Page 129 of Never Not Friends

She doesn’t deserve this.

I can’t do it.

I can’t be the reason Vinny walks away from her.

I smile through the pain of it all, through the emotion swelling in my chest. “No.” I keep reassuring, though my voice shakes. “Juliet loves you. She’ll take good care of your heart.”

His chest sinks as if my words destroyed the small piece of hope he might’ve had.

“We better get back inside. Juliet will be looking for us.” I walk away before the tears fall.

More shattered than I ever thought I could be.

VINNY

“I was worried that my mom wouldn’t be able to stand for her toast, but she was so strong. I mean, she had to lean against my dad for some of it, but still, I was proud of her.” Juliet’s been talking a mile a minute ever since we left the rehearsal dinner. She lightly touches my arm. “Oh, and your mom’s words were so sweet.”

I keep my eyes on the road but nod. “Yeah, she did a great job.”

“And did you see Blair and your cousin Bob?” She laughs, already on to the next subject. “He was completely smitten, but you know Blair. She barely even noticed the poor guy.”

I give a polite hum in response.

Truthfully, my heart isn’t in it.

Any of it.

I didn’t go into my wedding rehearsal dinner planning to ask Emma for a reason not to marry Juliet.

It just came out.

And I can’t undo it.

Or tell myself her answer didn’t hurt.

I don’t even know what I expected Emma to say. That she has feelings for me? That I should love her instead? She’d never go behind Juliet’s back like that. Putting others’ happiness before her own is her fatal flaw. Or best trait. It depends on the day.

But I can’t make this decision based on what other people say.

Trust me, I’ve tried.

I wanted my mom to tell me what to do.

Now Emma.

I’m just so confused.

And everything is coming at me so fast.

It was only one week ago that I found out my entire relationship with Emma was built on false assumptions. How we broke up. Why she avoided me after college. And it shouldn’t matter—like she keeps saying—but it does.

It does.

And I don’t have time to slow down and sort through any of it rationally.

I’m standing in front of a ticking time bomb, with only seconds to try to carefully dismantle it before everything explodes in my face.

My wedding is tomorrow.