I was such a fucking fool. When Livy was in my arms, I felt like I was finally alive again. I breathed her in, filling my lungs, and I never wanted to know what it felt like to not be able to breathe again.

But when I woke up on the floor of my office twenty minutes before I was supposed to be at the wedding venue for our rehearsal, I woke up alone. I jumped from the floor, pulling my jeans on, and searching the space for a single trace of her. The contents of my desk were scattered on the floor and my skin was covered with the scent of her perfume. I looked around the room remembering the night before, and I pulled at my hair in frustration.

When I had fallen asleep, it was with her in my arms. We didn’t speak of the future. We didn’t make each other any promises, but that didn’t matter to me. I thought… I fucking thought that last night meant something to both of us.

I grabbed my phone out of my pocket. Ten missed calls from Emily lit up my screen, but I quickly cleared them away. I would deal with Emily. I had to, but right now, Livy was the only thing on my mind.

I hit her name and the phone shook in my hand as I listened to each ring while holding my breath. When she didn’t answer, I quickly called her again. This time, her voicemail picked up on the third ring and thought I was going to lose my fucking mind.

I threw my shirt over my head and headed to my car while dialing Brandon’s number.

“Hey, man.”

“Hey. Have you seen her?” My voice was rushed and heart felt like it was beating out of my chest.

“Yes. She’s here at the church where you’re supposed to be. Where are you?”

I stopped in my tracks. “She’s at the church?”

“Yeah, man, and she’s already bossing everyone around. You better get here before I kill her.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Your fiancée. Who the hell are you talking about?” He was whisper-yelling into the phone.

“Livy. I have to find her.”

“It’s about fucking time.”

“Can you cover for me there?” I had no clue what I was going to do, but I knew I wasn’t going to that church.

“Of course.”

I drove to Livy’s house and banged on the door like a maniac, but no one answered. Her brother would be at the church with my other friends, and irrationally I wanted to kill him for not being home so I could search for her.

I went to Staci’s house next.

She opened the door wearing nothing but a long t-shirt, a messy bun on the top of her head, and a death stare.

“Stac, is she here?”

She put her hands on her hips. “You have a lot of nerve, Parker.”

“I don’t have time for this. Is she here?”

When she didn’t answer me, I stormed past her and started looking around her apartment.

“Are you insane? What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Staci was following me around her space, but I didn’t care what she had to say. I wouldn’t let Livy run again.

“You are her best friend, Staci. Where is she?” I sounded frantic, and I could see a trace of pity in her eyes before she looked away. “I can’t let her run again. I can’t handle it.”

“Did you ever stop to think about why she ran?”

“We’re both scared…”

Staci shook her head interrupting me. “No, Parker. You just cheated on your fiancée with her.”

“So you’ve talked to her.”

She held up her hand. “She ran the first time because you cheated on her and destroyed the girl that she was. She can’t live with herself knowing that she’s helping you do it to someone else.”

“What?”

Staci opened her mouth to talk, but I interrupted her. “I never cheated on her.”

“It’s a little late for that, Parker. She knows that you were sleeping with that girl you got knocked up when you were with her.” She rolled her eyes at me, and it was as if everything finally clicked into place.

Livy thought I cheated on her. That was why she ran. That was why she left me.

“I swear to God, Stac. I never cheated on her. I fucking love her. I always have.”

Staci looked at me, watching me closely, trying to see if what I was saying was the truth. I bit my tongue as she took her time. I knew if I snapped at her again then she would never tell me where she was.

“Please,” I begged.

“I can’t tell you, Parker.” She shook her head. “You’re not ready.”

“What the fuck do you mean I’m not ready? Trust me. I’ve been in love with that girl for over four years. I’m more than ready.”

“What about Emily?” She hopped up onto her kitchen counter and pulled a spoon out of a tub of icing that sat in the fridge.

“I’ll deal with Emily, but I have to get to Livy.”

She shook her head like I was the biggest idiot in the world. “What you need to do is deal with Emily before you go anywhere near Livy. You can’t go to her like this.” She waved her spoon in my direction. “You look half-crazy in your after-sex glow. If you want to do this right, then you have to be in it one hundred percent. You can’t be confessing your love to Livy when you still have a ring on another girl’s finger. Take my advice on this. I read a lot of romance novels.”

“Okay.” I ran my hands through my hair. “Okay, but will you promise me that you won’t let her run.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” She plopped the spoon filled with icing in her mouth.

“I’m not kidding, Staci. I can’t fucking live without her again. I won’t.”

“Then get on your white horse there buddy and figure out how to be her knight in shining fucking armor.”

I kissed her on her forehead, her hair smelling of vanilla icing and making me question exactly how much she’s had to eat.

“I owe you one.” I started walking toward the door.

“Yeah, yeah. You can pay me in ink.”