Page 33 of Hidden Vows
“Reid,” I interrupt. “I’ve gotta ask, why are you standing here talking to me?”
“What do you mean?” he asks, almost offended by the question.
“No.” I shake my head. “I mean, you’ve been standing here talking to me for well over thirty minutes, but there’s a woman over there who hasn’t stopped looking at you since she walked in.” I gesture between the two of us. “We both know nothing will ever happen here, and you’re not one to usually pass up the opportunity to…”
“Spend time with a woman where something might happen?” he offers when I struggle to find the words, causing us to laugh.
“Yeah. While I appreciate you didn’t want to seem rude walking away in the middle of a conversation, you don’t have to keep up the charade.”
“Honestly?” He glances over at the woman in question so quickly I wonder if he really sees her. She’s pretty and definitely his type—petite, curvy, with fiery red hair. “I’ve known her for a while. She’s my ex-girlfriend’s younger sister.”
“Oh. That’s?—”
“Complicated.” His eyes fall to the ground for a second before he looks at me again. “I don’t know. I’ve run into her a few times this year, and I thought something might’ve been growing between us, but…” His words trail off, and I see the hurt in his eyes.
“Well, I’m probably not one to take advice from, but if I had to guess, whatever you’re feeling isn’t imagined. She feels it too. No woman will spend ten solid minutes staring at a man while he talks to another woman if there aren’t serious feelings involved.”
His eyes move back to her, and this time, they stay trained on her. “God, this could get messy,” he mumbles.
“Sometimes the messy situations are the best ones.” Now it’s my turn to let my eyes wander. When they land on the man I can’t seem to stop thinking about, his eyes are already on me, and I can’t look away.
“Are you going to forgive him?”
I’m slow bringing my attention back to Reid.
Am I going to forgive him?I don’t know how I can, but I’m also starting to question what really happened that night. The Jude I knew back then never would’ve done what he said he did. But I can’t understand why he would lie about any of it either.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” I tell Reid honestly. “Right now, I’m focusing on my dreams. Everything else is going to have to wait.”
Reid’s smile is small, but I see the pride shine through in his eyes. “Good for you, Abbey. It’s about time you went after the things you want.”
“Hmm,” I hum. “Maybe you should take your own advice,” I offer as I step away, the redhead moving to take my place.
“Reid, I’m sorry…” Her voice fades as I move further from them, and I can’t help the smile that slowly grows across my lips. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Reid so at a loss with what to do when he likes a woman—it’s kind of nice to know even the playboys can stumble.
I look around the backyard, taking stock of everyone whoshowed up for Ava and Declan’s joint birthday party. It’s not a large group, but I feel lucky to be included with the people they want to celebrate with.
My eyes land on Quinn and Declan first. It’s been three weeks since their wedding, and while I know they got home from their extended honeymoon last week, this is the first time I’ve seen them since the wedding. I’m stunned when I realize the sight of them cuddled together doesn’t cause the same pinch in my chest as it did a few weeks ago. Standing across from them are Ava and Gage, and the way Gage looks at Ava while she tells an animated story doesn’t cause the twist in my gut that I’ve grown accustomed to ignoring in their presence. It’s nice seeing them so happy together.
I let my eyes wander across the yard to find Emily and Caleb talking to Max. There are smiles on their faces, and I’m genuinely happy for them. I haven’t seen Max much since he moved in with them, but I know how hard it is losing a parent, and at twelve years old I can’t imagine the pain he must be in.
“Hey,” Jude says softly, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts.
I spin to look at him, and it surprises me to realize there’s a comfort in hearing his voice. “Hey,” I reply just as quietly.
This week has been different. Like there’s a peace settling between us that I honestly never thought we’d have again.
I’ve lived the last seventeen years in this weird limbo of trying to move on but not really letting go of the past. Somehow, Jude coming back into my life is the thing that finally pushed me to move forward.
Silence falls between us, and for the first time since he got back, it’s comfortable.
It’s in that silence and comfort that I take him in. His tattoosare on full display as he stuffs his hands into his pockets, and I finally have the chance to see that I was right about the randomness sprinkled throughout the shading that brings them all together.
The tattoos—all in black on one side and mostly in color on the other—almost seem to create an intricate maze leading your eyes up his arm. The same tattoo I caught a glimpse of under the sleeve of his shirt the other day still captures my attention, but I’m still unable to see it in its entirety.
“How are?—”
“What have?—”
