She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “Exactly. That’s why him showing up is the fucking worst. What a loser.”
The bell above the door rings again.
Maren’s mouth twists as she glances up. “Speak of the devil,” she mutters. “Or the really annoying, painfully mediocre man.”
Nick steps inside Harbor Blooms like he doesn’t belong—to be fair, he really doesn’t. His shoulders are hunched, hands shoved into the pockets of a jacket that’s seen better days. His hair is longer than I remember. His face etched in exhaustion. He looks… wrecked.
I don’t feel relief or anger. It’s bone-tired exhaustion. Tired of him popping into my life when he isn’t invited.
His eyes land on me, and for a split second, something in his expression fractures. It makes me feel nothing. That’s really saying something, considering me a few years ago would’ve buckled. Not today.
Maren straightens immediately, protective instinct snapping into place. “No,” she announces flatly when he opens his mouth. “Absolutely not.”
“Only a few minutes,” Nick replies, voice low, pleading. “Sadie, please.”
My best friend takes a step in front of me, like she’s my professional body guard. Her arms cross and she looks around, and for once, is probably content that the shop is empty besides the three of us.
“You have a lot of nerve and I say that as disrespectfully as I can.” Her voice is level but dripping with quiet rage. “Go home.”
He looks around “I just want a few minutes,” Nick says, voice low, pleading. “Sadie, please.”
I should say no. I know that. Every instinct in my body is screaming for me to shut this down. But I see it—the way his hands shake. The way his eyes keep darting to the door like he’s already planning his escape.
Ultimately, my hope is that if I talk to him, he will leave. I can fall back into my normal self in the town I love. Not worried if Nick is going to ambush me at my next dinner.
“I’ll talk to him,” I say quietly.
Maren whips toward me. “Sadie—”
“Only a minute,” I repeat. “We’ll stay inside. You’re right here.” I’m not sure if I’m reassuring her or myself.
Nick exhales like he’s been holding his breath for longer than healthy.
We move just inside the shop, near the counter, where Maren can absolutely hear us pretending not to. The buzz of the floral coolers fills the silence between us.
Nick doesn’t say anything at first. He stands, staring at the floor like it might give him instructions. Each second that passes with nothing but silence makes me a little more annoyed. Like, let’s get on with it.
“Colson will be here in a few minutes,” I say finally. “So if you’ve got something to say, you might want to… say it.”
He flinches at Colson’s name, then nods.
“Last night wasn’t my finest moment. I didn’t mean for that to happen. It just did.”
I say nothing because there isn’t even an ounce of an apology there. My eyes are going wider with each second that passes and he isn’t saying the right thing.
“You didn’t mean for it to happen? Why does this feel like you’re calling off our wedding again?” I can’t help the snarky smile that tugs at my lips. I don’t know if he remembers but that’s exactly how he started the conversation years ago.
I didn’t mean for this to happen.Like it was a spell he was under, no free will to be found, instead of the harrowing truth that he treated me like a thing he didn’t need anymore.
He looks at his feet, rocking back and forth, and then starts with, “I’m sorry. For last night. For more than that. I know I screwed up,” he says, words tumbling out too fast now. “Calling off the wedding. Falling for someone I swore was just a friend. I—” He rubs a hand over his face. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
I laugh on accident. It slips out before I can stop it. Not cruel but horribly honest.
“You don’taccidentallybreak someone, Nick.”
His shoulders sag as he looks out the window, like he’s trying to distract himself.
“You seem like things are good here,” he continues, voice cracking. “Happy. Moving on. And I can’t. I’m stuck. I can’t take the next step with her because I keep thinking—what if she does to me what I did to you? What if I ruined you? What if I broke something that can’t be fixed?”
