I already know by the ring on Shelby’s finger that it’s happening. But to hear it from Tyler’s lips, that will just make it all the more real. It’ll make itall too real.
“We are getting married,” he says blankly.
“Oh my god. Wow.” Anthony breaks the too loud silence, his sarcasm staining each word.
Shelby jumps up and down andsqueals.Hanging her hand out, she shows off the massive rock that’s impossible to go unnoticed. There’s no way Tyler picked that out himself.
I clutch the counter, white knuckling it as I hold back the bile stinging my throat.
“Oh god,” Sam groans.
“Well, this is a shock,” Macey finally speaks.
“It was a shock to me too!” Shelby says excitedly. Clearly not reading the energy of the room, or maybe just not caring.
“How was it a shock when you’re arranged?” Sam asks, but Cole nudges an elbow to her.
“Well, congratulations buddy.” Cole slaps Tyler on the back. “Let’s get you two a drink.”
I still stand at the counter, looking down at the stupidmushrooms. I still haven’t said a word, and I don’t want to. What do I even say?
My breathing becomes heavier as I watch them move towards the room full of shocked people.
Clutching the bottle of wine in one hand, Tyler uses the other to guide Shelby while she holds his bicep with her perfect red manicured nails. The perfect wife on his arm that they wanted for him.
I look down at my own short, un-manicured nails, swallowing hard about the fact I am so unkept while she looks absolutely perfect.
Maybe they do make sense.
I’d thought the moment my body became a canvas for his abuse was the moment I knew heartbreak in its rawest form. This has somehow surpassed that.
He made a promise, and he broke it. The moment we linked our fingers the agreement was set. But much like everything else in my life, it has been broken.
I feel his eyes on me, the weight of those emeralds something I’ll never be able to unknow. When I meet them, I scream internally.
You promised.
A crease of his brows and flex of his jaw makes me almost believe he was able to hear it.
“What do you need from me?” Cole asks, leaning his head into me for a semblance of privacy.
When I came to Boston, I never imagined finding people like this—friends who became my own family. But Cole is Tyler’s brother and partner first, So, the fact he didn’t even know about this terrifies me.
“I just need to finish these mushrooms.” I give Cole a weary smile.
He nods and kisses my forehead. He understands.
They all do.
TYLER
You promised. You promised. You promised.
I hear it clear as day, the pain that laces her voice in a way I’m unsure I’ll ever be able to undo. But promises get fucking broken.
She made her intentions clear. So I will make mine clear, too. I was convinced I was prepared for the outcome of tonight. But Sunny is living proof of the fact she has completely altered any semblance of the person I was. Because I am not fucking prepared for the way she is acting.
I understand that a shock is to be expected since I proposed to Shelby without telling a soul. Well, it wasn’t so much of a proposal but me and Shelby going to the closest Tiffany’s to let her pick out whichever ring she wanted. She had no complaints about that as she picked the biggest damn ring and I handed my card to the cashier without a second guess.
