Page 79 of Out of Bounds
Shelbyand I get to the restaurant a little later and we get the most gorgeous food.
All the while she talks about her latest guy who is sous chef at some Michelin stared restaurant in Charlotte I pretend I’m fine and I listen.
“Alright your turn,” she says flicking her wrist over.
“To do what?”
“To talk. I knew it was going to take all night so I wanted to say my piece first. In summery for me. I think I’ll be seeing Cal again and I might bring him to the wedding. That’s it. Now you can talk.”
I chuckle. There really is no on like Shelby.
“there’s nothing to talk about tonight.”
“Oh please. How can you say that. You’ve had that face since last month. I thought you might look worse, which behold you do, that’s why I booked tonight.”
“Really?” I claps my hands on the table.
“Yes. Now darlin, how are you supposed to be fine when you’re breaking up with the man you love in two weeks?”
That does it. I’ve been holding back those dreadful tears for months now. Hearing her say speak the truth of reality opens the lock I restrained them with and they slide down my cheeks.
“Oh honey,” she says reaching for some napkins to give me.
I feel like such a loser crying in the restaurant. I dab my eyes and try to fix myself.
“I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to apologize, Bree. I saw this coming. You don’t want to break up do you?”
I shake my head. “No I don’t. How did this happen to me? It was supposed to be simple.”
“My dear niece I could offer you all the advice in this world, but the best thing I can tell you is to talk to him. You have to talk to him. He loves you.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” I remember on my birthday when I told him I loved him for what he’d done for me. It meant exactly that, but I also meant that I loved him. It was at that time when I started thinking about Amelia again.
“Why would you say that?”
“Because I don’t think he can love me the way he did his dead girlfriend, and I feel so awful saying that. I truly do.”
“Sometimes things are not what they appear to be, and I don’t think it’s that when it comes to him. That’s why you need to talk to him. Promise me you’ll do that, Bree.”
I nod, knowing she right. I’m just not sure I have the courage.
* * *
It’s notcourage that pushes me to gear myself to talk to Ethan. It’s madness.
I can feel it, I’m going crazy.
It’s Friday evening and it occurred to me I’ll be in the house all by myself all weekend then at Lucille’s party. Judging by the way I feel, I don’t think I’m going to make it.
Ethan is in the study packing the rest of his stuff for the long weekend. I don’t know if he has any other plans with Amelia’s father for the weekend but I’m sure scattering the ashes is going to be sad too for them both.
He also hasn’t spoken about how he’s feeling. Not to me anyway.
I walk into the study and he looks at me. Now is probably the worse time to talk because he’s nigh on leaving but I just can’t wait any longer.
“Hey, are you all packed and ready?” I ask.
