Page 42 of Someone Exactly Like Me (Wounded Hearts 1)
The more time I spend with her, the more I want to know about her. I feel like we’re becoming friends. It’s a strange feeling for me, but nice. How is it she’s still single?
“I’m kind of surprised you haven’t married yet,” I say, not looking at her.
“I was engaged once.”
I shift my body to face her. “Really?”
“Yeah.” She looks over at me then back out toward the water. “Well, that was until I caught him the week before our wedding, lip-locked with his childhood best friend.”
A sting pinches my heart. “Destiny. I’m so sorry.” I know the hurt of being cheated on. “What happened?”
She turns to face me, a slight breeze tousles her ponytail. “I always had my suspicions about them. I mean, she’s absolutely gorgeous, incredible body, beautiful face.” She looks at me. “Someone you’d be with. And she was actually really nice. We got along great.” She shakes her head. “There always seemed to be flirtatious energy between them though. They both denied anything more than friendship, but I always felt there was something more. Anyway, I’d left my wedding planner at his house and wanted to go over a few things so I stopped by to get it. That’s when I walked in on him and Tessa, half naked, making out.”
Thunk. My heart drops for her. “What did you do?”
“What could I do? I ran out, drove home sobbing, and cried in my room the rest of the day. Candi came over and stayed with me.”
“You didn’t scream? Or throw things at them?”
She laughs. “No. I tend to get hurt rather than angry. Don’t get me wrong, I was crushed. And I was definitely mad for a while. But more mad at myself for not trusting my instincts.”
“The women I’ve dated would’ve been enraged and tried to beat up the other woman.” I chuckle.
She laughs harder. “Nope, not me. I took my broken heart and ran away. We met the next day to talk. He apologized and tried to tell me it didn’t mean anything. I looked him in the eye and told him he needed to figure out what his feelings were for Tessa because there was, very obviously, something more than just friendship. He wasn’t a bad guy. I mean, what he did wasn’t nice, but I wanted him to be happy. I wanted both of us to be happy. Plus, I don’t want to be with someone who doesn’t want to be with me. Clearly, he didn’t.” She rests her arm on the railing.
“How were you so okay with it?”
Pain sits in her eyes. “I wasn’t.” She pauses, looking out at the water. “I was devastated. For a long time. He broke my heart.” A sheen veils her eyes and my heart is heavy for her. “But, once I had some distance from it and really looked at our relationship, I knew it was for the best. There was never a mutual investment in our relationship.” She cast her gaze downward and then back up. “And he never looked at me the way he looked at her.” The sadness in her voice tugs at my heart.
“How did he look at her?”
She sighs. “With a passion that went beyond physical desire. Respect, admiration, a deep longing.” She looks down at her feet, shaking her head. “I — I don’t know how to explain it.”
I reach out and touch her arm. She looks into my eyes. “It’s okay. You don’t have to explain.”
We both face the water again, quiet, listening to the sounds of chattering voices and singing seagulls.
“Is there anything else you want to do here?” I ask.
“You have to ride the Ferris wheel. The view from the top is beautiful.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
We get in line and it moves quickly. Within five minutes, we’re nestled into a gondola. Ascending higher, the view is quite beautiful as she said it would be. The big wheel lazily spins twice, eventually stopping at the top. The breeze feels nice against my skin.
Suddenly, she grabs my thigh, andnotin a sensual way. Her grasp is firm, nails digging into my skin. When I look at her, her already fair skin is ghostly pale and she’s clutching her chest.
Adrenaline zaps me as I turn my body toward her. “Destiny, what’s wrong?”
She stares straight ahead, her breathing is rapid and her entire body is trembling. Then she looks at me with fear sharp in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She shakes her head. “I didn’t expect this.”
“Expect what? What’s happening to you?”
Her nails still digging into me and her breathing still fast, she continues. “I didn’t think to tell you.” She breaths in and out. “It hasn’t happened in so long.”
“What? What hasn’t happened?”
“I’m —” She breathes. “I’m having a panic attack,” she says, taking my hand and placing it between her breasts. Her heart beats wildly.
