Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“And no, I’m not looking for red flags,” I called, continuing our conversation from before. We’d seen the movie so many times, we could quote it by heart, so I didn’t feel bad talking over it. “I don’t think there’s anything that could make me want to end things.”
“What if I told you she had a pet bear?” he dropped back into his seat and propped his feet on the back of the next row.
“That might be the only thing that would give me pause.” I added, “I’m glad you can joke about it now.”
“It’s not super easy, but I’ve moved into the anger phase of my grief.” He stuffed a handful of popcorn into his mouth.
“Good. I’m glad. Because you should be angry.” I stopped myself. “Sorry, I shouldn’t tell you how to feel.”
“I wish someone would. Where the fuck were you a few months ago?” He reached under the seats for the twelve-pack of soda we’d snagged from the kitchen. “Oh, right. You were recovering from getting attacked by my bitch ex’s stupid bear.”
“I take it you’re not on speaking terms with her yet? The woman, not the bear,” I clarified.
“I don’t plan on having any contact with either of them ever again. And not because she left me at the altar. Honestly, she could have called me two days later, said, ‘I’m sorry, I made a huge mistake, let’s go to the courthouse and get married,’ and I would have said, ‘what time?’ But with the benefit of hindsight, I see now how she treated the people who were important to me.”
My arm tightened protectively around Charlotte. “I fully understand.”
His gaze fell to my hand on her shoulder. “I know you do.”
We sat in silence, the movie playing in front of us, but it was clear neither of us were focused on it anymore.
Scott broke the quiet. “One of the problems with Lauren, I think, was that we were so isolated from everyone while we were dating. We were both far from our families, and our friend groups in New York were pretty small and casual.”
“I think it’s normal for a couple to isolate themselves a little, right at the beginning,” I said, knowing full well that I was making an excuse for myself.
“Sure,” Scott agreed, seemingly none-the-wiser. “But when we ended up engaged and only visiting her family? Red flag.”
Visit Charlotte’s family, I mentally noted.
“What was going to happen when we had kids?” he went on. “Were they never going to see my parents because ‘it’s too far to travel’? I mean, I guess that’s not going to be a problem for me anymore. If I do find someone else, I won’t be getting married until I’m like, fifty.”
That remark made me weirdly defensive, from a place I did not want to examine too closely. “Fifty isn’t too old for kids.”
“If I marry a woman in my age-group, it will be,” he said. “Age-group” came out a little bit pointed.
“Fair.” Since having kids had never been my priority, I hadn’t thought about it.
He sighed. “I think it’s time to face the fact that I’m awful at love.”
“No, you’re awful at picking the people you love.” Not that I had room to talk.
Until now.
Charlotte stirred a little. And snored.
Scott chuckled. “Yeah, I would say so.”
“Watch it. You’re talking about my girlfriend,” I warned. “Anyway, don’t set yourself up for failure. Your life isn’t over because this one bad thing happened to you.”
“Apply that logic to your leg,” he replied, matching my tough-love tone.
“I’ll try.” And I would likely fail. At least at the moment. “It’s hard, though. Do you know how much I would pay to be able to scoop her up and carry her to bed, instead of waking her up and being like, ‘Sorry, you have to walk and by the way, I might need your assistance stabilizing myself?’”
“Be honest. You work out a lot, but you were never going to be able to carry a grown human woman the length of this house. Nobody could. Not even a fireman,” Scott added, his attention drifting off. “Maybe that makes this house a hazard. Have you ever wondered what would happen if the fire department had to track you all down and rescue you?”
“Well, now I’m going to. Thanks.” I glanced at the screen, then at my watch. “I think we need to call it a night.”
“Not as young as we used to be,” he agreed. “But listen… I’ll make you a deal, okay? If you stop being weird about your leg, I’ll stop being weird about the fact that my ex left me at the altar.”
“I would shake on it, but your sister is crushing my arm. But I promise.”
It might not be the easiest one for either of us to keep, but I was willing to try, for my best friend.