I was leaving anyway. It was the only way.”

“You realize that if you had told her—”

“That they wouldn’t be together.” It’s my turn to cut her off. “You think I don’t know that? You think I don’t play that shit in my head over and over again wondering how things could be different if I had just said something? I never in a million years dreamed that she would ever be interested in someone like Felix. How would I have known what would come to be in my absence?”

“That doesn’t explain why you didn’t tell her now.”

“I already told you. I didn’t want to win her by default. I wanted her to choose me because I’m the one she wants.”

“Are you hearing yourself? This is someone’s life we’re talking about, not some game. She deserved the truth, and you kept it from her.”

“I didn’t fuck Celine. Why are you coming at me like I’m the bad guy here?”

“Because you were the one person who should have protected her, and you didn’t. You should have been the first person to tell her. If not then, when you got back. Keeping something like this a secret... I didn’t think there was a world where Paisley wouldn’t forgive you. Now, I’m not so sure.”

“What are you saying?” My stomach twists uncomfortably.

“You didn’t see her, Nash. First, you leaving, now this... I’m not sure there’s any going back after this.”

“And Felix? He’s the one who can’t keep his cock in his pants, and she’ll forgive him?”

“She broke things off with Felix.” She shares something she should have led with. “Threw her engagement ring in his face.” She shakes her head slowly. “But the betrayal is coming at her from all sides. Felix. Her sister. You... It’s too much.”

“I can talk to her, make her understand.”

“Make her understand what exactly? That you were too consumed by winning to tell her something she should have known from the start? How will you explain this away, Nash?”

“I was trying to protect her.”

“Were you? Because from where I’m standing, you’re just as guilty as Felix. I don’t think you were trying to protect her. I think you were hanging what you knew over Felix’s head in hopes that you could come out on top.”

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