The Best of Us (Love in Isolation 2)

After the ceremony, we pose for wedding party pictures, and I take every opportunity to be close to her. I know she feels what’s brewing between us, but for whatever reason, she’s fighting it. As soon as we get another moment alone, we’re hashing this out. I’ll get to the bottom of her sudden mood change.

Between the party bus and dinner, Kendall’s talking shots and drinking like it’s her last day on earth. I’ve never seen her like this before, and it’s concerning me.

I lose track of her as family members talk my ear off. I haven’t seen most of them in years, so they have dozens of questions about my work and personal life.

“If one more person asks me why I’m single…” I groan when I find Cami and Eli.

“Don’t feel bad, I’ve been asked when we’re going to have kids thirty-six times.” She forces a smile that makes me laugh.

“Did you tell them we’re starting tonight?” Eli flashes her a smirk.

“Please spare me,” I groan.

Cami laughs, then her eyes widen as she looks over my shoulder. “You didn’t tell me Rachelle was coming.”

Wait, what?

I spin around and see her walking toward me with a smile. Instead of waiting, I move forward and close the gap between us.

“Rachelle,” I greet. “What’re you doing here?”

“Hey.” She pulls me in for a hug. “When you said you didn’t have a date, there was no way I could let you be here alone. I wanted to save you from your family asking why you’re not taken.”

“Well, you’re kinda late then.” I chuckle.

“Shit, sorry.” She laughs. “Wanna dance?”

“Yeah, sure.” I lead her out to the dance floor, and we catch up on how Joey’s doing and her job. We actually haven’t talked in person for months, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t nice to see her again.

“I’m gonna grab a drink. Want one?” I ask when the song ends.

“Sure, anything’s fine. I’m going to use the restroom quick.”

I find Eli at the bar, then wait in line to order.

“I’m surprised to see Rachelle here. I thought you and Kendall hooking up was gonna lead to something more?” he asks.

This isn’t really the place to talk about her right now, so I try to end the conversation before it starts. Plus, this isn’t the time or place to discuss my dating life.

I chuckle to ease my anxiety. “I-I don’t know. It was fun while it lasted,” I say, hoping he’ll drop it. I wish I could say we were going to date or were giving each other a chance. The last thing I want is to make it seem like there’s more to us than there is. Even if I wish there were.

“She’s not your type or something?” Eli asks.

Ugh, come on. I grow more uncomfortable with each question and wonder if Cami put him up to this.

So I say what I think will end the conversation and play it off the best I can. “We don’t have a lot in common. She’s a spoiled princess, and I work fifteen-hour days at the hospital.”

My stomach turns as soon as the words spill out, but it does the job.

After we finally order our drinks, I see Kendall out of the corner of my eye walk outside. This might be my only chance to get her alone the rest of the night, so I set down my beer and Rachelle’s wineglass and follow her.

“Hey,” I say casually when I find her near a bench.

“What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be entertaining your date?” she snaps, and I see the fiery glare in her eyes.

“Who, Rachelle?” I snort. She’s far from being my date, considering she’s a wedding crasher.

She rolls her eyes at my response. “Who else?”

“Kendall…it’s not like that. I didn’t know she was coming. It’s—” I step toward her, wanting to be closer to her, but she holds up her hand and stops me.

“Don’t waste your breath. I’m just a spoiled princess, right?”

The hurt is written all over her face, and I hate that she overheard me. Fuck.

“I didn’t mean—”

“For me to overhear that? I’m sure you didn’t, but I’m so fucking glad I did. At least I know why you didn’t text me all week.”

Wait, what? She was waiting for me to text all this time?

Shit.

Kendall pushes past me, and I grab her arm so I can explain this giant misunderstanding. I regretted saying those words the moment they left my lips. It’s not how I feel, but now thanks to my dumbass, she thinks it is.

“Ryan, don’t.” She’s seething.

“Kendall, please,” I beg. “Just…”

She pulls her arm out of my grip and scowls. “Fuck off.”

I watch as she storms off and instantly feel defeated.

Great.

I’ve just given the only woman I’ve ever truly fallen for a reason to hate me. I should’ve learned at the cabin when she overheard my convo with Eli that my words hurt her, but here we are again. Now I need to figure out how the hell I’m going to fix it before I lose her forever.