“So, why can’t he just marry you then?” She shrugged. “Why does it have to be Gabby? I’m sure his grandfather didn’t say,You have to marry the biggest bitch you can find.”
“Oh, Alice.” I giggled. “I think he feels a sense of obligation to her.”
“Hmm, okay.” Alice frowned. “So, his problem is that he’s too nice of a guy?”
“I guess.” I leaned back and sighed. “Though I don’t know anyone that would call Xander a nice guy. Sexy? Yes. Hot as hell? Yes. Good in bed? Yes. But nice? I don’t know.” I giggled.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t call him nice,” Alice said. “More like a jerk.”
“So, yeah, he said that he had a good time last weekend and that he missed me when I wasn’t there in the morning and thathe wasn’t used to those feelings and that was why he proposed to Gabby.”
“What?” Alice yawned and made a face. “Shut the front door! That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. He spent a night with a hot girl, having hot sex, and because she left in the morning, he decided to propose to another girl? Is he on drugs?”
“When you put it like that, it does sound a bit stupid.” I sighed. “But he explained it better; he said it was because he wasn’t used to having that depth of feelings.”
“What depth of feelings?” Alice looked at me like I was crazy. “Look, I’m not trying to be a bitch here, and tell me if I’m getting something wrong, but all you guys did was fuck. He went down on you at the wedding, and then you guys spent a night in his hotel room, fucking like dogs, right?”
“Yes.” I nodded.
“Were there any late-night deep conversations you didn’t tell me about? Did you realize you were soulmates?”
“We spoke a little bit, but nothing major,” I said as my heart dropped. “So, you think he was lying to me?”
“I don’t know.” She sighed. “It just seems weird.I had sex with you, and you left, and that made me sad—it sounds fake. I think most guys would wake up feeling ecstatic if the girl they had just picked up was not there.”
“Yeah, that’s true.” I sighed.
“And I mean, he’s still with Gabby, right? Did he say he would end things with her?”
“Nope,” I said curtly. “He said he hoped I understood, but they had a business relationship.”
“Bullshit,” she said and rolled her eyes. “He’s full of shit.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” I closed my eyes. “So, that’s why I wanted to leave this morning before everyone woke up.”
“I understand,” she said softly and reached over to hug me. “I’m sorry, Liv.”
She rubbed my back, and before I knew it, I was crying. The tears poured out of me, and I sobbed uncontrollably.
“I’m sorry.” I hiccuped as she rubbed my back.
“Don’t be,” she said softly. “It’s okay.”
“I feel like such a fool. I don’t know why I had my hopes up so high. I don’t know why I thought this would be anything different.” I spoke my thoughts out loud. “I just hoped that when he saw me again and touched me again, he would want me, you know? I wanted to have that magical relationship that everyone else but me has.”
“I don’t have it either,” Alice said, and I leaned back to see tears in her eyes.
“Oh, Alice, what’s wrong?” I stared at her face. “I’m sorry. I forgot to ask you what happened last night. Why were you so eager to leave early as well?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She bit her lower lip and looked down. “I made a mistake, and I ruined everything.”
“Oh, Alice, what happened?” I said softly, my stomach sinking. What had she done?
“It doesn’t matter.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. I’ll tell you later, okay?”
“Sure.” I wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’m here for you anytime.”
“I love you,” she said with a sigh. “You’re the best friend I could have wished for.”
