Page 54 of All I've Waited For

“You or the food?”

“Both.” Her friend stepped inside the apartment and kicked the door closed.

“Then I guess I shouldn’t tell you that I don’t think I could eat a thing.” Ashley placed a hand against her tight stomach before snatching the drink carrier. “But Iwilltake this.”

She lifted out the caramel macchiato and took a refreshing sip. The espresso infused strength into her veins. “Bless you.”

“That’s what friends are for.” Madison set the bag on the kitchen table, which sat not too far from the door. “I’m just glad that the library closes early on Tuesdays. And that you actually texted me. I haven’t heard from you in weeks.”

“That’s not true.” Ashley turned on her heel and marched back toward her bedroom.

Madison followed. “Maybe not weeks, but it’s definitely been a hot minute.”

They entered the bedroom and both plopped onto the edge of the queen-sized bed. “I’ve—”

“Been busy. I know.” Madison snatched the carrier from Ashley, plucking her drink from inside. “But this text today—Derek isn’t getting married and we’re going on a date tonight—I mean, what am I supposed to do with that? It tells me none of the juicy details that good friends are entitled to. So spill.”

Ashley put her drink on her side table and flopped onto her back. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“I’m personally a fan of the beginning.”

“You’re hilarious.” Ashley caught her friend up on everything that had happened since the last time they’d spoken. Her eyes followed the dusty ceiling fan blades, which squeaked a bit as the fan rocked on its axis above them. “I’ve been thinking and rethinking over what he said, how he said it, and even though I said I loved him—which is so embarrassing, by the way—he still hasn’t said it to me.”

Madison repositioned herself to lean back against Ashley’s headboard. “You said he’s slow to confess how he feels about stuff. Maybe he loves you too and is waiting for the right time to tell you.”

“Maybe.” Ashley sat up and played with a loose thread on her sky-blue duvet. “When he told me he wanted to explore what was between us, part of me was ecstatic. But the other part was like, I don’tneedto explore it. I already am sure of it. And I want him to be sure of it too.”

“Evan was sure about me before I was sure of him. Sometimes it just takes the other person a while to catch up.” A small smile flitted across Madison’s mouth. “And now, I can’t imagine loving anyone more than I love him.”

“I know I should just be grateful for this chance between us, but I still feel super guilty over the way it happened. And what about his vineyard?”

“Sounds like he will have to figure that one out. It isn’t up to you to fix it. And like you said, he never would have been happy with that arrangement.”

“I guess.” Ashley sighed. “There’s also a very small sliver of doubt embedded in my heart. I wonder if I’m just a rebound because Claire really did break his heart. What if I’ll always love him more than he loves me? All of these questions just keep pinging around in my head.”

“Ash, no. You have to stop thinking like that. If what you say is true, he was only with Claire to save his family’s vineyard.”

“That’s what he said.” Groaning, she rubbed the corners of her eyes. “Maybe I just shouldn’t go tonight. Give it some time. I mean, what will people think of me when they see me out with a guy who was just engaged?”

“People will always find something to gossip about, believe me. Just go on this date, keep talking this out. Tell him what you’re thinking, what you’re afraid of.” Madison stood and tugged Ashley to her feet. “But before you do any of that, you need to change. I may not be very fashionable, but I do know that you don’t wearthatto Mimosa’s.”

Ashley gave a dry chuckle. “Okay, okay. You’re right.” Shoving her doubts aside, she and Madison perused her closet like two preteens before a school dance.

After they’d narrowed down the selections to two outfits, Ashley’s phone rang. She walked to her nightstand and picked it up, smiling. “Hey, Bells. I have some fun news to—”

“The invitations.” Her friend’s tone was clipped. “They’re wrong.”

“What?”

“I thought you proofed these. But the date on them says July thirteenth, not third.”

Ashley sank onto the edge of her bed. “I don’t—”

“I know I said I wouldn’t be a bridezilla, but even I have my limits. The email the printer sent was wrong, which means that either you didn’t look closely enough or you told them to make the change and they didn’t. Which is it?” Bella’s voice shook. “Ashley, this was the one detail that I actually cared about.”

The weight of the bed shifted as Madison sat down.

Ashley raked a hand through her hair, tugging when she reached the ends. “I don’t know how this happened, Bella.” Ashley mentally retraced her steps, trying to remember when she’d proofed the invitations. But everything blended together. “I’ll fix it. I promise.”

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