Page 87 of One More Shot
‘To Cash and Bailey,’ Finn, James and Leo all echo in agreement, raising their own glasses in support.
Cash doesn’t say a word. For some reason, the smile on his face has been wiped in favour of an odd frown.He’s looking at me like I’ve suddenly sprouted another head.
‘You can’t be serious,’ Cash says, his voice a droll deadpan. He shakes his head and then runs a stressed hand through his hair. ‘Dane. Come on now, man.’
I frown. ‘What? You didn’t like my speech?’
Well, that doesn’t bode well for my best man’s speech at the reception later.
Cash huffs out a frustrated puff of air through his nostrils. ‘Youareserious. You’re actually serious.’
I glance over at the others and, to my relief, can tell that they’re just as confused as I am.
‘Talking about how I’m an inspiration and I give you hope that you’ll finally find love one day?’ Cash rolls his eyes. ‘Comeon.’
I’m still not getting it and the confusion must be evident on my face because Cash suddenly puts both hands on my shoulders, looks me square in the eye, and gives me a shake. ‘Dane. You. Are. In.Love.’
I blink at my best friend in disbelief. ‘What?’
‘You’re in love, Dane,’ Cash says with an exasperated laugh. ‘With Eliott. You love Eliott and I’d say you’ve probably been in love with her for a while now.’
The room around me starts to spin slightly. ‘What?’
Cash groans and pulls away. ‘It’s my wedding day. I can’t do this. Finn, you’re up.’
Finn gives me a sheepish grin. ‘Yeah, I guess I kind of just assumed you and Eliott were together?’
Beside him, both James and Leo nod in agreement.
‘I didn’t realise that you weren’t until Amber and Cash made that bet on the train.’
My eyes slide over to Cash, who at least has the decency to look somewhat apologetic.
‘We were wondering how long it would take you guys to make things official. I said it’d be after the wedding. Amber said she gave you guys twelve hours.’
‘Amber won,’ Finn clarifies cheerfully.
‘Yeah,’ I mutter as I slide down into the nearest armchair. The world around me is still spinning, still slightly out of focus. ‘I got that.’
‘Listen,’ Cash crouches beside me and gives me a sympathetic grin. ‘I didn’t say this to give you a nervous breakdown.’
‘Really?’
‘Really,’ Cash laughs. ‘I thought you knew and you guys just weren’t ready to say anything yet.’
‘But I don’t— Ican’t—’
Love is not for me. I know this better than anyone else in the world. I’m just not built for it. I’m not Cash. I’m not Finn. I’mme.
Dane Clarke.
The guy who is never enough.
And Eliott deserves more than enough. More than I can give her.
Right?
Cash gives my thigh a sympathetic squeeze. ‘I know you’ve been hurt before,’ he says, dropping his voice to a low murmur that only I can hear. ‘And you’ve put up walls to stop it from happening again. But I think those walls have been up so long, you can’t recognise real love when you feel it anymore.’
