Page 66 of Love Letter Lost
Ridge stood silent, watching me, his mouth open in surprise. He took a step forward, arm reaching toward me, when the church doors opened again, bringing with them the sounds of the reception.
“There you are, Rigdon. Kyle said something about you coming out here to decorate the car. It’s never been my favorite tradition, but I’m game to—” Amber stopped, likely noting the energy crackling between me and Ridge. “Am I interrupting something?”
“Mallory was just…” Ridge trailed off, an awkward silence between us.
“Let me guess, she was trying to use you to convince me not to buy her pathetic apartment building? Because that ship has sailed. Daddy’s calling now with a deal no one would be able to refuse.”
My heart clenched. I was too late in talking to Dad, but maybe it wouldn’t be in vain. Maybe, creating this moment with Ridge would still prove to have been worthwhile. There were other properties I could buy, but I would cross that bridge later. For now, I needed Ridge’s response. I needed to know my words weren’t in vain.
“Not quite,” Ridge said.
Amber looked between the two of us for a moment before her eyes lit with understanding, laughter bubbling out of her as she walked to Ridge, interlacing her fingers with his.
“This is just too much. She fancies herself in love with you, doesn’t she?” Amber’s laugh grated on my ears, the sound shattering my dreams. “I worried this had happened after she shared about your high school kiss last night. She clearly hasn’t moved on, and you basically spent an entire week together. Sorry, sweetheart, but he’s taken. He’s all mine, isn’t that right Rigdon?” Amber turned wide eyes on Ridge, blinking up at him as she waited for a response.
I rubbed my scar, bracing myself for the set down, for the words that would once again break my heart. At least this time he would tell me to my face.
But they didn’t come. Instead, Ridge stayed quiet, looking back and forth between the two of us as if waiting for one of us to provide the words he should say.
“Tell her, Rigdon. Tell her that you love me. We’re going to get married, as soon as you give me the ring I know is hiding in your pocket. Tell her!” Amber stood in front of Ridge, grabbing both of his hands.
Instead of agreeing, Ridge took a step back, shaking his head. “I don’t…I can’t…I…”
The church doors opened again, and this time a group of people came out to line the entryway, getting ready to send the happy couple off on their honeymoon.
“There you are, Mallory. I was worried you’d left and forgotten your bag in the kitchen.” Aunt Jenna wandered over, handing me my purse. “You guys are going to join the send-off, right?”
I watched Ridge a moment longer, begging him to speak.
Instead, he shook his head and took another step back. “I need some time…a chance to process…I…” He stopped speaking, taking a deep breath. “I’ve got to slip out, Jenna, but give Livvy my best.”
With those words, Ridge turned around and disappeared into the parking lot, leaving me alone with Amber, my heart crushed at my feet.
“Don’t think this changes anything. He’ll be back, ring box in hand, and you’ll be a distant memory the two of us will laugh about years down the road.” Amber spat as she walked past me, head held high.
I stood in the dark, remembering another night when magic had felt like a possibility. Little had I known the magic would fade in the light of dawn when kisses vanished and promises were broken as harsh realities crashed down around me. At least tonight, I had no illusions of magic continuing to exist when the morning came.
Opting out of the sendoff, I climbed into my car and sat a moment, trying to gain control. After a few minutes, I took a deep breath and pulled out of the parking lot. Looking back for a moment, I noted everyone assembled at the church doors, David and Livvy running through a tunnel of sparklers, huge grins on their faces. At least someone would be getting their happily ever after tonight.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR
At home,I was greeted by a half-hearted head raise from Ruby. I kicked out of my shoes and headed for my bedroom, where I changed into sweats. Upon exiting my room, I found Ruby sitting outside my door, staring at me.
“Not tonight, Ruby. I’m having a pity party.”
She blinked up at me, unimpressed by my busy social calendar.
“Fine.” I walked to the front door and grabbed her leash. “But it’s going to be a quick one.”
Less than five minutes later, I was back inside my apartment. I grabbed a spoon and a carton of ice cream before settling on the couch and turning on a home improvement show, Ruby curled up next to me. If now wasn’t the time for binge-watching and eating myself sick, I didn’t know when was.
Ridge’s look of shock following my declaration was seared into my brain, his silence echoing louder than all the home improvement tools I owned, combined.
Ten minutes into the show and half a carton of ice cream later, I got the itch to get back to work on painting my apartment. The tape had started to peel from my bedroom ceiling, but I could easily reapply it and get to work. It didn’t matter that it was late. I wouldn’t be sleeping tonight anyway.
I quickly changed into my paint clothes and replaced the falling tape. I then grabbed the paint supplies I’d stashed in my laundry room and got to work covering my furniture with plastic sheeting. It was while I was in the middle of this process that my roommates walked in, wearing equally concerned expressions.
“What are you doing?” Chloe’s nose crinkled at the disaster in my room.
