Page 102 of The Backup Bride Proposal

He shrugged. “Some problems can’t be solved.”

“Also hard for me to acknowledge.”

He smiled. “I can’t tell you how much you being here for me has helped. Even if the situation hasn’t changed—can’t be changed. It helps knowing you’re here to talk through it.”

Now Mae smiled, and his whole world brightened. “The fact you’re talking to me about how you feel is helpful. Closing yourself off only makes that anger fester.”

“You sound like you know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, believe me, I do. When I found out about Isaac’s cheating, and right before our wedding? I can’t even explain the level of anger I felt. I mean, I-wanted-to-kill-him levels of anger. And I had nowhere to go with that rage, because obviously I couldn’t actually murder him.”

“Too bad.”

She let out a laugh. “Yeah. I held all that anger inside—for a while, but all it did was make me lash out at everyone else. The smallest thing would set me off. It wasn’t long before I realized I was alienating myself from everyone whocared about me. And I was mimicking Isaac’s personality of blowing up about every little thing, which was one of the things that irritated me the most about him.”

No wonder she was so upset with him. “So, what helped you?”

“First off, talking about my feelings, which wasn’t always the easiest thing for me to do, because I had always prided myself on being able to handle things on my own. Until I couldn’t anymore, and I realized I didn’t have to. I had friends who were willing to sit, listen and commiserate with my pain. And a few suggested therapy so I could talk to someone who wasn’t directly involved in my situation. It was the best advice I’d ever been given.”

“I’ve never tried therapy. Not sure that’s really going to be for me.”

She squeezed his hand. “Maybe it’s not, but if you don’t mind a little unsolicited advice?”

He nodded. “Of course.”

“Your world has turned upside down in an instant. Your parents’ loving, stable marriage—or at least that’s what you thought it was—has disintegrated, and you’re upset about it. Rightly so. And you have all these feelings about it. I am here for you to talk about those feelings anytime you want to because I care about you. But having someone to walk you through your feelings, to channel that anger so it doesn’t eat you up inside, might be worth your time.”

“Maybe.”

“And if you find out it isn’t worth it, then you’ve lost nothing but a few hours, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Even better, you can do therapy online. I can recommend an excellent therapist here locally, and she also takes online appointments. She is very discreet. Or, you can have youragent or PR people or whoever your Hollywood people are recommend someone.”

He had to admit that having someone outside the business to talk to might be a good idea. “I’ll book an appointment with someone. I appreciate it. I think you’re right that I need someone on the outside of all this to talk to.”

“I hope it helps.”

“I hope so, too. And thank you for understanding. I’m sorry again for being such a jerk.”

“The fact that you realized it gives me hope for you.” She gave him a lopsided grin.

He laughed, instant relief washing over him.

“Do you want to hang out for a while and watch a movie?”

She shrugged. “As long as it’s not one of yours.”

“Oh, you think you’re funny, huh?”

“I’m hilarious and you know it.”

He laughed, shook his head and grabbed the remote. She grabbed the blanket off the back of the sofa, kicked off her boots and draped her legs over his while he started the movie.

Now things felt a little more normal, and a lot more right with his world.

Things were always right with his world when Mae was in it.

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