Page 12 of I Love You Again
Chapter 4
Damn who knewthat agreeing to be your best friend's best man could lead to such acommotion?
This washell.
Brad realized he'd somehow taken a wrong turn somewhere and landed straight inhell.
He'd visited hell before when he left Iowa and turned his back on Trina, but he comforted himself with the knowledge that she was better off withouthim.
Right now he was back at that place where he felt numb from his decision to leave her, and he was uncertain of what todo.
He rescued her from the pool and watched her pass out from the impact of itall.
With Jennifer and her friend's in tow, Brad took her back to her room. While her friend's got some warm clothes on her, Jennifer grabbed his arm and ushered himoutside.
"Brad. You'd better start talking right now. I'm serious. This is my best friend. When it comes to Trina nothing is more important. So spill it. How do you know her, and what the hell did you do to make her so upset?" Jennifer's eyes blazed as she folded her arms and stared himdown.
He didn't want to say anything to anyone first before explaining things to Trina, but he felt that he owed Jennifer and Neil something on account of the upset he'd clearly causedeveryone.
"We used to be a couple, back in Iowa. I broke her heart in the worse waypossible."
"You cheated on her?" Jennifer pointed at him and squared her delicate shoulders off like she was going to take himdown.
"No." He could never even contemplate cheating. When he'd been with Trina, the world revolved around her. "I left. I left, and I wasn't there when she needed me." He was referring to when her fatherdied.
"That's it? There must be more than that. I've known Trina for over ten years, and she's never behaved this way. Never. She won't even have chocolate if there's any alcohol in it. But now she smells like she's been swimming in a bath full of rum. There has to bemore."
He nodded, deciding to be truthful. "There is more, but that part I have to tell her before anyone else." He found out where Trina was staying from Neil. He was on his way to talk to her when she ran intohim.
At that revelation, Jennifer's face softened. She looked back towards the door then returned her gaze tohim.
"Okay." She pulled in a breath. "But whatever it is, you need to fix this. I don't know how we've known you all this time, and never knew you knew Trina. We've known you almost the same length of time. It's completelybizarre."
"I know." He couldn't explain it himself, but he knew how to fix the situation and theproblem.
The solution was simple. He had to leave again, tonight. He couldn't be here and cause such problems and pain. Also, Jennifer and Neil deserved a magical wedding. They didn't need hismess.
"You never even knew she lived inChicago?"
Brad shook his head. He couldn't believe the coincidence of that either. "I should go sit with her till she wakes up," hesuggested.
Jennifer noddedagreeing.
* * *
Brad watchedher for hours while she slept. Trina hardly stirred, and he feared what would happen when she didwake.
As he gazed ahead to the French doors that opened out to her terrace, he went over what he would say in hismind.
It was turning dark now. He'd been here all day and had kept Jennifer and the others updated. Neil came by twice to check onhim.
A soft sound escaped her lips as she turned on her side. It was the first time she'd actually moved properly since he'd beenhere.
His stomach clenched when her eyes fluttered open, and she turned her head to facehim.
She looked as furious as he imagined she would and jumped at the sight of him. At least the sleep had done her some good as her face wasn't as blotchy and swollen as it was thismorning.
"Get out," she cried, sitting up and moving back over to the far corner of thebed.
