Page 19 of Unbroken

“There, what do you think?”

I looked down at the rosebud surrounded by tiny white flowers and had to swallow down the emotions that were bubbling up. “It’s… beautiful. Thank you. I didn’t get you anything,” I murmured to her and the smile she gave me warmed me from the inside out.

“I didn’t expect you to, I’m the one groveling here. Besides,” she leaned back slightly and gestured to her dress, “There’s no way I’m letting you poke holes in this dress with a pin. I look too good in it to mess it up.”

Well since she’d invited me to look at her, I gave her a full perusal, smiling as she blushed. “You’re right. You do look good in that dress.” I leaned closer and whispered into her ear, “You’re the most beautiful woman here, but don’t let that go to your head,” I teased while trying to look serious.

She opened her mouth to reply, but then the music started. Instead, she reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze and mouthed a “thank you.”

As the flower girls came down the aisle, I had the fleeting thought that maybe fake dating Fiona Cafferty wasn’t going to be the train wreck I imagined it to be. Maybe.

TWELVE

ELI

“This food is so yummy,” Charlotte said, making a show of licking her fork. “Hey, Fiona, what did you order for the main course?”

“Um … honey?” Fiona turned to me. “I let you pick for me, right?”

I sighed and wished the night was over. We were barely through the salad course and the tension at our table was making me antsy. Not only were my parents there, seated opposite one another, but we were also sitting with Charlotte and Colt. While I’d once considered myself friends with both Nick and Cassie, I had to wonder if I’d done something to tick them off. I couldn’t think of any other reason why they would choose to seat me with my ex. Sitting through a wedding reception was bad enough, what with the cheesy line dances and forced kissing, now I was stuck eating a meal in what amounted to emotional crossfire. I took a long gulp of wine that I didn’t actually want.

“Uh, I ordered the trout for you,” I said. I forced myself to add the word. “Babe.”

“That’s right, of course. When you grow up eating beef for practically every meal, you jump at the chance for something different, right, hon?” Fiona laughed. “Remember that time I dared you to eat that giant double-meat pizza at Magiano’s in under an hour?”

The long-buried memories came flooding back, sitting at a table with our friends and everyone watching the two of us spar. “I remember that!” I chuckled. “And Ididit. I finished every last bite, including the dipping sauce and house salad.” That pizza was meant to feed at least ten people, probably more. I had never been so full in my life. It had hurt to move after.

“As I recall, that was the time you forgot your debit card, and you had to call me so I could pay the bill,” my father said in his stage-ready preacher voice that drew every eye to him. “I’m always there to save the day, right, son?”

I started to answer, but Fiona beat me to the punch.

“You actually didn’t have to do that, Mr. Carter,” Fiona said, not realizing that contradicting him was risky. “I offered to take care of the bill, but your son wouldn’t hear of it. You raised himright! I had no clue he snuck off and got you to pay until I tried to get the check from the waiter later on.”

She offered me a little smile, like she knew exactly what was going on despite how innocent her answer sounded.

Fiona had basically been carrying the conversation the whole night, expertly deflecting Charlotte’s nosy questions, gently pushing back against my father when necessary, and totally charming my mother. I hated that I didn’t have much to offer, but I was so overwhelmed by the drama around me that I could barely do anything but drink wine and desperately wish for a decent ale or three. Colt seemed to be feeling the same way, watching the action but keeping to himself.He’d surpassed me in the amount of wine he was drinking and I hoped he wasn’t driving.

“Fiona,” Charlotte said in an “it’s just us girls” voice even though she knew everyone at the table was listening. “You and Eli look so cute together! What’s next for you two lovebirds? Moving in together maybe?”

My stomach dropped. If this line of questioning was how the rest of the night was going to go, I was going to head to the dance floor and do every line dance the DJ played. Anything to get away from this table. I’d known it would be awkward, but I’d never imagined it would bethisawful.

It wasn’t that Charlotte wanted me back. I knew that for sure. But herjealousy of Fiona had been simmering for years. Ever since she first moved here and met some of my friends, who loved sharing stories about the hijinks Fiona and I got up to in school, Charlotte’s resentment of Fiona had continued to grow and grow. It would have been laughable if my ex hadn’t taken it upon herself to make my life miserable every time anyone mentioned Fiona’s name. Even though I swore up and down that we’d never been romantically involved, Charlotte had always refused to believe I didn’t secretly have feelings for her. Feelings that might be stronger than what I had for my wife. While I’d always cared about Charlotte, I’d never been passionately in love with her—and she’d known it. Most of the time, she seemed to accept that it simply wasn’t my nature to have a big, dramatic love story. But every now and then—usually when Fiona’s name came up—I would see the questions in her eyes. And the doubts. Because Fionadidbring out a side of me that no one else ever could.

I shook off the memory and tuned back into what Fiona was saying.

“We’re not exactly sure,” she answered, taking my hand in both of hers. Her touch settled me, giving me a sense of some stability amidthe drama at our table. “We’re taking it slow and following our hearts.”

I could feel Fiona’s eyes on me, willing me to look at her. But the fact was, I was afraid to. She’d been saving my ass all night long, and I was annoyed with myself for not being able to carry my own weight in our fake relationship.

Then an idea hit me as the music changed. We could walk away from the drama, at least for a few minutes, while at the same time showing everyone that I had moved on in a big way.

I stood up and pulled Fiona to her feet with enough strength to bring her to her tiptoes. She looked at me with a shocked expression but made no effort to pull away.

“Excuse us, folks,” I said. “This is our song, and I told Fiona that we’d dance to it any time we heard it, even if we’re at the grocery store. Let’s go, sweetheart.”

Thankfully it was a slow song about hot July memories and being seventeen. We held hands as we made our way to the dance floor, and Fiona gave me a squeeze.

“That was rough,” she said softly as I took her in my arms. “The Charlotte inquisition and your dad inserting himself into every story.” She exhaled. “We definitely need to keep practicing our act. And you need to step up your lovesick expressions, mister. But don’t worry. Until you get up to speed, I’m fine with taking the lead. I won’t let you down, partner.”

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