Page 95 of Get Lost

Chapter Thirty-Five

When he returned to their shared bedroom an hour or so later, Alexander looked like he’d been through the ringer. His dark hair was all disheveled like he’d been tugging at it, and the whites of his eyes were red. Kelsey had just exited the bathroom after her shower, so she paused at the doorway.

Alexander closed the bedroom door and locked it. “The wedding is off,” he said, unable to hide the exhaustion from his voice. “You’ll still get paid.” He shook his head. “We both will.”

Kelsey slunk to the floor. She was relieved that she wouldn’t lose such a hefty paycheck—that neither of them would—but her heart ached with all that had transpired. Was it her fault? Did hooking up with Alexander somehow destroy a seemingly happy couple? She couldn’t understand how her indiscretions could affect Drew and Renee, but she also couldn’t get rid of the heavy shame she felt, or the knot of guilt in her chest.

What the hell just happened?

“I don’t understand,” she whispered. “They seemed so happy.”

“They weren’t.”

She lifted her gaze to his.

“She’s been sleeping with his groomsman.” He motioned toward the door and the villa beyond. “And you saw the way she’s been acting toward me, like we were going to rekindle our fucked-up relationship or something.” Alexander scoffed. “Drew doesn’t deserve that.”

Kelsey sighed. Was this what relationships looked like? Adultery and betrayal, followed by disappointment? Look how Brea’s engagement turned out. Adultery. Then betrayal. Jack—the asshole—called off their engagement just days before their wedding.

Which was also set to be in a remote island location.

Alexander slid down the wall beside her, bringing his knees up so he could rest his elbows on them. Leaning his head against the wall, he rolled it to the side to look at her.

She smiled sadly. “Are you okay?”

Alexander chuckled softly. “I’m fine. Wasn’t my wedding, thank God.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe I spent three years with that woman.” He sobered and searched her gaze. “Areyouokay?”

Kelsey began to nod, then paused, choosing to shrug instead. “I guess.” This was supposed to be the event of her career. Drew and Renee’s wedding should have put Kelsey’s Kreations on the map. Instead, there’d be no wedding, no elated couple, no happy guests. No pictures. No write-ups in the news. Nothing.

“You know that had absolutely nothing to do with us, right?”

Kelsey sighed. She sure didn’t feel that way.

“Kelsey, Drew was stoked we hooked up.”

She raised an eyebrow and turned her head to look at him more fully. “So you’re a kiss and tell kind of guy?”

Alex laughed. “In this case, it seemed necessary.”

Kelsey laughed and leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes. “Realistically, I know what I did was unprofessional—”

“I literally punched the wedding cake designer.”

“Let me finish, Arroyo.”

“Bossy.”

“Annoying.”

“Sexy.”

Kelsey smiled, her eyes still closed. “I know what I did—whatwedid—was unprofessional. Logically, Iknowit couldn’t have ended an engagement. That takes two people, and we aren’t those two people.”

“Exactly.”

“But I still feel awful about it.”

Alexander sighed beside her. “I know you do. But, can you try to believe me when I tell you this is for the best? Drew deserves better.”

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