I wanted to tell her, no, she wasn’t free on Friday. I wanted to be the only one she spent her Friday’s with. But she didn’t want me like that, so I just shrugged and then nodded.
Her eyes widened as if she was asking me,are you sure? I gave her another nod, and she turned her focus back to her reflection.
“I guess I am free on Friday.” Her voice was soft, and for a moment, I allowed myself to think that she sounded disappointed. It was a stupid and inaccurate thought, but it made me feel better.
“Sounds good. I’ll send you my address.” She paused. “You, too. Bye.”
Relief flooded my body as she pulled her phone from her cheek and tapped on the screen. Even though she’d just made plans with another man, at least it was over. I took in a deep breath, and blew it out.
That was a form of torture I wouldn’t wish on my greatest enemy.
“Nancy?” Ella’s voice drew my attention upwards as I saw Nancy appear from an open door to our left.
“Yes, dear?”
“I’ll take this dress,” she said as she stepped down from the pedestal and started to make her way towards the fitting rooms.
I turned my attention back to my phone, hoping to distract my broken heart with mindless scrolling. A few minutes later, Ella had changed and was holding up the dress on a hanger. She was focused on Nancy, who was walking next to her as she made her way around the pedestal and over to the register.
I stood and kept my distance as Ella checked out. Once she had her receipt in hand, and the dress was slipped into a protective sleeve, she turned to face me. Needing something to do, I stepped forward, and my fingers brushed hers as I moved to take the dress from her.
“Allow me,” I said, my voice dropping low from the jolt of electricity that raced through my body from her touch.
“Oh…okay,” she whispered. “Thanks.”
There was something about her voice that sent tingles across my skin. I forced myself to ignore that reaction and smile. “Sure,” I said.
I followed closely behind her as she made her way to the front doors. As soon as we neared, I leaned forward and pressed on the door release, holding the door open for her.
We walked out to her car in silence. I wanted to say something, I just wasn’t sure what. It was like the more I wanted to hold onto her, the faster she was slipping away from me.
Time was passing by, and with each tick of the clock, our relationship was nearing the point where it would fundamentally change. It invoked a pain in me that I couldn’t describe. At the end of this, Ella would still be alive, but our relationship would be dead.
My heart mourned what we used to have.
When we got to her car, I waited until the door locks clicked before I opened her driver’s door. She paused and looked up at me, her gaze unreadable.
What I would have given to be able to read her thoughts right then.
“Thanks, Asher,” she whispered as she dropped her gaze and then slipped onto her seat.
“You’re welcome, Ella.” I waited for her to nod before I shut her door.
With her safely in her car, I made my way to the door behind her and pulled it open. I hung her dress on the hook in the ceiling and, before I shut the door, I made sure that the dress was fully inside.
I stepped away from her car and waved to let her know that it was safe for her to back out. She nodded, pulled out of the parking spot, and drove off.
Now alone, my shoulders sank as I took in a deep breath. I closed my eyes and tipped my face upward, allowing myself to feel the pain that came from loving a friend that could never love you back.
I just prayed that, at some point, my love for Coralie would overpower the pain I felt from losing Ella. I hoped that I would find peace.
That was all I wanted.
Not wanting to give Nancy or Ralph anything to gossip about, I hurried over to my truck and climbed inside. I started the engine and then pulled out of the parking spot. I blared my radio as I drove back to Harmony. It was nice to numb my brain with something other than my thoughts.
When I got to my apartment, I turned off the engine and climbed out of my truck with my tux in hand. I threw my keys in the air a few times as I crossed the parking lot and headed into my building.
Once inside, I kicked off my shoes and dumped my keys on the kitchen counter before finding a place in the closet for my tux.
