Page 15 of Waiting for Her

“Um. What…” I trail off, clear my throat, look down at the dirty bar floor, shake my head and look back at her, standing up in the process. She takes a small step back to allow me room. She’s a little thing. Only about 5 feet tall. When we were dating, I would have to practically bend in half to kiss her. A lifetime ago. My chin meets my chest when I tilt my head down to her. “What are you doing here?” I ask, finally finding my voice.

She looks away quickly before returning those eyes that always drew me to her. I never could resist her shining emerald eyes. She simply had to flutter her long lashes at me, and I was putty in her hands. “Um, I heard about this incredible band and wanted to check them out since…” Her voice trails off as she glances at the table of my friends and family uncomfortably.

She’s back in town, is what she failed to finish saying.

She swallows and closes her eyes.

I lick my lips, blow out a breath, and wait for her to open them back up.

“Wait. A. Minute.” Cole’s voice breaks through our stare down.

“Bri?” Mia sneers. Or as close to sneering as she gets. “What the hell are you doing here?” I turn in time to see her waddle her pregnant body out of the chair, shove Cole’s hand away from her shoulder and come to stand in front of me, effectively pushing Bri away a few steps considering Mia’s, well, she’s not little at the moment.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize everyone would…”

“Realize what? That we would be here to support Brandon?” Mia crosses her arms over her chest and taps her foot.

I press my lips together to keep from laughing.

Mia’s hardly a threat, but she’s also protective of me.

I place a hand on Mia’s shoulder and she twists her head to peek at me. She raises her eyebrows and tilts her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at me in a silent challenge for me to let her be.

“Easy, mama bear,” I murmur.

Bri looks down at Mia’s protruding belly then in Cole’s direction. She smiles faintly, her eyes glossing over slightly. I doubt if anyone else noticed, but I’ve always been a little more in tune to Bri than anyone else.

“Mom mentioned you were expecting. When are you due?” she asks quietly.

Mia lifts her chin, probably determined not to answer her because she’s a stubborn little shit, but Cole pipes up.

“Two weeks.”

“Congratulations.” She smiles but it’s sad.

“Yup. We got married, too,” Mia says, a hint of snark in her voice, raising her hand to show her ring finger.

“Mia,” Cole murmurs a quiet warning.

“Yes, I heard that.”

Of course she’d heard. Her entire family was there, celebrating with us. I’d swallowed down the hurt all day, enjoyed the moment of celebrating with my brother and Mia. Pushed away the jealousy I felt toward him and Mia, who’d also been friends before they started dating. It had been a little over two years at that point since she had walked out on our relationship. Walked out of my life.

Part of me had wondered if she’d show up at the wedding.

A bigger part of me held out hope it would happen. I missed the hell out of her and as pathetic as it may make me sound, I was still waiting for her to come back to me.

That night, more changed for me than only getting a new sister.

With Bri’s stepdad working for our dads, who own a construction company together, it’s not as if we’re strangers. Our families don’t just know each other, we’re connected in every way that matters. Which leads me to believe she knew Mia and Cole were expecting, too.

“You missed a lot,” Mia reminds her, hurt and anger lacing her voice.

In another time, Bri would have been one of Mia’s bridesmaids. It was a hole that was missing on the special day that everyone felt, not just me.

I was always waiting.

Waiting for her to come back.

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