Page 58 of The Nice Guy
He does, and a large picture of Kevin and Brynlee appears on the screen. She’s in a gorgeous black dress while he wears a relaxed suit. They smile for the camera, and while I can see it doesn’t reach her eyes, they look so damn perfect together. The perfect couple she and I will never be.
“Rhett—”
“The weddin’ isn’t called off.”
Turning, Carter faces me. “She’s here, Rhett. She’s not in Chicago. There’s got to be an explanation.”
“She’s bidin’ her time before she goes back to her perfect life. Testin’ out somethin’ different. Last fling before the ring. Take your pick on the reason.”
“Does that really sound like Brynlee? And what’s she waitin’ for if she’s goin’ to marry him? Christmas? New Year’s? Come on, man. There’s a reason that explains this all perfectly that’s not goin’ to be found in the deep end you’ve just jumped into.”
“I told you this was goin’ to happen. I pushed my fears aside like you told me to, and I got bit in the ass!”
I’m angry. Really angry. At Brynlee. At Carter. At this damned, perfect Kevin Sandoval. But mostly, I’m angry with myself for falling hopelessly in love with a taken woman.
“Or, and here’s another really good option… whoever’s in charge of the weddin’ shit forgot to take this down when she left. I doubt somethin’ this large was managed by Brynlee. Or maybe it was, and she forgot with everythin’ else she canceled.”
“She called off her engagement and didn’t tell any of their friends or his family? People commentedyesterday, Carter.”
“Okay, I don’t have a good explanation for that one, but Brynlee will. Talk to her, man.”
I turn before he can see the tears in my eyes. “God, I’m an idiot. I’m so stupid.”
“No, you’re not.”
Laughing, I take inventory of all the pain. It’s worse than anyone before now, and I know why. “I was goin’ to tell her I love her after introducin’ her to Mom and Pop.”
“Do it!”
“I can’t!” I shout and walk to the door. “I’m a fool. A damned fool.”
Pacing is the only thing that stops me from crying and punching things. Anything. This was always going to end, and I was stupid enough to believe maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe this time would be different, and we could be something.
“Rhett, calm down.”
“When people look at that picture of her with him, they thinkperfectandhandsome couple.When people look at me with her on my arm, they assume I have a massive cock in my pants because that’s the only reason a girl like her would ever have an interest in a guy like me.”
“Well, you do kind of have… Oh, okay. We’re not quite to the laugh-about-it stage of the freak out. Got it.”
Glaring at him, I clench my fists. “This is your fault. I listened to you, and I pushed all of my expectations down. I decided to show her how good bein’ with someone like me could be. I did everythin’ right, and I should have listened to my head instead. You did this!”
“Woah, this is not my fault, Rhett. And this might just be a big mistake, but you won’t know until you talk to her. Call her. Right now, call her and ask her.”
“So she can lie to me? Like she has been? She told me he was her ex-fiancé. Does she have the ring hidden somewhere to keep me from seein’ it when I stay over?”
Reality hits me, and I can’t breathe again. The woman I love is marrying another man in less than three months. There’s a deadline date. An official one, and I’m going to lose her. After she made a fool out of me.
“Rhett, you’re freakin’ me out. You’ve never reacted like this before.”
“I’m the other man,” I say and laugh like a maniac. “Normally, I get left for someone else, and I guess I should be flattered I’m the one she chose to cheat with. Who would’ve ever pegged me as bein’ the other man? I never did.”
“Stop it! Talk to her!”
Shaking my head, I open the door. “I fell in love. Real love. I would have given her anythin’, Carter. Done anythin’ she asked me to, and just like everyone else, she always planned on leavin’.”
“You don’t know that for sure. There could be a very logical explanation. If nothin’ else, I guarantee you’re a better boyfriend than this asshat was. Maybe she’s givin’ herself space but still plans to call off the weddin’ if she hasn’t already. I don’t know… It’s a different world when you’re talkin’ high society shit.”
“She’s high society, alright. I’m tater tot casserole. Somethin’ she ended up with a lot of but ultimately won’t want once she’s had her fill and is sick of me.”
