CHAPTER 22
THEO
They were surrounded by the rest of the wedding party, so the dance shouldn’t have felt private or personal, and yet, somehow, it did.
Theo watched as Harper looked anywhere but directly at him. She was still avoiding him. How long could this go on? He had assumed, as this day had grown closer, that the wedding would be where they would finally put their demons to rest. He had assumed that seeing one another again would allow them to get past the awkwardness. But that didn’t seem to be happening. Harper was as uncomfortable as ever.
The morning after their night together, he had truly believed that she was comfortable with everything that had happened. He had thought the two of them were on the same page. Now it looked as if he had misread her altogether, and he didn’t know what to do about that. But this might be the last chance he would ever get to make things right. This was the only time fate was going to throw the two of them together. After today, if they wanted to see one another, they would have to actively seekeach other out. There would be no more events like this one. The wedding was it.
He led her away from the center of the dance floor, towards the edge. Things were a little more private here. It was less likely that people would overhear them talking, and more likely, therefore, that she would speak openly. “Harper,” he said, “I was hoping you and I would be able to go on being friends when this was all over.”
Now Harper looked at him. Disbelief was etched across her features. “You weren’t hoping that,” she said. “You’ve never been interested in being friends with me. You barely even put up with me, Theo. Don’t act like I’m betraying you.”
“I thought we were past all that.”
She sighed. “I can’t help feeling awkward,” she admitted. “You must be able to understand that.”
“Of course I can. I don’t know why you pretended any differently. It’s natural, I think, for both of us to feel a little strange about it all. But that doesn’t mean that we need to let those feelings control every interaction between us for the rest of time.”
She looked up at him. “But isn’t this the last time we’re ever going to see each other? I don’t know why we would ever get together again now that the wedding is over.”
“I’d like it if we did,” Theo said. “I’d like to go on seeing you.”
“Seeing me?”
“As friends.”
“I knew what you meant.”
“Do you really not believe I want you as a friend?”
“I don’t know if I believe you wantanybodyas a friend,” Harper said. “I’m not judging you, Theo. I’m not angry with you, believe it or not. You just have never struck me as someone who’s interested in your own social life. I don’t see you going out of your way to make friends with anyone. I don’t take it personally, but no, I don’t think you are interested in building a lasting friendship.”
“And if I said that I was?”
She looked uncomfortable. In fact, now that he thought about it, she looked even more uncomfortable than he could have anticipated she might. It was as if something wasreallybothering her. But he couldn’t put his finger on what that thing might be.
He came to a halt and took a step back from her. “Are you really this upset by what happened between us?” He was a little concerned now. “I thought you had a good time.”
“We did have a good time,” she assured him. “And I agree with what you said. I don’t regret it either. But I’m not going to pretend that it doesn’t change things between us.”
He didn’t think she sounded angry. If anything, it was sadness in her tone. But he couldn’t understand what she had to be sad about.
“Speech!”
The call had come from across the room. A group of people were facing the head table, where Tara had gotten to her feet. She was holding a champagne glass in her hand, and she must have already had quite a lot, because she was swaying a little bit onher feet. Her cheeks were pink, the way Theo had seen them get when she was a little bit tipsy. She rested one hand on Max’s shoulder for support, and he looked up at her with adoration in his eyes.
Theo felt a painful clinching in his chest. He didn’t understand it. It was a good thing that his brother was happy, and he loved Tara. But there was something about the scene before him, something about seeing Max look at Tara like that, that caused him pain.
Tara leaned against the table as she began to speak. “I want to thank everyone for being here today,” she said. Theo was impressed to see that she wasn’t slurring her words. He had to admit he had worried about that. He looked over at Harper, and the two of them shared a smile.
At least they could still do that much.
Tara was still talking. “It means the absolute world to have everyone I love here with me today,” she said. “After all, weddings are supposed to be all about new beginnings. And it wouldn’t be possible for me to begin this new phase of my life without all of my friends and family by my side. Thank you all for coming.”
She lifted her glass. Somewhere in the crowd, someone started tapping their knife against the edge of their glass, and the rest of the room followed suit. Tara laughed and leaned over to kiss Max in response.
She straightened up again. “Extra special thanks are due to my best friend in the world, Harper.” She held out a hand in Harper’s direction. “This has been the most beautiful day, Harper. Thank you so much for all the work you put into it. AndI can’t wait for us to begin new phases of our lives side by side. When I think of you announcing your pregnancy on the same day I got married… well, that’s a story we’re going to be telling for the rest of our lives.”
