Page 40 of A Chance for Us
Every member of my family has told me how lucky I am to have Oliver. He’s always smiling, laughing, or making jokes, and appears as though he’s in love with me. Even Linda seems smitten with him—at least she is when she’s not pointing out something else that’s hard for her. Oliver handles her like a pro, though, easing her worries and finding a way to make her smile.
The worst part is how much I find myself wanting to be near him.
“Why? You’ve done it. You get married tomorrow and give your dad everything you’ve been trying for.”
“I know!” I say as I sit on the bed. “That’s the issue. I did it!”
“I’m not following.”
I stare at my best friend, wondering how she’s confused. “I didn’t think we would pull it off. But we did. And it’s been great. And he keeps kissing me.”
Devney smiles. “I see.”
“Do you? Do you see? I’m a lying horrible girl who keeps kissing this guy who makes my toes curl.”
Her jaw falls slack. “He makes . . . your toes curl?”
“And that makes me a horrible human. He’s your ex.”
“Yes, but I’m married—happily.”
I groan. “And I like him. I can’t like him.”
“Yes, it’s always best not to like the man you’re about to stand up in front of God and marry.”
“Fake. Fake and it’s my boss, not God. Please don’t ever say that around Mark or he’ll start thinking he’s a prophet or something.”
She laughs and takes my hand. “Listen, all of this is good. Oliver is a great guy and . . . well, it’s a little weird, but not bad that you like him. You guys don’t even look like it’s acting, which says something.”
“Yes, it says I can’t do this.”
“Maren, you have to get it together. You’re doing this. You have to.”
“No, I can’t.”
“So, you’re going to what? Go out there and tell everyone the truth now? That’s your big plan?”
I flop back, my head bouncing on the mattress. “I have no plan. I have no plans because I’m a bad planner.”
“I love you, but you’re nuts.”
“Yes. Add that to the list. I’m a liar. Nuts. A hussy who likes kissing your ex. Which also makes me a bad friend. I’m going to hell.”
“You’re not going to hell. Well, we all probably are, but not because of this.”
I sit up quickly, causing her to jump. “And what about what I’m doing to Oliver. Huh? What about the pain I’m inflicting because of my selfish need to make others happy?”
“Oliver didn’t look like he was suffering too much. Look, he’s a good guy, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for a friend. And while I know this isn’t what he thought he’d be doing this weekend, he’s doing it to make you happy. Just don’t hurt him, Mare. If Oliver didn’t want to help, he wouldn’t.”
“I know and the last thing I want is to hurt him.”
Devney broke Oliver’s heart. He loved her and was ready to propose to her before she called off their relationship to be with her now-husband. I know how hard it was for her, still is. She loved Oliver, but he wasn’t the right guy and they ended things as amicably as two people can. Still, I know he’s a good guy. I’m watching it all play out.
I sink back onto the bed and drop my head into my hands. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”
“You do what you set out to do. You go out there and make your father happy. Then you deal with it all.”
“I don’t want to.”
