Simon raised an eyebrow, pulling back to look at me. “Changed your mind about her? Because wecanalways stage a messy breakup at the reception that leaves you heartbroken and in obvious need of the gentle touch of a woman.”
I rolled my eyes, even as a twinge of real worry twisted the pit of my stomach.
We weren’t going to have amessybreakup. We were just... going to forget all about it.
That’d be a nice change.
“She interrogated me about Corey’s dad—who she says looks like?—”
“George Clooney,” Simon interrupted.
I laughed. “Not you, too?”
“You don’t think he’s kind of hot?” Simon asked, brows rising innocently. “I mean, I’m not really into older men, but if I was...”
“You’re teasing me,” I complained, ninety percent sure I was right.
Simon broke into one of his big, lopsided, signature grins. “She said the same thing to me about him,” he said. “While she was telling me she’d moved on from you.”
“Ouch.”
Simon shrugged. “The heart wants what it wants. Can’t do anything about that.”
Yeah. Yeah, he was right about that.
I didn’t evenwantto do anything about it. I liked being in love with Simon. Even if it was hopeless. It was a warm, soft thing I could tuck under my ribs. A pillow for my heart to lean on when it needed the support.
“IguessI see the resemblance?” I allowed, nose wrinkled.
Simon kissed me on the tip of it. I sighed, settling against him again, letting my forehead rest against his shoulder this time.
“Tell me about your morning,” I said.
“Well,” Simon began. “I was glad there was booze in the orange juice, for a start.”
“Thatbad?” I murmured, turning my face to nuzzle his neck, to let my lips brush against the salt of his skin. This was my only chance. I had to make the most of it.
Simon sighed. “It was fine.”
“You always say that. Even when it’s not fine. Especially when it’s not fine.”
Simon huffed. “Itwasfine, honestly. We went over the order of the ceremony with the celebrant about three hundred times so the good news is I can now take a nap while we do it because muscle memory will take over. It was just...”
“Just...?” I prompted, straightening so I could look Simon in the eyes.
He never complained. If he was about to, I wanted him to know I was listening.
He sighed again, looking away from me. “Just... spent the morning with the rest of Corey’s friends, the wedding party, y’know?”
“Were they mean to you? Because?—”
“No,” Simon interrupted with a little self-deprecating laugh. “No, uh, they were really sweet, actually. One of them said they liked my glasses and meant it, and another told me she was jealous of my freckles.”
“Envious,” I said automatically. “You’re jealous of something when you have it and someone else wants it. You’re envious of things other people have.”
Simon gave me a look. Both brows raised, the hint of a smile playing around his lips.
“Sorry—”
