Page 63 of It's Not Home Without You

No opportunity wasted.

Annabeth, Abbi’s mom, was bouncing from table to table thanking everyone personally for coming and celebrating our wedding. I smiled through every congratulation, waiting for someone to call me out on my bullshit. I kept loosening my tie, only to have Abigail fix it the next second.

“Is everything okay, honey?” Abigail hugged me from behind. I turned, and she looked at me, her eyes bright and glowing, a smile on her pretty face, and I felt ashamed.

“Yeah, everything’s okay.”

She leaned up and kissed my lips, and it took everything in me to not move back and flinch. Her touch had brought me comfort; now it made me ill. The guilt was probably kicking in.

“I’ll be back. I’m going to make sure everyone is having a good time,” I lied.

She beamed. “Honey, I can’t wait to start our lives tomorrow. It’s everything I could ever imagine. You know, we can finally start building our house. I’m sure your tenants will understand.”

Somehow, I managed to nod. I didn’t even think about the fact that Abigail would move in to my apartment. That was always our plan. I wouldn’t have been able to deal with Freya’s arrival if Abigail and I lived together. What was I going to do about Eugene? I wasn’t kicking him out. I always kept my word, and when I bought the land of his, I promised him Freya would always have her home. I’d beenyoung and desperate back then, making promises I shouldn’t have madein the first place.

I said hello to a few people and smiled as I made my way past them, wishing I could leave this fucking town as Freya did. When I couldn’t pretend anymore, I went outside.

“You don’t look like a man who’s marrying the woman of his dreams tomorrow.” My little sister’s voice startled me. I’d seen little of Juliet since she got married straight after college. She looked thinner than before, her face sharper, and there was something in her eyes I didn’t like.

I answered immediately. “It’s nothing.”

“Oh please, Max, you’re my brother. Don’t try tobullshit me.” She came and stood next to me.

“Unlike Prescott, I don’t like parties.”

“I know, but I know that’s not it... How long has she been back for?”

I turned to look at my sister, confused as hell.

“What are you talking about?”

Juliet rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t play stupid, Max, Freya. I saw her at the gas station this morning.”

“She’s back?” I asked, full of hope. But she was gone, she went withhim. Abigail had told me all about it after my jog. Freya left with him after she slept withme, giving me an answer to a question I didn’t get a chance to ask.

“Max, what’s going on?” My sister took a hesitant step toward me.

“She left. I thought she wasn’t coming back anymore.” I ran my hand through my hair. I needed to leave, to see her.

Fuck.

“It doesn’t matter; she’s left me before. Freya will always leave.”

“So, what? You’re just going to marry Abigail as a consolation?” my sister asked haughtily.

“I thought she was your friend?” I snapped back.

“We grew apart.” Juliet shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. Where the fuck had I been that I didn’t notice my sister wasn’t friends with my fiancée? She wasn’t even part of the wedding party.

“Are you happy, Max?”

“What’s going on, Juliet? What’s with all the questions?” I loved my little sister, but she’d never been one to be up in all our business. Juliet looked up at the dark sky. There was something clouding her eyes.

“Marriage isn’t easy, but if you’re not in it since the beginning, it will be hell. Your vows become empty, and your marriage license a prison.”

“Is everything okay?”

She took a deep breath and looked at me with a sad smile on her beautiful face. She brought one of her hands to my cheek. “There’s something I need to tell you, something I should have told you a long time ago.”

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