Page 69 of Bridesmaid By Chance
“Don’t plan on it,” I say, my voice going shaky.
His hand connects with my neck and then slowly works up to myjaw, where he tilts my chin up with his thumb. “Make sure you come back.”
“You’re making that less and less likely,” I respond right before he leans down and presses a kiss to my nose.
The mark of death of this relationship: the nose kiss.
With that, he takes off up the stairs, leaving me in an irritated state.
As I approach Stacey, she says, “That was…intense.”
Tell me about it—my legs are feeling like Jell-O at the moment.
“Come on.” I take off down the front stairs to the street, where Stacey has the car parked.
“I mean, the iciness in there, combined with the obvious sexual tension, I mean wow. And for a second, I thought he was going to banish you from the house, but then he threw me for a loop and did that nose-kiss thing. Is that like…something special?”
“No,” I say as I get in her car, and she does the same. As we buckle up, I continue, “It’s a sarcastic gesture that is a subtle way of reminding the other that what we have means nothing.”
“Uh-huh, from the tension and anger, I can sense that you want something with him.”
“No,” I say, folding my arms.
“From the way spittle flew out of your mouth on that no, I’m going to assume you mean the opposite.”
Groaning, I lean my head back while Stacey pulls into the street. “I mean, I wouldn’t be opposed to it, but that tempting and teasing, that’s more to just…I don’t know, get him to break.”
“He’s not breaking.”
“I know, Stacey.” I groan and sink into my seat as she starts driving. “You know, when I decided on all of this, there was a part of me that thought maybe he would rub off on me.”
“Eww, gross.”
“No, not like that,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “I mean, he’s sobusiness-minded, smart, knows what he wants with his life, has a direction. And I don’t know, a piece of me thought that I would learn from him. I mean, I did this big risky thing, and I’m no further along in my life than where I started.”
“It’s been a week.”
“Yeah, a week of nothing,” I say. “I hate to admit it, but I really don’t think I like myself at the moment. This…this isn’t the person I normally am. I’m all thrown off. I never should have suggested we get married.”
She brakes at a stoplight and turns toward me. “You have a lot going for you, Sloane.”
“Yeah, name one thing.”
“You get to go to London. We are about to sign the paperwork for the house. Things are happening.”
“Still feel unsettled.”
“I can sense that.” She pauses for a moment and then quietly says, “We can always go back. We haven’t used the check yet. We can return it and, well…move on.”
I shake my head. “No, we’re not giving the check back. I’m still married. I’m going to see this through.”
“Okay, but it seems like you’re a little crazed right now.”
“I am,” I say, feeling all kinds of unwell.
“Maybe you tell me about it then.”
I tug on my hair. “I’m just…” I press my lips together, irritated with my feelings. “I don’t think I’m mature enough to handle this situation.”
