Page 42 of Wish I Didn't Want You Back

My mind raced, and the diamond mocked me, reminding me of all I could have had if I had stayed.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked, twisting the silver band around my finger.

“What? Have the reception in the church basement or get married?”

I glared at him. “You know what I mean. People are going to find out. They are going to have questions. This isn’t a game. This is my life.”

I was unraveling. I needed to get a grip.

He set his hands on my shoulders as if he were trying to steady me. “It’s my life, too.”

I swallowed. “You’re right. I’m just freaking out.”

This was just a temporary fix. I knew that when I agreed to it. I just didn’t think I would feel like this.

He sighed. “Look, Harlow, half the people in this town already thought we’d end up together one day. I wouldn’t worry about people believing it. I think you are overthinking.”

Maybe I was, but what other choice did I have? I had to follow through with this, no matter how hard it would be.

The saleswoman came back over. “Well, would you look at that? That ring looks like it was meant to be on your finger.”

Normally, I would say she was full of shit and only wanted her commission, but the ring was perfect. Like it always belonged on my finger.

I looked up at him. His expression was soft. A moment passed between us, and I wondered if he was feeling the same tangled-up feelings that I was. It felt like I was caught between our past and our new reality. Lines were getting blurred, at least for me.

“We’ll take it.” He grabbed his wallet and pulled it out of his back pocket. The saleslady beamed and started talking about sizing and stone clarity, but all I could focus on was not falling apart.

She completed the transaction and boxed up the ring.“Congratulations, again.”

She smiled while handing me the black bag. “I recognize true love when I see it, and you both have it in spades. I hope you have a long, happy life together.”

I smiled and clasped the handles a little too tightly. I had to remind myself that the ring meant nothing. I had to forget this was the same boy I fell in love with when I was twenty-one years old.

The one who told me I deserved the world.

I knew I agreed to this. I was aware of what I signed up for, but that didn’t lessen the knot in my stomach.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

BROOKS

She was taking forever.

I bounced my leg while scrolling through the sports highlights on my phone, trying not to check the time again. Whenever I did, I would get more agitated.

We were meeting our friends at the pub tonight, so I was imagining all the things that could go wrong. We had to put on a show and let the whole town think that we were back together.

Molly had texted Harlow earlier that Finn’s parents were watching Emma and wanted us to meet them out. Then, of course, Tuck and Hayes invited themselves when they found out.

They’d been texting me nonstop since our family dinner. I knew they suspected something, so I told them the truth.

I was surprised at how supportive they were, but then again, they were my brothers. I trusted them with my life.

I looked up from my phone when I heard the bedroom door creak open. Harlow stepped out wearing a black dress that was so short I was afraid if she sneezed, the dress would go all Marilyn Monroe on her and there wouldn’t be much left to the imagination.

I was tempted to have all her designer clothes boxed up and sent back to the city.

My gaze lingered as I scanned down her body and then back up to her face. “Your dress shows too much leg.”

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