“Oh…” I tilted my head. “She didn’t mention it, but I guess that makes sense, since they’re right across the street from one another.”
“Easier that way,” he added.
“Are you bringing a date?” I don’t know what the hell possessed me to ask that, but it came out before I could think better of it.
“No, no date for me,” he answered without hesitation, shaking his head. “You?”
“Uh, yeah…I am. But it was a last-minute kind of thing.”
It wasreallylast-minute. As in, it just happened by accident, and only a couple of days ago. I hadn’t even told Marie yet, but I didn’t think I was going to. Because my last-minute wedding date was my ex, Ryan.
I ran into him on Sunday—at the grocery store, of all places. Our conversation started in the cereal aisle, where he apologized for being snippy in his messages about meeting up for drinks. I explained that I’d been busy studying. He was both apologetic and charming, and asked to make it up to me that weekend. When I told him I couldn’t meet because of the wedding—the rehearsal and dinner were on Friday, and the wedding on Saturday—one thing led to another. Suddenly, I’d invited him to be my plus one. Callie had already told me weeks ago that I could bring a last-minute date if I found one. He agreed to come.
I knew it was stupid. And I could hear Marie now if she found out—she’d tell me he wasn’t going to change, that I was stupid for even entertaining him, that he was just going along with it in hopes of getting something out of me at the end of the night. But it wasn’t about any of that for me. Not really. It was more the fact that I simply didn’t want to go to a weddingdateless. And Ryan happened to be available and, just like Marie called me out for, he was familiar.
Yes, I was aware it was sad and probably a little pathetic, but I pushed that aside because at least I had a date.
Or so I thought.
When Saturday rolled around, I ended up dateless anyway.
That evening, I found myself sitting at the head table,watching Callie and Lucas share their first dance. Beside me, my brother sat with his arms wrapped around Morgan. Other couples lingered around the dancefloor, watching the new bride and groom with rapt attention.
Ryan ghosted me.
I reached out to him on Thursday to ensure he had the proper attire to wear for the formal event. When he didn’t respond, a pit formed in my stomach.
I reached out again on Friday, but I still didn’t hear from him.
I tried once more that morning while getting my hair done with Callie and Morgan, but as the afternoon rolled around with no reply, resignation and humiliation gnawed at me. And I gave up.
I was more disappointed than anything else, but I didn’t let it get to me too much. Instead, I focused on Callie, the wedding, and my duties as a bridesmaid.
The wedding was beautiful and had gone off without a hitch. I was a little worried about interacting with Blake too much in front of my brother—he was a perceptive little shit at times, and the anxiety of possibly revealing something I shouldn’t left me in a persistent state of worry. I didn’t want to give off any ‘I saw your best friend naked’ vibes, and I think Blake felt the same because he kept our interactions limited as well.
The night began to wind down, and guests were offering more congratulations before saying their goodbyes to the happy couple. Lucas and Callie eventually took off to enjoy their wedding night while those of us in the wedding party ensured the rest of the guests left safely.
Gabe offered to drive my mom and his parents back home since they all got a little too champagne happy during the reception,and he was sober. I walked out with Wes and Morgan, telling my mom we’d see her tomorrow for dinner, before Wes helped her into the car. Meanwhile, Blake said goodnight to his parents and brother.
Once they were pulling out of the parking lot, Wes and Morgan, who’d barely been keeping their hands to themselves, called out their goodnights as they hurried off to Wes’s car.
Then, it was just me and Blake.
“Last ones standing,” I joked.
He huffed out a laugh. “Yeah.”
We turned and started toward our Jeeps—he was parked a few spaces down in the row behind me. My steps slowed as we neared my car, and he looked at me. “I thought you had a date for tonight?”
I let out a laugh laced with a hint of bitterness. “No. Change of plans, I guess you could say.” Embarrassment simmered beneath my attempt at minimization; I didn’t want to admit I’d been stood up. He simply nodded, not asking for any further details. “You seemed aloof today.” I didn’t plan for it to come out like that, but curiosity and genuine concern edged out any hesitation. I couldn’t help but notice how, throughout the day, he seemed almost distant.
“Aloof?” he questioned, but he didn’t seem offended. More amused.
“Yeah,” I said, my lips twitching. “And not just today, actually. You just seem…reserved, in a sense. All of the time. Even at work.”
Blake shrugged with a hint of a smile. “Not sure what to tell you.”
“Well…tell me something.”
