Ella may be the better friend right now, but I was determined to be the better friend in the future.
10
ELLA
I shiftedmy weight as I peered down the road. I sighed when no car came into sight. I was waiting for Shelby to pick me up so I could ride with her to Sweet Beginnings Bakery, the local bakery here on Harmony Island. The bride and groom had decided that today they were going to pick out their cake and flowers.
I tapped the strap of my purse. My stomach had been feeling weird all morning. I thought it was because I was hungry, but after eating a big plate of eggs and sausage, my stomach still felt queasy. I drank a full glass of water and took some antacids after my shower, but nothing seemed to appease my gut.
I’d gotten dressed and slipped on my shoes, determined not to let this get the better of me. I had a job to do, and I was going to do it, nauseous or not.
Plus, I doubted that Gloria would accept an upset stomach as an excuse for why I didn’t cover this part of the wedding planning.
Thankfully, Shelby’s navy blue car came into view. I cheered as I waved at her, and she responded with a light tap to her horn. As soon as she pulled up, I opened the passenger door and moved to climb inside.
“Sorry,” she said quickly as she removed the hair bows and kid shoes from the seat. “Belle.”
“It’s okay,” I said, dropping down onto the newly cleared seat and shut the door behind me.
“Were you waiting long?” she asked as I turned to pull the seat belt over me.
“Nope.” I clicked the seat belt tongue into the release and then sat back. I glanced over to see her watching me.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Yep.”
She pressed on the gas and started to drive down the road. We rode in silence for a few seconds before she glanced over at me. “I was surprised when you texted me that you wanted to come,” she said as she flipped on her blinker, paused, and then took a left.
“Yeah?” I asked as I fiddled with the bottom of my purse, which was sitting in my lap.
She nodded.
“Why’s that?”
“He’s your best friend. He leaves town for a few weeks and comes back engaged.” She peeked over at me. “I thought that it might be hard for you.”
I frowned. “Why would Asher’s engagement be hard for me?” My stomach squeezed, but I decided to ignore it and what it meant. These physical responses were just because I’d caught a stomach bug, that was all. It would pass in the next twenty-four hours, and then I would feel fine.
I was sure of it.
Shelby had come to a stop at a red light, so she turned to face me. “You don’t think it’s a little bit strange that he gets engaged a few weeks after he tells you he’s in love with you?”
I raised my hand. “Let the record show that Asher never said the wordlove.” A shiver rushed over my skin as I spoke that word, but it was only due to the cool A/C that was blowing on me.
“It’s always been you?” Shelby repeated Asher’s words with perfect accuracy. “I can’t think of anything else that would replace the words ‘I love you’ more perfectly.” She quirked an eyebrow.
I was not enjoying this conversation on multiple levels. One, I didn’t know how I felt about his engagement much less the timing of his wedding. Two, I didn’t know how I felt about what he’d said to me outside of my apartment, or what I was going to do when I inevitably lost my best friend. As much as I wanted to believe we could maintain our relationship, deep down I knew the truth. We were never going to come back from this.
As soon as he said the words, “I do,” Coralie was going to be his sole priority
The most ridiculous thing was, she should be his priority. If he’s her husband and she’s his wife, they need to come first to each other. Always.
I just wasn’t sure I was ready to lose him. He’d been in my life for so long that I didn’t know who I was without him.
I didn’t know how I felt about any of the events that had become the main storyline of my life, so I was going to forge ahead like nothing had changed. Even though it made me feel like I was in denial, I knew it was the only way I was going to be able to keep my sanity.
There were too many unknowns in my life, so I was going to stick my head in the sand for my own survival.
