“Mmmm…” I cast my gaze to the side to play up the wholeI’m thinking about itact, but just as I did, Asher’s familiar face came into view.
My entire body froze as I watched him walk into the pub. He was grinning and talking to a buff, bald guy that I’d seen him work out with at Fitness Fuel, the Harmony Island gym. I think Asher told me his name was Jason.
I couldn’t pull my gaze away from Asher, even though I was still engaged in a conversation with Chad. Asher looked…different. My best friend—or ex-best friend, that was still up for debate—seemed happier. Lighter. Like the stress of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. Jealousy pinged in my gut that I hadn’t been a part of his transformation.
“Hey, everything okay?” Chad asked as he squeezed my hand.
I didn’t turn to acknowledge him. I just nodded and slipped my hand from his. “Uh huh,” I said as I moved away from the bar and headed towards Asher.
He hadn’t seen me yet, which I was grateful for. I needed a minute to formulate what I was going to say when I walked up to him. I hated how much had changed between the two of us, even though before he left, he’d promised me that things were going to be okay.
I was about five feet away from him when I heard a female voice call his name. My gaze drifted to see a younger woman with highlighted blonde hair and ruby-red lipstick hurry to join him. I would never forget the smile on his face as he reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tugged her next to him.
I was rooted to the spot as I watched her raise up onto her tiptoes and press her lips to his.
It was like everyone at the bar slowly faded away and it was just me, Asher, and this strange woman, who was now stroking his chest as she rested her head on his shoulder. The group of people who had been standing in front of me all seemed to decide that this was the perfect time for them to leave, together, and suddenly, there was nothing between me and Asher.
His gaze found me faster than I could get my feet to carry me away.
“Ella?” he asked, his eyes widening as if he, too, hadn’t expected to see me.
“Asher!” I said, all squeaky and way too loud. Not wanting him to see how stunned I was that he was standing in front of me with a woman wrapped in his arms, I closed the space between us and yanked him into a hug. “It’s good to see you, friend.”
I pulled back and instinct took over. I reached out and hugged the woman he’d brought with him. “I’m Ella,” I said as I let her go, revealing her very startled expression.
“Hi, Ella,” she said, her gaze slipping over to Asher as if to ask him,who is this crazy person?
“I’m Ella,” I said again. “Has Asher not told you about me?” I glanced over at him.
“Ella,” she said slowly before she started to shake her head.
“Yeah, Ella.” I studied Asher, but he wasn’t looking at me, so I flicked my gaze back to this stranger. “His best friend.”
Her eyes widened as she glanced over at Asher. “Oh,” she said softly before she glanced back at me. “It’s nice to meet you.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Coralie.” I raised my eyebrows, so she quickly added, “Asher’s fiancée.”
6
ASHER
I felt like an asshole.Standing there, staring at Ella as she tried to process what Coralie had just revealed. Granted, Coralie didn’t know everything about my most recent history with Ella—all she knew was I had a best friend in Harmony—but I’d asked her not to say anything about our engagement tonight. Now, two seconds into the pub, she was spilling the beans.
Well, it’s like a bandage, it’s easier to just rip it off then try to tug it off slowly.
“Fiancée?” Ella sputtered out, her gaze whipping over to me.
“Yes,” Coralie said as she extended her left hand to show off the half-carat ring Mrs. Parks had given me when I asked for their permission to marry Coralie. Apparently, it was a family heirloom.
Ella glanced down at it and then back up to me. “Wow.”
Guilt. Goddamn guilt was what I felt. And I hated myself for feeling bad. After all, Ella had made it pretty clear,twice, that she was never going to see me as anything but her friend.
I hadn’t gone to New York with the intention of coming back engaged. I’d just wanted to suppress my feelings for Ella. I’d wanted to find the strength to move forward. As each day passed, I’d realized that I’d held onto my ridiculous crush on Ella for far too long, and I needed a change.
And then there was Coralie. We had a history. We had a family connection. The more time I spent with her, the more I began to realize that perhaps she was my future. Coralie actually liked me. Her family adored me. There had been a break in the storm that was her father’s illness, so we decided that this was the time to act. I would never forget the smile on his face when we told him that we were engaged.
It was like seeing my dad smile again. There was nothing I wanted more than to make Mr. Parks happy. And getting engaged seemed to accomplish that.
Plus, it helped me move forward from Ella. I needed to cling to that fact. Because just seeing her caused all of the feelings I’d thought were buried to resurface, and it sucked.
