Page 64 of Until Now
“It was a fluke. A mistake.” I know I'm trying to convince myself just as much, if not more, as I’m trying to convince Elizabeth, but neither of us believes it.
“Josh and I didn’t always get along, either. Look at us now! We’re getting married tomorrow.”
“And that’s what we should be focusing on.”
“Look, Nin, I love you, but you’re so fucking stubborn.” I raise a surprised brow, Elizabeth rarely cusses. “If you two would just talk about whatever is going on, I think you could make it work.”
“Not if he’s hiding something from me.”
“Is he?”
“Yes."
“How do you know?”
“I just do.” I run my fingers over the rim of my empty wine glass. “I can just tell. One minute, we’re having the best sex of my life and the next—”
“TMI,” Elizabeth giggles.
“He comes back with coffee and tells me it was a mistake.” I shake my head. “But, he said the weirdest thing, something about my mother. I think she has something to do with this.”
“Would you be surprised?”
“No,” I sigh. “Not at all.”
“Do you think it was Lee?”
“Could’ve been both.”
“I wish they would fuck already.”
“Elizabeth!”
“Oh, come on. Your mom has been on his dick for years. One of these days, I’m telling you, it’s gonna happen.”
I shudder at the thought. “I haven’t had enough alcohol for this conversation.”
Elizabeth laughs. “Just promise, you’ll think about it. If you think Nick isn’t telling you something, talk to him. Make him tell you. If you were half as happy as it seems, isn’t it worth it? At least to figure out what really happened?”
Elizabeth is right, I know that, but I don’t think this weekend is the right time to handle the situation. This is supposed to be about her and Josh, not the mess Nick and I have created. Once this is all over, maybe I’ll consider finally confronting him about whatever it is he’s been hiding from me the past month and a half. But, what about that girl? The one in Boston. Sheyenne, I think. What’s the point in trying to resolve this shit if he’s already moved on?
“Nina, you deserve to be happy. Your life doesn’t have to revolve around work. You’ve proven yourself already. Time and time again. You’re more than a name.” Elizabeth wipes a tear that rolls down my cheek. “It’s okay to let someone in. Someone who will love you like you deserve…because Lee was not it."
“You can say that again.”
“Just promise me, you’ll think about it.”
“Promise me, you won’t meddle.”
“I can’t promise that.” Elizabeth winks before she returns our glasses to the bar. I wipe my eyes and straighten my outfit before meeting her at the door. Elizabeth begins relaying everything the planner said as she loops our arms and we cross Drayton Street towards Forsyth Park. I’m thankful for the useless information as I try to keep my mind from wandering to a certain someone sure to be waiting at our destination.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
I sit withJenny on one of the nearby benches surrounding the Forsyth Park Fountain. The wedding planner explains how things will work during the ceremony and pairs up members of the wedding party: Selena, Elizabeth’s friend from college, paired with Elijah, Josh’s fraternity brother; Michaela paired with Daniel, Josh and Elijah’s college friend; and Nick, the best man, paired with Lola, the maid-of-honor who hasn’t made it into town yet. Nick assures the planner he can manage to show Lola the ropes, but Elizabeth has other plans. “Nina!” Elizabeth interrupts my conversation. “Can you stand in for Lola?”
“Elizabeth,” a warning.
“Elizabeth, come on. I’ll be fine,” Nick sighs.