Ned the Cheater stood three feet away from me, wearing an oversized suit, a bowtie cinched to the point of strangulation, and something painfully close to an expression of regret. I heard my name leave his lips, then I wobbled in my heels.
I’d seen him during the wedding, sitting on the front row with his parents. His sister had looked radiant in her white lace gown. How nice to have a fiancé who actually went through with a wedding. I’d avoided Ned during the processional exit, but I knew, justknewseeing him was unavoidable for the reception. Why had I insisted on getting a piece of cake? I should’ve beat it out of there after the ceremony and driven through the Dixie Dairy Café for a BOGO chocolate shake instead.
The six-piece orchestra played “Unchained Melody.” Was it me, or did that violin sound a little too aggressive? Or maybe that was just how I felt—combative and ready to grab that violin bow and jab it into Ned until a high G came out.
“Hello, Ned.” I sucked in my gut and stuck out my chest like Sylvie had taught me in high school. “Lovely wedding.” Ours would’ve been in two more months, but who was I to bring up old business? “Do you realize our wedding would’ve been in two more months?” Good Lord. What was wrong with me?
His mouth formed a grim line. “I’ve thought of little else.” He took a step closer as the orchestra transitioned to a country song. “Hattie, I’m so very sorry for what I did to you—to us.”
I shrugged my shoulders, then instantly regretted it. I wanted to look unaffected, not petulant. “It was obviously for the best. I know that now.”
“I hate how I handled things.”
“Your timing and delivery were a bit lacking.” I purposely aimed my gaze over his head. “I better go check on Rosie.” I took two blessed steps toward freedom when Ned’s next words cut through the angry fog.
“I can’t help but notice you’re here without a date.” He studied his shiny oxfords for a moment before aligning those beady eyes with mine. “Admittedly, I was looking forward to seeing you again. But I wasn’t prepared for the deep pain I feel knowing you haven’t moved on.”
Somehow I found my voice. “Excuse me?”
“That I left you so bereft, you haven’t been able to find a new love yourself.”
I did a slow, silent count backward from five, using a grounding technique I’d taught many a client.
Find someone in the room wearing red.Done.
Now locate seven people on their phones.Easy.
How many windows are on the back wall?Ten.
How many hands would it take to ring Ned’s neck?Just two.
“I assure you, you have no need to worry about me.” Tears pricked the back of my eyes and bitter anger curled my hands into fists. “Have a nice evening.”
“Wait.” Ned’s hand caught mine, and I looked at the odd union, wondering if it had always felt so clammy. “I worry about you, Hattie. You take on so many of the world’s problems and leave little time to fix your own.”
“My problems.” Had he always been this unattractive and whiny? “Ned, my life has been much clearer and happier since we broke up.”And I’ll take my hand back now, thank you.“Don’t spend one spare second worrying about me or thinking that I’m pining away for the man who broke off our engagement during the second hymn of a funeral.”
“I’m sorry. I’m really bungling this.”
“You’d rehearsed a better version?”
“It’s just…it’s just that I saw you in the church. You looked so pretty, yet so…forlorn. I’ve wounded you terribly, and I can’t stand it. Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I picture you home, alone—crying.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.”
“Or journaling like you have your patients do. I imagine you composing pages and pages and pages of writing, pouring out your heart with a pen.”
Dear Lord above, if you’d like to smite this man within the next few seconds, I would gladly step back.
Ned had the unmitigated gall to continue. “I envision volumes of journals that contain your heartbreak. Your elegant hand cramping with the laborious effort of—”
“I need to get back to my date.”
That shut Ned up.
In fact, both of us stood there looking a little stunned, a little uncertain at my declaration.
“You’re…you’re dating someone?”
