Page 62 of Second Chance Husband

“August. We didn’t see you there,” Mom said, as she gripped my father’s hand out of solidarity or perhaps warning. I didn’t know, and I didn’t care.

“I’m headed out. I wish you guys the next few seconds of marital bliss because I’m not quite sure it’s going to last that much longer. But thank you for reminding me what happens when you keep trying again. What’s the old saying that the first mistake is on someone else and the second mistake’s on you? Or maybe it’s the repeated trying that makes you a fucking idiot.”

“August, that’s no way to speak to your parents.”

“You stopped being our parents a long time ago. I don’t know why we keep trying. Good luck in whatever farce of a relationship you guys think you have. But all I can see are two people who keep trying and keep fighting without realizing that you guys weren’t meant to be.”

“That’s not true. I love your father.”

“Even with the fact that he’s fucking Nancy?”

“Watch your mouth, August,” my dad snapped.

“You know what, you’re right. It isn’t any of my business. But if you keep screaming it so that the guests hear, it’s going to be their business. And Nancy’s business. And I’m pretty sure Nancy is married, right? Again, not my fucking business. But maybe you want to quiet down just in case the kids that still somewhat like you don’t overhear. Because I’m done.”

And with that, I moved down the path, my shoulders tense.

I was done. Done with the parents that continued to show me exactly what happened when you tried to cover up your mistakes.

They pretended to love each other, and continued to vow one another, and they couldn’t even last five minutes.

Why the hell was I still trying with someone that I couldn’t stop fighting before? I wasn’t going to become my parents.

I was the rebound in Paisley’s life. Maybe I was even the rebound to myself. So I was going to do the one thing that I could do.

Set her free, before we ended up like my parents.

Hating each other at our own wedding.

I turned round the corner, and my heart stopped as I saw her standing there, phone in hand, her lavender dress glowing under the lights. Her hair had fallen out of the bun and was now flowing over her shoulders and down her back. She was like a fae goddess, gorgeous with high cheekbones and stunning curves. And she wasn’t for me.

If I wanted to keep Paisley happy, I had to do what was best for both of us.

Because this wasn’t going to work. We couldn’t even talk about why it wasn’t going to work.

So I would walk away. And leave her some sense of dignity. Leave her with her friends.

Because I wouldn’t let her become what I had just seen.

She looked up at me then, smiling so bright that her eyes shined under the lights. It was like a kick to the gut, but I had to be stronger.

“Hey. Sorry, that was a work call. You know my job. Never really ends.” She winced. “Not the greatest thing to say when I’m trying to find a work/life balance.” She shook her head and put on a bright smile. “Hi, there. It was a beautiful wedding. Albeit odd vows.”

I stared off into the distance, giving her a one-armed shrug. “Well, my parents are already fighting and screaming divorce, so this might be the shortest marriage ever.”

She blinked at me, her mouth dropping. “Are you serious? No. There’s no way.”

“Yes, way. I think they like fighting and drama more than they even like each other. I don’t even care anymore.”

“I’m sorry. About them. I know there’s nothing you can do, but it still sucks.”

I slid my hands in my pockets, afraid I would reach out and touch her. “There’s nothing I can do about my parents. But there’s something I can do now.”

She paused in the action of sliding her phone into her small purse, that frown between her eyes deepening.

“August? What are you talking about?”

“I shouldn’t have brought you here. I did it because I am selfish. Because I didn’t want to be the sole brother alone without a date. But I realized I made a mistake. That I was leading both of us on.”

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