Page 28 of Exposed

“I’m sorry, I slept in. And then the traffic was terrible. I had to run part of the way here.” His hair was slightly matted to his forehead. And his chest rose and fell as he caught his breath. “I also had to stop and get these.” He smiled and handed me a hotdog.

He did remember. I wasn’t forgettable. And he wasn’t a ghost, he was here. He showed up for me.

“I thought maybe you wouldn’t show,” I said.

“A long time ago, this girl taught me that I always needed to show up for the people that matter.”

I couldn’t hide my smile.

“And you matter, Brooklyn.”

“Thank you.” He mattered too. But I kept my mouth closed. I was so used to thinking about him in the past tense. I didn’t know how to let him back in.

We both just stood there staring at each other.

“Do you come here often too?” I asked. “Like you go to the graveyard?” I quickly shook my head. “Actually, don’t answer that. I’ve seen a picture.” I looked over at the restaurant. I’d seen the pictures of him with Poppy. He’d taken her to the place where we were meant to get married.

“What picture?”

“Of you and Poppy.” I swallowed hard. Matt was the only person that could ever make me feel so important one moment and then so invisible the next. I knew he was stuck in some sort of situation with Poppy. James had told me as much. But…why had he brought my evil cousin here of all places?

Matt closed the distance between us. “There is no me and Poppy. I’m pretending to date her because I owe James. I’ve been a really shitty friend over the years. Your dad showed you pictures of me being friends with James and Rob again. And I was but…not in the same way as before. I just…needed them. Because I didn’t want to lose anyone else. And I knew it was what you wanted. For us to all be friends again. But I hated them too. It was easier to blame James and Rob about what happened instead of myself.”

“It was none of your fault.”

“I know.” He reached out and lightly touched the side of my face, like he needed to touch me to believe I was actually standing there. “I was a mess without you.” His fingers slowly fell from my skin. “Poppy came to me and threatened James’ daughter. She told me she wouldn’t touch Scarlett as long as I put on this charade of us dating. Anything you’ve read or heard, it’s not true. She chose this restaurant for some weird tabloid photo op. Probably just to mess with me. I’m not engaged to that psychopath. But I went along with it because it felt like my chance to make things right. To stand up for James. To be a good friend for once in my life.”

“I’m sure you’ve been a good friend.”

He laughed. “Honestly? No, I haven’t. I stopped having James’ back. I let him get so shitfaced that he got married to Wizzy.”

I was so disappointed that James married Isabella. But it wasn’t just Matt’s fault. “Rob also let him do it. So did Mason. And ultimately, that was James’ decision.”

“I think he blamed himself for your death too, Brooklyn. I think he thought Isabella was his punishment. And I let him think it. I didn’t stop him. I’m a shit friend. And it’s not just that. I’ve blatantly flirted with James’ new wife in front of his face. Partially to piss him off. Partially because she reminds me of you. I think the two of you will get along really well.”

I nodded. “I think so too. Penny’s really nice. I can’t believe James went to Delaware.” It made my heart hurt a little less. I’d told him that people were nicer there. And he’d remembered.

“All my friends married girls from Delaware. And I resented all of them. I was jealous. Because it should have been us.”

I closed my eyes because it was so hard to see his pain. Especially because I knew that I’d caused it. Itcouldhave been us. Butshouldit have been? I’d never trade anything for those years with Miller. I slowly opened my eyes again. But standing here on this bridge? Staring at Matt? It kind of felt like falling back in love. I felt different around him. I felt…younger. Like I was 16 again.

“I’m so sorry for hurting you. I’m so sorry, Matt.”

“Eat your hot dog before it gets cold and I’ll forgive you.”

I laughed. If only it was that simple. But I took a big bite anyway. I sighed. I’d forgotten how good these were.

We stood there in silence eating. Staring at each other. It would have been awkward if I didn’t so badly need to take him in. The new him. His hair was a little darker. His shoulders wider. I remembered waking up being wrapped in his arms. How safe I’d felt.

I remembered once that Kennedy said that Miller looked like a grown up Matt. They were both tall and strong. But that was where their similarities ended. I also remembered thinking that Miller was a man and that Matt was just a boy that kept making stupid mistakes. But Matt wasn’t a boy anymore. And I was pretty sure he’d grown up a lot after he thought I’d died. Like I’d cut his youth short. Matt was a man. A man I didn’t really know.

I wanted to know the new him. But what if he didn’t like the new me? It was possible that Matt and I were always meant to be….just not meant to last. Because I didn’t just break one promise. I broke two. And I regretted neither. I finished my hot dog and took a deep breath.

“Miller didn’t just die. He was murdered. And I think my father killed him.”

Matt paused mid bite and then cleared his throat like he’d swallowed it down wrong. “What?”

“I don’t know. My father claims he didn’t. He claims it was a rival family. And I’m so dumb, because I thought we were safe in our little bubble. But my father was watching the whole time. I was never safe.”

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