"Then let me cut to the chase. Did you or did you not try to break Penny and James up this morning? You know…the day before they're supposed to walk down the aisle?"
He didn't respond.
"What the fuck, Tyler?"
"The fact that your brother punched me in the face kinda hinted at the fact that they were already broken up. And since everyone blamed me anyway...yeah I went to go see her. I needed to see if she was okay."
"No, you went to try to convince her to run away with you."
Tyler sighed. "Maybe that's what I intended to do. But you're standing at their rehearsal dinner right now, aren't you?"
"No thanks to you," I said.
"I told her to get back together with James this morning."
I couldn’t believe my ears. "Wait. You what?"
"She loves him. Not me."
I could hear the hurt in his voice. He wasn't about to ruin James and Penny's wedding. He was...bowing out. He'd given up. I turned away from the window and looked back at Penny and James. They were happily talking to one of his old college buddies. Tyler had lost. And I actually felt bad for him. "I'm sorry. I thought..."
"That I'd try to break up my best friend's wedding because I'm in love with her? The only reason I even considered it was because I thought Penny was miserable. I hated seeing her upset. I just want her to be happy. And James makes her happy."
"So now I feel like an ass." I tried to laugh it off, but it didn't work. "I was calling to threaten you. If you take one step toward their ceremony, yadda yadda, I'll kill you. All that jazz."
"Not necessary. I'm not attending the wedding. I'm not even in the state anymore."
Now I felt guiltyandconcerned. "Where the hell are you?"
"All that matters is that I left. And I'm not coming back."
"Not coming back to where? Penny and James' apartment? New York? The country? What are you talking about?"
"I'm moving to California. I need a fresh start."
"Look, I'm not planning on threatening you anymore. You can stay in the city. I just thought it would be best if you didn't come to the wedding."
"That makes two of us. There's nothing left for me in New York."
"Are you okay, man?"
There was another long pause.
"Yeah," he finally said.
But it didn't sound like he meant it. I waited. It was the least I could do to hear him out after I'd called him to yell at him unjustly.
"Actually, no," Tyler corrected. "Not really. I just lost...everything."
"Look, Penny's cool. I get why you wanted to be with her. Hell, I'm pretty sure I was hung up on her without even really knowing it. But there's someone else out there for you that'll be a hell of a lot better of a fit. Trust me, I know."
"That was oddly encouraging when the reason you called was to threaten me."
I laughed. "I can threaten you and still be your friend."
"So...how do you know that exactly? That someone out there is a better fit for me?"
"Because I'm in love, man!"
