Page 32 of So Much More
“I did,” she admits. “It was weird then, but it’s funny now.”
“So what happened?” Beckett asks. “How’d you end up with Ash’s brother instead?”
“Long story short,” Leslie says, “Randall’s girlfriend broke up with him, and Wendy forgot any other man existed and pounced on him immediately.”
I gasp. “I did not!”
“Did you—or did you not—find yourself curled up with him on his couch all of four days after his breakup? You totally pounced.”
I swat my friend’s arm. “It wasn’t like that, and you know it!”
“How would I know, since you waited a month to tell me about it? And during that time you met my brother and seemed smitten with him.”
“Every woman on the planet is smitten with Shannon,” Aunt Star interjects.
“I’msmitten with Shannon,” Beckett states with a grin, “and he’s my cousin. And I’m married.”
Leslie rolls her eyes at both of them and says to me, “I thought it was strange you lost interest in him after meeting him and getting along so well. I figured it was the distance issue, but now I know the truth.”
“What I really want to know,” Beckett says, “is how this all started with Wendy and Randall.”
I groan and drop my head into my hands.
“Get used to it,” Leslie says. “Anytime someone wants to know how you and Randall got together, you’re going to have to tell this embarrassing story.”
“Kind of like how you have to tell an embarrassing story about how you and Ash met?” I retort.
Aunt Star laughs. “I like you, Wendy.”
“We’re not talking about me right now,” Leslie says primly and takes a gulp of her wine.
“Maybe we should,” I reply.
“Nope,” Beckett says. “Aunt Star and I know everything about Les’s love life. Now we want to know all about yours, Wendy. I demand you tell us everything.”
I give them more details than they probably anticipated, but I’ve discovered I adore talking about Randall.
“That may be the most romantic story I’ve ever heard,” Beckett gushes when I’ve finished. “I love this man, and I haven’t even met him.”
I smile at her and then look at Aunt Star, who hasn’t said a word since I began my story. “What do you think?”
“You want to know the truth?”
My stomach flips. “Yes.” Leslie trusts her aunt’s judgment, and I think I possibly should, too, although I also have a feeling I’m not going to like what she has to say.
“I think he meant everything he said, and his intentions are good. I say that not because I know him but because it sounds like he cared for you as a friend before he realized he wanted more. But don’t ignore his history. I’m not saying he can’t change. He probably can to some extent, and it’s best that he wants the change for himself and not only because he thinks it’s what you want or need.
“But the kind of changes he wants to make can’t happen overnight, nor can the ones you want to make.” She points at me. “You’re both going to slip back into your old habits at times, and you’ll almost certainly hurt each other in the process. You need to be prepared for that. You need to prepare your heart for that, because it sounds like you’ve already given it to him.”
I stare at her as her words sink in.
“Sorry to burst your bubble,” she says, “but I’m not known for holding back.”
“Nor am I. I appreciate the candor, although it makes me feel a little sick.” I take a steadying breath. “Because you’re right. And you sound like you speak from experience.”
“Decades of it. I’ve made so many mistakes with so many men I can’t count them. But when you find the right man, it’s worth it to work through the mistakes you both make—together.”
“And you’ve found your right man?” I ask, although the giant diamond on her left ring finger has already answered the question for me.
