“Lucy…” He shook his head, trying to convey that this was not an attempt to be dramatic. He was serious. “I think us marrying would be a mistake.”
“I can’t believe you’re doing this to me. You’re as bad as Victor. I trusted you.” She sank into her desk chair and sobbed.
Edward came and knelt in front of her, peeling her hands away from her face. “I’m not Victor. There’s no one else. But can’t you see this isn’t working? I came from a family that always had to be on display, and now that I have a choice, I don’t want that. I don’t want a book about our kids or about me, even. I should have said something earlier, but I honestly didn’t think the idea would sell…”
Oh, he was not explaining this well. Now she was shooting daggers at him through her watery eyes.
“Well, it did sell, Edward, and if I tell the publisher you’ve changed your mind and we’re not getting married after all, we can kiss that fifty thousand-dollar advance goodbye, and my chance to get out of this horrific excuse for a town. I hate Date Night Soda, and I hate being in the commercials and working in the stupid factory, and I hate living here. I want to be known for something other than my dad’s energy drink.” She shuddered and hiccupped and went silent. All of that must have been pent up inside of her for a long time. Edward felt like he was finally truly seeing her without a filter. She’d really put a lot of effort into being the perfect girlfriend, and now, in her mind, it was all for naught.
He sat on the carpet in front of her, not knowing what to say or do. Despite it all, he did care about her. And he understood the need to be free of family expectations, to want to do something that was yours alone. Unfortunately, her big break was tied up in needing him to marry her.
“Can we find a solution that works for both of us?” he asked quietly.
She rolled her eyes before using her shirt sleeve to wipe away her tears. “Like what? An open marriage? I’m not doing that.”
“Um, no. That’s not what I meant.” Victor really had done a number on her. “When does your book come out?”
“This just proves you never listen to me. Remember I told them I wanted January to go along with New Year’s resolutions, but they gave me April instead? It releases April sixteenth.”
“So, we don’t tell anyone we’ve broken up until after it comes out and sells for a while. And then we go our separate ways. Would that work?” It would be close to a year spent pretending they were still engaged, but he’d asked her to marry him, so he had no one to blame but himself.
She was quiet for so long he thought he’d broken her. But then she sat up very business-like and stared him down. “No one else can know. The news would get leaked and I’d be a laughing-stock. Also, we don’t call off our engagement until I say so. And I won’t know exactly when until after the book comes out. I’ll be the one dumping you, and you can’t move on with someone new until I do. That part’s important. I find my new nice guy, and then you’re free, rid of me. Just like you want.”
He didn’t want to be rid of her. He wanted the old version of her back—the one he’d fallen in love with. But he was starting to realize that person may have never existed.
“Okay.” The word felt like it was pulled from the middle of his chest, like he’d just made a pact he’d never get out of. But if there was one thing he could predict, it was that she would move on. Lucy would find a new guy, and he’d be free.
Present Day, in Edward’s kitchen…
Edward stared at the first aid kit on the table, and for the first time in several months, contemplated calling Lucy. Voluntarily. Just to chat, and hopefully feel her out on her plan to move on with Nice Guy #2.
Everything was set for their inevitable breakup. She’d been intentionally vague about the man who claimed her heart in the book. Her agent had called it being coy. There was minimal description. He had a handsome, boy-next-door quality. He was tall. And they had a pet name for him. Mr. Wonderful. How original. He was lucky enough to know these things from his early copy—the one Lucy presented to him like it was a special gift, a favor he was barely worthy of. He owed her, after all. He’d owe her forever, as the ruiner of everything.
The book was in pre-order. Purgatory, as far as he was concerned. Why did publishers have to take this long to put out a book? One more month, and then it would come out and he’d be that much closer to freedom. He wouldn’t destroy her future with impatience, but he had his limits. No interviews. No marketing gimmicks. Lucy hadn’t been happy when he’d told her that. She was currently giving him the silent treatment, although she still posted pictures of them together on social media in carefully spaced-out intervals so she wouldn’t run out. She hadn’t put his name on the posts or tagged him, but curious minds made excellent detectives. Her followers found him in all of four seconds and created fan pages dedicated to their happiness.
So far, no one in town had said a word to him about Lucy’s upcoming book. He doubted any of them were interested in a pep talk on finding nice guys to date. In Datefield, you knew what you were getting anyway. You knew if the guy had thrown spit wads at his teacher in the third grade, you knew if he showed up drunk to graduation, and you knew everyone he’d ever dated. No self-help book needed.
No, he wouldn’t call Lucy tonight. That was a very bad idea. Elinor was…. his neighbor. His friend. Maybe not even that. She didn’t seem like the type to play games, to wait on what ifs and mysterious promises. She probably wanted something solid. Something real. And so did he. So did he.
