Page 25 of Thanks for the Love
I sit down on the edge of my bed and brace myself because I already know I’m not going to like what I’m about to hear.
Chapter Seven
After five months I thought I’d come to terms with my engagement ending. I knew Dustin and Amber continued their relationship, but I really believed that their fling would run its course and they’d both end up miserable and alone. It takes a few minutes to process the news that they’re now engaged and basically continuing with the wedding plans Amber so graciously helped me with.
How lame is it to have the same wedding as your former best friend? Couldn’t she come up with ideas on her own instead of basically stealing my wedding right along with my fiancé?
Granted Amber and I have a lot of similar interests and taste, so it’s not completely farfetched that she’d want the same color scheme, venue, flowers, and entertainment. We were inseparable for most of our lives, so it’s no surprise that we’re alike in many ways. Obviously, Dustin thought so too.
“Are you okay?” Nikki asks after a few minutes. “As soon as I heard, I wanted to be the one to tell you. I thought it might be easier coming from me. Jason even told your parents to let me break the news.”
My brother is much better at handling our parents than I am, especially our mother. I know this has been hard on them too, losing their best friends after so many years is not easy. I’m still not sure if my mother was more upset about my engagement ending or losing Amber’s parents. And I was never fully convinced she liked Dustin. She said she did, but their interaction always seemed awkward.
“Thank you for telling me,” I say. “I don’t know what to feel anymore. The one thing I’m sure about is that I’m so glad I’m here right now. I think the news would be harder to face if I were still in Orlando.”
“Oh, absolutely,” she insists. “Let’s talk about that. How’s the agency? Is Lizzy being nice to you? She can be super bossy and moody—well, as a sister. I’m not sure how she’d be as a boss, probably the same.”
I smile to myself.
“Elizabeth is great, and so is everyone else I work with for the most part,” I tell her. “My roommates are really fun—we went out to dinner tonight, and I’ve already met some other people.”
“That’s great news,” she says, sounding relieved. “It was the right decision for you.”
I almost tell her about Theo, but for some reason I stop myself. I probably need to press the pause button on that anyway. It’s much too soon to get involved with anyone, and the last thing I need is a rebound fling.
“Thank you for standing by me through everything,” I say, feeling tears threaten my eyes. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Girl, you’re my sister. I got your back.”
The tears that were building are now sliding down my cheeks. I tell Nikki that I’ll call her back because I need a moment. I drop the phone on the bed next to me, put my face in my hands and let everything out. The emotions that have been building since the moment I left Orlando are finally coming to the surface.
I’m not even upset about Dustin and Amber’s engagement—well, maybe I am a little. But I’m the one who had to leave everything behind because it was too painful. They are continuing to live their lives without having to make any changes. I can only hope that karma truly does exist and that it’s coming for them.
When I finally pull myself together after my meltdown, I take a few breaths and wash my face. My eyes are still red and puffy, but at least I no longer have mascara running down my cheeks. I tiptoe to the kitchen to get some water. Neither of my roommates are around, so I sink down into Lila’s cozy white couch with my glass. I lean my head back and stare at the ceiling.
For several nights after walking in on Dustin with Amber, I couldn’t sleep. I’d lay in my bed and toss and turn for hours trying to figure out what went wrong and kicking myself for not realizing what was happening behind my back. Confronting them was the icing on the cake. Dustin repeatedly apologized for hurting me, and Amber bawled her eyes out and told me how much I meant to her. The turning point was the moment I asked them if they were willing to end their relationship, and everything went radio silent. I knew right away that they made their choice—and it wasn’t me.
When I stretch my arms over my head, the bandage on my wrist catches my eye. I drag myself off the couch and make my way outside. It’s a typical night in Florida, the air is thick and sticky with at least eighty-five percent humidity.
I stand next to the illuminated pool and dip my toe in. The sound of the water falling over the rocks is soothing and peaceful. Maybe I should take a page out of Theo’s book and swim a few laps. Some physical activity might be exactly what I need.
The sting of the engagement news isn’t going away anytime soon, so I need to do something to take my mind off it.
Before I have a chance to gather my thoughts, I start walking toward Theo’s house. It’s after eleven o’clock, so he could be fast asleep, especially since he’ll probably be awake before the sun rises again. That doesn’t stop me from making my way through the gate and into his backyard. I have no idea what I’m doing here, but it seems like my best option.
There aren’t any lights on in the house, but I knock loudly on the glass door anyway. All of a sudden, I feel ridiculous—this poor guy doesn’t need me interrupting his evening.
I turn to walk away when a light comes on in the house. My heart starts beating against the walls of my chest when I see Theo. He’s wearing a pair of sweatpants, and he’s shirtless once again. Obviously, the man doesn’t like wearing anything on his upper torso. He’s also wearing a pair of square-framed glasses that add a whole other level to his hotness. Admittedly, it’s a pleasant distraction from everything else going on. He waves when he seems me and opens the door.
“Hey, Gabby. What’s—” He stops and stares at my face.
“What happened? Are you okay?”
The tears may have stopped falling, but my swollen eyes are all the proof he needs to know something’s wrong.
“Hey. I’m sorry to bother you so late. You’re probably about to go to bed.”
He shakes his head. “I was just lying in bed watching baseball highlights. Come in.”
