Page 187 of Bridesmaid for Hire
And she delivered.
There’s a plate of two dozen cookies between us, and we both hold glasses filled with white wine.
“Brody told Reginald about my pocket wedding idea, and now they’re moving forward with it.”
“Why the hell would he do that?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “I keep asking myself the same question. I don’t know how the night really went down. I wasn’t told too much and, of course, I didn’t talk to Brody because he was passed out by the time he gotback to the bungalow. I know prior to that, he was feeling like he wasn’t doing enough to win his proposal and get on Hopper’s good side, so maybe he thought he’d take my concept and throw it in as a suggestion.” I shrug. “Either way, I found out from Hardy, and then I just…I lost it. I packed up my things and left him a note saying I don’t want to speak to him ever again.”
“Has he tried to reach out to you?”
I shake my head. “Not once.”
“Wow.” Hattie takes a sip of her wine. “You’d think if he wasn’t guilty, he would have contacted you. But the guilt…that’s prevented him from trying to get you back.”
I twist my lips to the side as I pick up a cookie. “That’s what I thought too, but do you think that theory could be true?”
“What do you mean?” Hattie asks. “Of course it’s true. Why do you ask? Do you want him to contact you?”
“I don’t know,” I say, feeling defeated. “And I know how that sounds—because I told him not to contact me, but then, in the back of my head, I kind of wish he did, because then he wouldn’t be guilty. Ugh, I don’t know if that’s making sense. All I know is I really like him, Hattie. And even though he hurt me, it’s hard to set aside those feelings.”
“Trust me, I know. I went through the same thing with Hayes. Once you feel something for someone, it doesn’t just go away. But my question to you is—do you want him to reach out?”
I shrug. “Probably not. I think seeing him would only bring me pain, but I think there was a part of me that thought…that hoped that Hudson got it wrong, you know? That like…if he tried to contact me, maybe that you mean all of this was a big mistake—I feel like if it was a mistake, he’d at least try to tell me that. Clear his name. But he hasn’t. He’s been silent, which just makes me believe he either did sell out my idea, or maybe he never truly liked me in the first place and was just using me this whole time.”
“No way.” Hattie shakes her head. “I saw the pictures you sent me of you two, and there is no way that man was faking his feelings for you.”
“So then he’s just a dick and chose his job over us.” I slowly nod. “Well, from what I gathered, he lost his job.”
“Ooof, really? That’s a bad weekend. Lose the girl and the job. Is it weird that I feel a little bad for him?”
“Yes!” I nearly shout. “Hattie, you’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am on your side,” she says quickly. “But I don’t know, just sucks for him is all.”
“Yeah, it does, because I’m a catch. He was lucky I even looked in his direction.”
“You’re right, he was lucky.”
“And he should have been happy with the fact that I never judged him, not one bit. After everything we went through, everything that happened to him on that island, I stuck by his side. Sure, I might have chuckled with the imaginary snake bite thing, but that was only once. Every other time, I was by his side, making sure he had someone to talk to, someone on his team. And this is how he treats me.” I toss my hand up. “Fine, good riddance. I don’t need him anyway.”
I feel my lip tremble as my voice shakes on that last word.
Hattie catches it and places her hand on top of mine. “It’s okay to be sad, Maggie. You don’t have to be strong in front of me.”
Andthat’s all it takes for the waterworks to start.
I set my wine glass down, pull my legs into my chest, and allow the tears to stream down my face. “I’m just…I’m mad at him. He promised he wouldn’t hurt me, and I believed him.”
“I know.” Hattie moves the cookies and pulls me in close, wrapping her arm around me. “I’m sorry, Maggie.”
“I really like him,” I say softly. “I think…I think I might actually…”
I don’t say the word because it’s too heavy, one that I can’t bring myself to say.
Luckily for me, my best friend gets me. “I know, Maggie.”
My lip quivers. “This isn’t fair, you know. I should be able to find someone to spend my life with. I should have romance. I should have that one special person. How come it doesn’t happen for me?”
