Page 55 of New River Gorge(ous)
“But you do want those things?”
“I want that life with the right person. I’d rather have none of it if I had to have it with the wrong person. I was so close to being wrong before, but I’ve been praying, and this feels right.”
“Beck, I—”
My phone begins buzzing. It’s my day off, but I must have forgotten to turn off the alarm reminding me to get ready for work. I fish it out of my pocket to turn it off, but see that it’s Ben calling. That’s weird—Ben never calls. Healwaystexts first. I’m immediately worried for my friend, so I motion to Brooke that I need to take this call.
I accept the call and launch into doctor mode. “Ben, is everything ok?”
“Beck?” a distinctly feminine voice says. “I’m so glad Ifinallygot through to you.”
“Addie?” I question, turning to look at Brooke because I don’t understand what’s happening right now. But Brooke hops off the swing and stands just to my side as she shakes her head and tears form in her eyes.
“I knew it had to do withher,” Brooke whispers before she turns the doorknob and slams the front door of June’s house.
“Addie.” I grind her name out through my clenched teeth. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I think you do, Beck,” she condescends. “I think you really do.”
“I think I really don’t,” I snap.
She heaves a sigh through the phone. “Listen, Beck. I’m sorry, ok? I wish you could forgive and forget. We were good together.”
I snort.
“We were really good together,” she continues. “It’s just the wedding stuff—it was all too much, and the idea of only ever being with you … well, I had to find out if there was more to the world.”
Addie knows how to drive a knife into my heart and twist it. Everything about her apology is about her. I see her so clearly now; it’s like scales have fallen from my eyes. I don’t want a future with her in it.
“And now that I’ve explored the world and met other people and saw you with that new girl, it just made me think that we had a good thing, and why would we give it up?”
“You saw me with that new girl?” I question. “Brooke? The woman who was with me when I was at Long Point? That’s why you’re calling? That’s what made you think you should try to get back together with me?” I bark out an incredulous laugh. “How did you convince Ben to let you use his phone?”
“I didn’t convince him, I just took it while he was in the shower,” she responds. “And come on, Beck. Do you really think her body is better than mine?”
Addie’s jealousy is on full display even through the phone, and I can’t think of anything more unattractive. My lips curl up in a snarl of disgust. This woman needs to get out of my life. I can’t believe I was about to marry her.
“Yes. I do think Brooke is more attractive than you. Don’t call me again. I don’t want to talk to you.”
I hang up the phone and look around the porch for Brooke. Instead of Brooke, I find June leaning on her knee scooter by the front door. June’s mouth is set in a thin line, and her eyebrows are drawn up, making sharp carats.
“Young man,” she scolds, and it is decidedly not her regular good-natured humor. “You are a fool.”
I’m used to being insulted by June, but not when she clearly means it.
I hold my hands out in confusion. “Uh—” I eloquently state.
“No. None of that. You can either be a man, or not. But thiswaffling”—she spits the word at me with the vehemence of a cobra—”will not be something you subject my Brooke to.”
“Waff…” I start, but am interrupted by pure fury.
“No.” June wags her finger at me while she shakes her head. “I heard enough to know that you are either a stupider specimen of man than most, or you have no regard for people like Brooke. Brooke is kind and honest. She has big dreams, she wants love, and you waltz right on in and dangle the promise of love like a worm on a hook, but whenthat womancalls, you answer. Quite frankly, Brooke is entirely too smart to be with the likes of you.”
People do not call doctors stupid, but June doesn’t care what people think, what people say. She tells it exactly like she sees it, and I do too.Brusqueis a word that’s been used to describe me a time or two, but it’s different when someone else is being brusque with you. Regardless of the social connotations, bluntness can be effective in making someone realize their idiocy.
“June,” I say as a weight comes crashing down on my shoulders. I really am stupid. I told Brooke I loved her and then answered the phone. I didn’t know it was Addie on the other line, but I still made something else a priority right after declaring love. “I … I’m an idiot.”
June shakes her head in agreement.
