“It’s really none of my business.” I don’t want to know. What if the fear in my stomach is true? She might say the truth is, you didn’t know how to love me. You never loved me enough. You never were enough. You won’t be enough for her either.
“Right. I just… You look good.” She finishes her glass. “Handsome. Happy.” There’s something in her voice. Something between bitterness and nostalgia.
“You do too.” I motion to her cream dress. “Very bridal.”
“Yeah.” Her laugh is awkward. “It’s so much. And it’s tomorrow. I… I’m freaking out a little.”
“You need another drink?”
“Usually, you tell me to stop.”
“I’m not your keeper anymore, remember?”
“Yeah.” Her expression gets apologetic. “You’re right, I… uh… I actually wanted to ask you something.”
“Oh?”
“Tonight. Will you mind if I borrow Skye?” She holds her glass to her chest. “My maid of honor is doing a bachelorette in the suite.”
“I’m not her keeper either,” I say.
“You’re past that?”
Sorta. “Getting there.”
“Good.” Mack presses her lips together. “And you… you aren’t trying to fix her?”
What the fuck? “What do you mean?”
“Nothing. Just… everyone has issues.”
Sure…
“Forget I said anything.” She bites her lip. “I hate to drive a wedge. I just… I didn’t know if you knew. Why Skye hasn’t talked to me all these years.”
What is she talking about?
“I, uh, I guess it worked out for her.”
“What worked out for her?”
“She always liked you. She wanted to be the one… I told her I wouldn’t. I meant it.” Her fingers brush my wrist. “But I couldn’t help myself.”
“What do you mean?”
“When we started. Skye had a crush on you.”
Okay…
“It wasn’t even a crush, exactly. She wanted you.” She drops her voice. “Sexually.”
“Sexually?”
“Yeah, she talked about it a lot. Didn’t you know?”
I shrug like I do.
“I guess it worked out. Since you’re together now. And it’s about more than that.”
Skye’s wanted me forever.
It’s not surprising, exactly. She more or less admitted. Hell, it’s flattering.
But this whole ruse was her idea.
Did she have ulterior motives?
Has she been manipulating me for the last month and a half?
Has all this been an attempt to get in my pants?
It’s not like her.
She’s not a liar.
Fuck, I’m the one who put my foot in my mouth. Blurted out that we’re together.
I’m the one who started this.
I swallow hard. “You know, I don’t think she’d appreciate you talking about it like this. Behind her back. In public.”
“Right.” She fakes an apology. “It’s out of line. I just… I get worried. Big moments… sometimes people have big reactions and when she drinks a lot—”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry. And, Forest, I… I am sorry about how everything ended with us.” She wraps her hand around my wrist. Lifts to her tiptoes. Presses her lips to my cheek. “Take care.”
“Congratulations.”
She nods. “I’m gonna—” She motions to the bar. “Details to work out with your girlfriend.”
“She’s yours.”
I watch Mack cross the room. Join Skye.
I watch them hug hello, discuss something, laugh at some bad joke Mr. Kim makes.
Skye turns to me. Motions to her purse.
She pulls out her cell.
I do the same.
Skye: Apparently, there’s a stripper heading to Mack’s room in twenty.
Forest: And you want to stick dollar bills in his g-string?
Skye: Might be entertaining.
Forest: Go for it.
Skye: Will you be okay?
I will. I’ll get there.
I’m being stupid. There’s no way Skye would do this to manipulate me.
There’s no way she’d lie to me. Not on purpose.
There’s no way this is an elaborate way to fuck me and throw me away.
That isn’t like her.
But it still echoes through my head.
Maybe that’s all your good for. You sure as hell don’t know how to love her. So why wouldn’t she take the one thing you have to offer and leave?
It’s not like you can talk. You fucked half the state.
She’s just following your lead.
Can you really blame her? You’re the one who can’t love her.
You’re the one who’s not enough.
Chapter Forty-Three
Skye
As promised, three fellows in fireman costumes burst through the door.
They dance to an old pop song. Cavort around the room, thrusting their crotches, shaking their hips.
After a lot of gyrating, they sit Mackenzie in a chair in the middle of the room. Dance around her.
Strip out of their suspenders and yellow pants. Down to tiny red g-strings.
They’re attractive guys, sure. Tall, fit, without an ounce of fat on them.
But it’s so… fake.
I try to make conversation with the maid of honor. By the third time she giggles Diego wouldn’t like this, I need another drink. Then a second. A third.
You know what Diego wouldn’t like? Mack sleeping with another guy.
He’s getting off easy, her leering at a few over-the-top guys in fireman costumes.
Forest got his heart broken.
Forest got thrown away.
Diego—
Well, I guess he’s the one who has it worse. Since he’s marrying the spawn of Satan.
But I doubt he sees it that way.
I drink until the maid of honor is interesting. Until the strippers are cute. Until the music is rocking.