“I know! Can you believe it? After all these years, it’s finally happening. I’m getting married!”
I stare down at the phone screen, laughing as my best friend, Allie, flashes me her huge diamond ring again.
Turns out I was right—Allie and AJ could stand the test of time. College did nothing to diminish their love for one other. All it did was feed it.
It’s weird, though, that AJ would choose today of all days—the one after I spend a night with Shep—to propose.
Shep.
I try to shake away the memory of his jaw tightening when Cap called me Bucky. I remember the first time the old man called me that, how the simple nickname tugged at my heart. It didn’t hurt like it usually did when I heard the name. Instead, it felt good…like it used to when Shep did it.
Last night when I saw the obvious hurt on his face when someone else called me his special name for me, I had to work extra hard not to react. In fact, that’s what the whole evening with him was like: a fight not to react, not to fall back into old patterns.
Shep being Shep, he followed me into my dreams last night, and I spent most of the evening tossing and turning, trying to outrun his apologies and pleas, his excuses.
I finally pulled myself out of bed at four AM and devoured my other pint of ice cream, trying to chase the demons away with sweets.
It didn’t work, and I’ll be honest, I’m a little grateful for Allie’s wakeup call. I don’t know how much longer I could outrun him.
Plus, I could use the good news she’s delivering.
“I can’t believe this isfinallyhappening,” I say to my glowing friend through a yawn. “You two have only been together forever.”
“I know!” She squeals with delight for the billionth time during our video chat. “AJ surprised me with breakfast in bed this morning.”
“That I didn’t burn!” I hear AJ yell.
Allie giggles at her fiancé then leans toward the camera to whisper, “That bacon wastotallyburnt.” She laughs again. “Anyway, I couldn’t wait until our next random coffee date to tell you, so I had to call ASAP!”
I smile at my best friend, the girl I’ve known since I was eight, my heart bursting with joy for her. She deserves this.
Allie followed AJ across the country so he could play baseball and attend college with his best friend.
Me? Well, I followed Allie.
Or at least that’s the story we went with.
“Even though you woke me up ten minutes before my alarm was set to go off, I’ll forgive you.” I wink. “I’m so happy for you, Allie.”I’ll be alone forever.“Your dreams are coming true.”
“They are. They really, really are. Now all we have to do is find you a man you don’t kick out of your bed in the morning!”
“Just let me set her up with one of my teammates!”
“Tell AJ I donotwant to date one of his softball teammates. It’ssoftball, for grown-assmen.”
Unfortunately for Allie’s fiancé, his baseball skills didn’t lead him to the shining career Shep has ahead of him, so now he plays softball with a bunch of old grumpy men. It’s kind of hilarious.
“You could go ononedate just to please him, you know. He’s one of your oldest friends.”
“Yes, and you both know me well enough to know I don’t date jocks.”
“That’s not entirely true, Denny.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Watch it. Just because you’re engaged doesn’t mean I won’t hang up on you for bringinghimup. Besides, we’re not exactly on a private phone call right now.”
“Oh, please, like AJ would care.”
“Allie…” I warn her.
