Page 61 of Love Letter Lost
I followed Livvy up the stairs, wishing her goodnight before driving home. As I drove, I couldn’t help but wonder why Ridge, after all these years, would feel so strongly about a lost letter. Thoughts I wrote out in a letter before I called it a night.
Dear Ridge,
I should probably feel bad, but I don’t. I told Amber you were my first kiss, that you were more to me than my cousin’s best friend. If you told the truth in your letter, I was once more to you than your best friend’s cousin. If that’s true, could you feel the same way again? That’s the big question, isn’t it? Can you love me now like you once claimed to? It probably doesn’t matter. You and Amber may be getting engaged tomorrow, but I have to ask. I have to know. I’m done living with regrets and leaving words unsaid.
According to Livvy, you didn’t handle the news of her hiding the letter any better than I did. Is it possible you were as hurt by Livvy’s betrayal as I was? When I learned about the letter, I was angry. I couldn’t believe she’d withhold something so important. Now, I wonder if you felt the same way.
Mal
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
The next morningcame too early. I’d spent a good chunk of the night after the party pacing my room, unable to sleep, despite writing my thoughts out in a letter. I was sick of writing and watching and waiting. I wanted to act, but I feared that it was too late. Yet, I couldn’t shake Livvy’s revelation or Jefferson’s advice.
I climbed out of bed when my alarm went off, not bothering to hit the snooze button. There was a lot to do, and I was going to need all the time I could get to make myself presentable.
I hurried to shower, style my hair, and apply makeup. I decided on loose curls, adding a touch of elegance to my appearance. Combined with the peach scarf, flirty black skirt, and white blouse, I looked good. I ate a quick breakfast, applied some lip stain, and headed out the door, pretending like I wasn’t about to spend hours watching Ridge and Amber while avoiding my mother.
I parked the car at the wedding venue, grateful and sad to be arriving alone. Ridge had texted me the night before, saying that he would drive with Amber, freeing me from at least one awkward interaction guaranteed to happen today. Though, a part of me wished for a moment alone with him, a chance to really talk about the emotions I’d been battling all week, as evidenced by the letters filling my notebook.
Livvy and David had decided on an outdoor ceremony at a local botanical garden. The smells of roses and fresh-cut grass scented the air as the officiator spoke words of hope and love. Seeing David and Livvy’s love for each other warmed my heart and helped me forget, for a moment, about Amber and Ridge who sat a few seats down the row from me.
Following the ceremony, I waited with the rest of Livvy and David’s guests for a chance to congratulate them before driving to the reception. My family had arrived late for the wedding, sitting towards the back, Mother refusing to make eye contact as I stood with the other bridesmaids. She currently stood several feet away, avoiding me by talking to Chris and Sheila. My dad walked over, his suit jacket in hand.
“Hi, sweetheart.” Dad wrapped me in a hug, and I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring the contact.
“Hi, Dad.”
“Your mother was upset when she got home yesterday.” He stepped back enough to look at my face. “Anything you want to talk about?”
I sighed. “Not really, but I’m guessing I don’t have a choice.”
“You have a choice. Just know, if you choose wrong, I’ll keep pestering you until you change your mind.”
I grinned. “Then I guess I’d better pick right the first time. Mother is driving me insane.”
“You say that like it’s a new development. Don’t forget, I was there for all the teenage years.” Dad slung his arm around my shoulders, and we began walking the garden paths.
“This time she’s reached a new low. She actually brought me a date for Livvy’s wedding dinner. She didn’t ask. She told me what she was doing, I said no, and she did it anyway.”
A laugh of surprise escaped Dad as he stopped to look at me. “That’s a new one. Here I was thinking she’d given you another lecture about how you need to marry and move into a house down the street so she can watch over you and slowly smother you to death with all her worries.”
“I could have handled that.” I shook my head and sat on a bench, looking around the gardens. “I shouldn’t have snapped at her, but last night she went too far.”
“I’m sorry. She’s got tunnel vision right now. You know this time of year always reminds her of the accident.”
“That’s not my fault. Maybe she should try redirecting some of the smother energy to Chris and Sheila.” I looked to where the rest of our family sat, jealous of the easy, comfortable relationship my brother and mother had always shared.
“I think Sheila scares her too much.” Dad’s chuckle made me smile, easing the tension that had lodged in my chest. “But that doesn’t fix things between you and your mother.”
“No.” I sighed.
“What will fix things?” This was why I both loved and hated conversations with my dad. He could nudge me in the right direction with only a few observations and the right question.
I gave a small smile, feeling like I was back in high school. “An apology. Though technically it could come from her side too.”
Dad sat next to me and slung an arm around my shoulders. “True, but we both know that if you want this to end in this century, you’re going to have to say the words first.”
“But she was out of line.”
