“Why?”
“Because his concerns were valid, and I didn’t have the answers he was seeking.”
“It’s not your responsibility to have the answers, Keeley. That’s for the two of you to work out.”
Ugh. I sigh, letting my head drop back to the couch. “You’re right.”
“I usually am.”
“Since when?”
“Always. I just don’t like talking in general.”
“Isn’t that the truth.”
“Anything else before I go back to sleep? My alarm’s going off soon.”
I smile at my friend, my chest swelling with gratitude that I have someone I can talk to, even if it pains him to talk back. I miss him. “When are you flying in?”
“The day before the wedding. I can only stay two nights.”
“Boo. You suck.”
“Good night, Keeley.”
“It’s not my bedtime yet.”
“I’m hanging up.”
“Bye.”
I smile as he ends the call, feeling a little lighter and a lot less confused. As much as I hate to admit that Callum’s right. He was telling me what I’d been telling myself since I walked out of Sal’s office, only it doesn’t change a thing. Telling Sal I feel the same won’t take away the complications surrounding our situation; it will only add to it. And with Paige and Easton’s wedding coming up, we should be focused on them, not us.
Picking up my phone, I bring up Sal’s name and type out a text, pressing send before giving myself time to think it through.
KEELEY: I can’t do casual either. Can we talk about it again when the wedding is over?
Or in other words, when the complication levels are at an all-time high?
SAL: I think that’s a good idea. So… in case I don’t get to say it on the day, you’re breathtaking, Keeley. Never has there been a more beautiful bridesmaid.
Oh, Sal. My shoulders drop as my body relaxes and I laugh to myself, knowing Sal would have made a comment about me holding on to too much tension. Just like I do with him. I found an amazing guy. A decent human being who doesn’t play games. Who wants me as much as I want him.
And he’s completely off-limits.
KEELEY: You can’t say that before you’ve seen me
I tease, needing to bring us back to the friends we once were.
SAL: I don’t have to see you to know that’s how I’ll feel. You’re always the most beautiful woman in the room and I wish I could say that to you more often.
My heart catches as my stomach swirls with regret. Why can’t this be easy? Why does love have to be so goddamn hard?
Not love. Relationships. Why do relationships have to be so goddamn hard?
After shooting off a thank you message, I fall back onto my couch, doing a full three-sixty to where I was when I first got home. No better off than I was then.
I may have said we should talk after the wedding, but what is there to talk about? It’s casual or nothing, and we’ve already established neither of us can do that.
