The truth was, I never should’ve accepted her invitation for the weekend. Or I should’ve at least followed my friend Ryan’s advice and kept things light and fun. Instead, I’d gotten involved. I’d started to have feelings for this girl.
Those things did not bode well for me.
Clearly, Maddy wanted nothing to do with me. She paid for our tickets and sat across the aisle from me, just staring out the window. She looked sad. I wanted to tell her that answering Katie’s call had been a mistake, but she didn’t want to hear it. Talk about a mess. Katie was crazy—crazy to have skipped out on her own wedding, crazy to keep calling me as if I had something to do with it.
But I understood Madison’s position. Why would anyone want to start a relationship with me when my ex wouldn’t leave me alone?
I sighed, leaning back against the seat and watching the water. When Katie had left me, it had hurt. But what was worse was that she was still tainting things. The fact that she still had any sort of power in my life made me so angry that it was a little scary.
I pushed my feelings to the side, right where they belonged.
I took one last look at Maddy, trying not to feel anything.
It was going to be a good, long while before I put myself out there again.
Chapter Twenty
MADISON
We didn’t say a word on the ferry or in the Uber. I vaguely wondered what the driver thought of us, the silent couple in his backseat.
I didn’t even know where to start. This was the fastest breakup I’d ever had, and we hadn’t even gone on a date yet.
Bob insisted on dropping me off first. He carried my bags to the door. He cleared his throat in the awkward silence. “It was nice meeting you, Maddy.”
“You too.” I stiffly accepted my suitcase from him. “Thank you for coming this weekend.”
He nodded. “Sure.”
“Um…” I bit my lip. “Am I ever going to see you again?”
“I hope so.” He said it so quick, it sounded like the truth.
“I hope so, too.”
His shoulders slumped as he headed back to the car. He stopped, turning to face me before he got in. “I’m only sort of sorry I beat your dad at tennis. I’m not at all sorry about Tyler, though. I’d do that again in a heartbeat.” He gave me one last glance before climbing into the back seat. “I am sorry I stopped kissing you. Sometimes trying to do the right thing’s the wrong thing.”
With that, he drove away.
I just stood there and watched him go. The me from two days ago was yelling at the me of today.
Go after him! she urged. Who cares if he says no? You have to try!
I ignored her, even though I got a lump in my throat as I watched the car disappear.
The weekend had taught me a lesson, an important one. Now I knew what putting myself out there got me. I was embarrassed, alone, and felt singed, as if I’d gotten too close to a fire. I sighed as I hauled my bags inside of my quiet, spotless, luxuriously decorated townhouse.
I locked the door behind me and sank down onto the couch I rarely used. The silence in my house was cold comfort, but that was better than nothing. Although I was lonely, I reminded myself that I was at least good at it.
Always an A student, I had no plans to fail ever again.
“Have you heard anything from your sister?” Josie asked. She’d called me from her hotel.
“I think they’re still in Mykonos. I don’t think they’re coming back for a month.” I looked out my office window at the beautiful Boston afternoon. The sunlight hit the fall leaves so that they shone brilliantly in all their shades of red, orange, and yellow. “I’m sure they’re having a great time. Did you see their feature in Vows? Sienna must be on cloud nine.” A prominent newspaper had featured the wedding, and the piece included a gorgeous picture of Sienna and Tim, their arms locked tightly around one another, eyes sparkling.
“I loved that picture,” Josie said. “Sienna was a stunning bride. They both looked so happy, you know?”
I sighed. “I know.”