“I understand. And I’m sorry,” I say, my cheeks burning with hot tears. “But you have to believe me, I never meant for this to happen. Any of it.”
“I don’t know what to believe,” she says. “I can’t trust anyone.”
“I know,” I say, pressing my palm to the door. It’s quiet for a moment, but I feel connected to the girl on the other side.Despite everything, I feel like we share something special. It feels like I’m in danger of losing it, and it’s breaking my heart.
Suddenly, the door opens, and my head jerks up to see Holly standing there. Her hair is a mess, and so is her makeup. I bet her heart's a mess too.
“Do you still have feelings for him?” she asks. “Because from my point of view, when I walked up on the two of you talking, it looked like you do. So I need to know. Did you agree to this job just so you could see him again? Or try to get him back?”
“Oh my gosh, no,” I shake my head. “Holly. I did not know when I accepted the job from you that he was the groom.”
“So why didn’t you say anything when you found out?” she asks.
“Because…I didn’t want to lose the job,” I admit. “I…I need it.”
Her eyes trail down to my belly where my hand is subconsciously resting.
“I see.”
“But also…I loved planning your wedding, Holly. I always try to connect with the brides I work with, but when I met you, I really liked you. I didn’t want to lose that.”
Holly studies me, looking for truth in my words.
“And the baby isn’t Ben’s?” she asks again.
“Of course not. It wouldn’t make sense time-wise.”
“Thank God,” Ben’s voice comes from behind me, and I whip around to see him standing there. “Sorry, but I needed to reiterate my relief more than once. You understand.”
I literally have no idea what I’m even supposed to say to that, but Holly responds by slamming the door in both our faces. If I had to guess, it was for Ben.
Of course, he doesn’t get the memo.
“Holly? Holly, please talk to me,” Ben says, and we can audibly hear the lock bolt into the door. “I don’t think she wants to talk to me,” he says.
“I think you’re probably right,” I cringe.
Ben turns and runs his hands through his hair, holding them on his head for a minute. “How did this happen?” he asks. “How was everything good and then went so terribly wrong?”
We slowly walk towards one of the fire pits and sit down. The entire place is a ghost town, other than the brewery. If I had to guess, it is where everyone is hiding.
“Well, first off, the universe hates us,” I say.
“Seriously,” he agrees. “I mean, what are the odds of all of it?”
I shake my head and sigh. “I don’t know.”
Ben shifts in the chair, his hands in his pockets and a hardness in his jaw that resembles Gavin's. It makes me curious what Allie looked like because while he favors Gavin; they are also very different. There’s a softness to Ben that Gavin doesn’t have. Gavin’s jaw is more square. His brow is deeper.
As if Ben can read my mind, he nods up at me. “I have to know, Charlie…why my dad? Of all the men to rebound with, why did it have to be him?”
“Well, first of all, I didn’t know Gavin was your dad. In case you forgot, you never introduced me to any of your friends or familyat all. And secondly, I didn’t exactly choose him. I was at the Cantina Azul with Josie; we were drinking, and I was feeling a little daring. I approached him, but I didn’t know who he was.”
Ben shakes his head again. “This is crazy.”
“Yeah,” I say softly. “It’s crazy how little choice we have in who we fall in love with.”
I stop, and so does Ben. Then he turns and looks at me. “You’re in love with him?” he asks.
