Fiona
I LEFT THE DOOR OPEN with him standing there. I knew he would walk inside my room. How weak was that? I was allowing him inside without saying it. This was because I hated Rowan. I was doing it to piss her off. That was all. It had nothing to do with my feelings for Marty. I had no feelings for Marty. That was my past.
“Rowan isn’t my girlfriend, Fiona. She’s a friend. We work together,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. Whatever. I didn’t believe that at all. A woman that looked and acted like that was not a platonic friendship. “I don’t care,” I said as I sat down on the velvet chair by the window.
“She’s a lesbian, Fiona.”
My eyes shot up to meet his. He was smirking, amused with my reaction over this piece of information he shared with me. “What?” I asked not sure I believed that.
“You heard me. Rowan is my best friend. And yes, she can be a bit much but she is only giving you hell because she thinks she’s helping me.”
“Annoying me and ruining my weekend is helping you? Gee, that’s great news.”
He sighed and gave me the exasperated look I had grown so used to near the end of our relationship. Even if we hadn’t been on a break. Even if he hadn’t slept with Mary Grace during that time proving he would never be over her. While I was battling my fears of forever and making promises, Marty had been rekindling an old flame. That kind of pain never went away. It stayed inside and changed everything that happened afterward.
“I don’t want to ruin your weekend. We should both be celebrating. I never thought I’d see the day Mack settled down. I sure as hell didn’t expect him to marry before I did. And Shay, she’s perfect for him. She’s what he needed. They’re happy. That’s why we are here. Rowan doesn’t understand our past. I haven’t given her all the details. I’m sorry she’s been acting like she has. I’ll talk with her.”
I nodded once so he knew I heard him. His reminded that Mack and Shay were made for each other didn’t help. It had been Marty and me once. We had been that couple. Mack had been a hopeless case and Shay had been wild. Never once did I think it would be those two in the end that made this kind of commitment.
Marty didn’t make a move to leave. If he was waiting on me to say something I didn’t have anything more to say. Having him this close was hard. Being reminded of what could have been didn’t sit well.
“Have you written your speech?” he asked, breaking the silence.
I shook my head. I knew I should think about it. Prepare for it. But so far, between dealing with seeing Marty and getting hammered off my ass I hadn’t found time to write anything.
“Me neither. We should probably get together to compare what we’ve written when we do. We can make sure our speeches don’t overlap. We have many of the same memories of them.”
As right as he was, I didn’t want any more reasons to be around him. I needed space. He didn’t seem to be affected by me. It wasn’t fair that I couldn’t get myself to forget or let go.
“I could just read yours and you read mine,” I suggested. “No reason to have to talk it over.”
He said nothing at first but finally he exhaled and gave me a quick nod. “Right. Okay. I’ll be in touch. And Rowan will behave.”
I started to mention the massage I wanted to get and that he could start by asking her to not ruin my experience by showing up. But knowing that she wasn’t sleeping with Marty made her much less annoying. I didn’t care if she came or not.
Marty turned to leave and I watched him go. Remembering a time that I would run into his arms when I saw him. How he made me happy, truly happy. Those days were gone.
The door closed behind him and I groaned then let my head fall back on the chair. “Why?” I said to the empty room. Why was it that he still made me feel things? I was a stronger person now. I wasn’t needy or insecure. Or was I? Had it been the distance? Was I kidding myself?
My phone rang and I ignored it. I didn’t even glance at my phone to find out who was calling. All I wanted was a few moments of quiet in my room.
My phone rang again. Annoyed, I silenced it and closed my eyes to block out reality and life. Chantel and I were good. That friendship was mended the best it ever would be. Monday, I would be heading back to New York and this world would once again be behind me.
When I got home I would date. I’d find someone new. I would trust again. I would move on. And maybe I would find love. The next time I wouldn’t let it go. I wanted what Shay had. I wanted that happiness again. Even if it wasn’t forever. Even if it hurt. I didn’t want to keep hiding from my emotions.
I wasn’t sure how long I had dosed off when a knock at my door and the ringing of the hotel room doorbell woke me up. Stretching, I took a moment to wake up and figure out where I was and what I was hearing before going to answer the door.
Slightly annoyed that the deep sleep I had been in was interrupted, I stumbled to the door. Jerking the door open ready to complain at whoever stood on the other side, I found Shay storming past me.
“I’ve called and called. You won’t answer!” She sounded hysterical.
I understood this weekend was about her but did she have to be so damn dramatic about everything? “I was taking a nap.” I yawned.
She paused then went back to throwing her hands up in the air and continuing her rant. “Why are you napping in the middle of the day? People are arriving.”
She seemed wildly serious about this. “It is your wedding weekend. People should start arriving today,” I reminded her. Was this pre-wedding jitters? I did not want to have to talk her off a ledge.
“Yes! But some of the people arriving I want you to meet!” She was still talking with that crazed tone. Like I was supposed to understand why she was pitching a fit over my napping.
“Isn’t there a dinner where I can meet them?” I asked her thinking she had let her nerves get to her. Or maybe Rowan got a hold of her and drove her nuts.
Shay put her hands on her hips and glared at me like I was a rebellious child.
“If you had answered my phone calls you would know that I needed you to come meet a guest now. He was waiting on you. I have told Frank so much about you—” She stopped abruptly, realizing what she had said. Her eyes widened and she looked away from me. Shifting her eyes toward the window while she worked through how she was going to explain that one.
“I don’t need a wedding date,” I told her. “And unless he lives in New York, introducing me to any man is pointless.” I tried not to get annoyed. I knew she meant well.
Shay inhaled deeply and turned her gaze back to meet mine. “Frank’s a dentist. A friend of mine’s brother. Super handsome. His wife died three years ago. He just started dating this past year. He is so nice. I think he’d be good for you this weekend. Not something long-standing. I know you don’t want that. But he’s here. He came to meet you.”
I stood there gaping at her. Was she kidding me? She was setting me up with a widower? How was I going to be rude to him now? Growling in frustration, I threw my hands up and stormed across the room annoyed this time. “Shay! Seriously! You didn’t think to ask me? You told this poor man who has lost his wife that I wanted to meet him? Now he’s here. At your wedding to see me! God! I can’t believe this.” This was too much.
“I knew Marty was bringing a date. I didn’t want you to face that alone,” she sounded apologetic but it didn’t negate that she’d invited that man here.
“She’s not a date! She’s his friend,” I said swinging around to face her again.
“She’s a gorgeous female sleeping in his room,” Shay said it as if she was trying to get me to see something I was in denial about.
“Yes. And she doesn’t want Marty. Chantel, however, might spark her interest,” I replied. I watched as realization dawning broke across my sister’s face.
She covered her mouth. “No,” she said through the muffle of her hands.
“Yes,” I replied.
Then she began to laugh. Loudly. And I stood there watching her trying to figure out if my sister had gone insane.