Page 26 of New River Gorge(ous)
Dr. Beckett Whistler
Addie is coming home, and I asked Brooke on a date. I walk into my house and stare at the crucifix next to the door. I need to push thoughts of Addie aside. And I need to do this. For me.
I like Brooke. I don’t want to think I’ve wasted time wallowing after Addie, but maybe I have. I can’t afford to wallow any longer, not when long since dormant romantic feelings have bloomed to new life within me.
Sure, some small part of me wants vengeance, wants to show Addie that I’m doing great without her, but there’s a part of me that’s bigger and better, that wants to let someone know me without all the damage Addie did in the way.
Maybe one reason I haven’t dated since Addie is because it feels like everyone here knows everything about me, except the tourists, and they don’t interest me.
Addie wrecked a lot of things. But I won’t let her win.
I flip on the bedroom light with more force than necessary, and throw scrubs into my work bag, as well as a set of fresh clothes. I’m lucky that this small regional hospital has facilitiesfor showering, and I like to take advantage of it. Even if it is connected to the gym all the old men in the area frequent.
The zipper on the bag catches and I tug it, letting my frustration pour over me.
I wasn’t expecting June to know about Addie and the way she left me at the altar, but I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m angry that I didn’t think that as soon as she knew my name after I moved in three and a half years ago, she wouldn’t call up all the ladies in the church circles and ask questions.
Now I’m angry that Brooke won’t get to know me without Addie’s influence hanging over my head. Nothing says romance to a woman like,Hey, I got left at the altar by my fiancée years ago, and I haven’t dated since then. Want to go out? Want to settle for me, because she sure didn’t.
June ripped that rug right out from under me. I couldn’t see Brooke’s face when she learned aboutthe incident, but I didn’t need to. I saw an entire church’s worth of faces who learned about it at the same time as me.
Now, I’m going to see her again. I know that. She’s Ben’s sister, but I won’t give up my friendship with Ben because Addie found me lacking.
Ben’s always been tight-lipped about where Addie went and what she was doing, but I know she said she couldn’t marry me, and she said it in the loudest, most uncomfortable way possible for everyone involved.
I’m still dealing with the fallout.
I stalk into my kitchen and rummage through the fridge for something to eat. I throw up my hands and growl in frustration as a single brown banana stares back at me.
The storm door banging shut sounds from behind me, and I turn. Brooke stands in the entryway holding the greasy take-out bag from Billy’s.
She bites her lip and frowns. “I knocked, but you didn’t hear me. I was about to call your name…”
I step toward her slowly.
She eyes me cautiously. “I don’t know why you left Meemaw’s porch like that, but she insisted I bring you this. Turns out she has a friend bringing us dinner.”
“June,” I grumble as I take the bag from Brooke’s outstretched hand.
Brooke stares at me, her eyes wide and questioning, the gray tile of my entryway reflected in them.
“Look, Brooke,” I start, then stop. I rub my fingers over my beard, unsure where to go from here. “June was matchmaking today. She must have seen me leave, and she knows I usually go to Billy’s with Ben and Logan before my shift on Thursday.”
“Oh,” she breathes. “Ok. I’ll tell her to stop meddling.” She turns to leave, and I have to stop her. I put my hand out to stop her, holding the door knob so she can’t leave yet.
“I’m…” I blink at the tears in Brooke’s eyes. “Why are you crying, Brooke?”
“I thought maybe you really did want to go on a date with me.” She looks down at the floor. “It’s ok, though, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
I scratch my head. She thinks I don’t want to date her? I messed this up. “It’s not that. June … mentioned something that I was hoping to not have you know.”
Brooke’s eyes widen, and I know I have to tell her. If I’m interested in dating again—and I am—then I need to say it. I need to tell the story in a way that won’t come back to bite me.
“Addie is Ben’s sister. We were engaged. She didn’t show up at our wedding. And everyone here knows that. I was hoping to maybe ease into dating without that over my head. It’s not really something I enjoy talking about, and it’s not a great way to start off a relationship.”
“Is that the worst thing in your past?” Brooke asks.
I think for a moment. “Yeah, it pretty much is.”
