Page 68 of Bull Rush

“I burned that dress.”

“Ours?” I say it like it belonged to me too. She nods, and I’m not prepared for the way that guts me. My chest is tight, and my stomach’s turning. I’d loved the way she looked in it, and now, I’ll never see it again. I start to pull back, but she grabs my wrist.

“I couldn’t bear to look at it anymore, Ramsey. Every time I saw it, it broke my heart. Bristol saw me crying one day when she was over, and we were having a girls’ night. I went to look for something in the closet, the bag it was in fell down, and I lost it. She was furious I was still letting it get to me. We were all a little drunk already. So we had an impromptu burn-the-dress party.”

“I see.” I guess I can’t blame her. I kept the cowboy hat, but the rest of the suit I’d worn had been lost to time when I’dbulked up in college. I hadn’t been sentimental when we were still together, but I guess I thought that we would never end. That it would never hurt like it has the last five years.

“I wish I still had it. I would if I could.” She looks at me thoughtfully.

“I want to see the one you’re going to wear for him.”

“Ramsey.” She lets out my name on a discouraged sigh.

I cross the room and extract the box from the suit jacket pocket, handing it to her. I feel like I’m playing a constant game of brinksmanship with her, just hoping for a glimmer of a chance of winning.

“I just want to see how it looks with this.” I hold it out for her, and she takes it reluctantly, her eyes locked on mine, searching for an answer there.

THIRTY-TWO

Hazel

I stareat the box he holds out for me. It looks distinctly like it contains jewelry, and my hand shakes as I take it from him. I’m not sure what it means—if he’s still mad, if he’s accepted that I’m getting married to someone else, if it’s just meant to be another taunt… the possibilities are endless with him, and right now, his face is a mask.

“I figured you’ve let me help with everything else—the honeymoon, the cake, the invitations. Gotta let me in on the last bit.” There’s a small reassuring smile.

I open it carefully and inhale sharply when I see what’s inside.

It’s a stunning pear-shaped sapphire necklace. I pull it out of its container and hold it up in the light, biting my lower lip as I stare at how beautiful it is. I look at him with a silent question, but he’s lost in his own thoughts, staring at it with me before he realizes.

“I figured it could be your something blue.” There’s a sad smile on his face. “To match your hair.”

“Ramsey…” I’m lost for words. I have to take a long deep breath to keep from crying. Whatever mood he’s in tonight, I’m not prepared for any of it.

“Please?” He asks to see the dress again, and I can’t bring myself to tell him no. Even though it’s the last thing I want to do right now.

“Okay,” I agree, setting the necklace back in its box on the bed next to him.

When I re-emergein the dress, it’s not zipped up in the back, so I have to clutch the front of it to my chest.

“Can you zip it? I need help with it.” I turn my back to him, and the train drags with my movement, making me look like a statue standing in the midst of a giant pedestal of champagne-colored marble.

His fingers move deftly up the back of the dress, pulling the zipper and leading with one finger to make sure it doesn’t catch my skin. The bodice is skintight and perfectly tailored. It makes my breasts look like they did when I was nineteen and my waist the hourglass figure that I can never quite achieve in my usual T-shirts and jeans. He doesn’t say a word as his fingers slip under the necklace I wear every day.

“I know you usually wear this one. I figured you need something special for the wedding though.” He undoes the fastener from my neck, pulling it away and then moves to rejoin it, his large fingers still managing to skillfully work the clasp. He sets it gently on the dresser, next to my ring holder and perfume. “Did he get this for you? You wear it all the time, but I don’t remember it.”

“No. I had it made.”

“It’s pretty. Looks like you.”

“Well, you would know. You picked it out,” I confess softly.

“What do you mean?” He frowns at me. It’s another thing I shouldn’t be admitting to him. Another thing like the jersey and the games that tells the truth about the last five years.

“It’s my engagement ring. I just had the stones reset.” The way he looks at me, I feel like my heart might stop in my chest. Apparently, I’ve finally caught him off guard tonight with that information. “It was just… so pretty. I wanted to be able to still wear it.”

“Oh… well…” He’s lost for words for a moment and then practically chokes them out when he does speak again. “I’d rather not be your something old that day. Blue it is.” He puts the sapphire on me and takes a step back to admire his work.

“You look gorgeous,” he compliments me, but his eyes are distant, studying the dress, and I can tell his mind is a million miles away.

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