Page 105

It was perfect, except that it wasn't.

Cole stood up to give a speech and I could hardly look at him. But as soon as he sat back down and he took my hand within his I smiled affectionately and played my part. That's what I was here to do. Some soft music was playing in the background and while everyone was chatting and eating dessert Cole's uncle approached me.

“Mind if I have a dance with the bride-to-be?”

Cole nodded raising a glass to him and I took his hand as he walked me out onto what tomorrow would be our dance floor.

“No one else is dancing.”

“I kind of wanted it that way. I don't know what is going on between you and Cole, but I will give you the same advice that I gave him. Figure it out before you walk down that aisle tomorrow. Before you make a decision that will impact both of you for the rest of your lives.” He spun me out and pulled me back in close. I was happy no one else could hear our conversation.

“What's that supposed to mean? Cole and I are fine. Just a little disagreement is all.”

“I'm not sure that he sees it that way. You know the whole relationship is a little suspect now that I think about it. He had told me about you a couple months ago of course but I was surprised you agreed to marry him.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you're smart. You might even be smarter than him. And you look like a woman who takes her time in making a decision about something. Like you wouldn't do something just because it benefited you, and plan out your whole life around it. Cole isn't that way. He's impatient and stubborn and everything has to be done immediately when he's around. He doesn't think about the future, there is no long-term plan for him.”

The song changed but it was still slow and smooth dinner music. “I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to say.”

“Addison, I have a pretty good idea of what's been really going on here and I can say with certainty that you are about to enter into an agreement that you may never be able to get out of. So run. Take your lovely little family and get out of town. You don't deserve to be put in this situation by my nephew. I can see that his pigheadedness has won out this time, but if you stay you're the only one who's going to lose.”

I pulled away from him, my fabricated smile now completely disappeared. “Cole and I are fine. I appreciate your concern but I can tell you with great certainty you have no idea what the hell you're talking about. It will be quite easy to prove that to you tomorrow.”

I stormed past him and walked directly out of the room. I continue to walk and until I found myself next to a pond where I sat down hoping to collect my thoughts. What a mess this all turned into. I watch the bubbling of the water as it rippled towards me and I put my fingertip down it to make a ripple back. It was like I was trying to stop the water from moving, almost like I was trying to stop my emotions from overtaking me. I heard someone come up behind me and I spun around to see Cole standing with his hands in his pockets looking both disappointed and inquisitive. Like he was lost.

“What are you doing out here?”

“I came to see you, obviously. What is going on Addison? You’ve been avoiding me for almost a week. And then you go and have a dance with my uncle and suddenly your booking it out of the reception hall like nobody's business. Not really a great way to keep up a lie by the way.”

I rolled my eyes and stood up facing him. “Do you think that's all I care about?”

He shrugged looking defiantly back at me. “How the hell am I supposed to know what you care about Addison? You don't even speak to me! I imagine you're in this for the money at this point. You're certainly not in it for me.”

“That's remarkable coming from you. You're a hypocrite, do you know that?”

“Why am I the hypocrite?”

“I saw you at work. The little blond nurse giving a back massage, it was disgusting Cole. I thought at least we were exclusive. I didn't think I would have to go through the next ninety days wondering who else you were sleeping with. Is that so crazy?”

“Ashley? The nurse from work? When were you at work?”

I threw my hands up in the air. “You don't even deny it! Jesus Cole!”

“What is there to deny? She gave me a back rub, she is working on her physical therapy degree and has to do so many hours of massage. She goofed up her schedule and had to miss a massage appointment. I told her she rub my shoulders for thirty seconds and I would sign off saying that she did her whole hour. It was a joke between friends, I was just helping her out. Why didn't you ask me? Are you really that jealous?”

I took a deep breath and crossed my arms. Was I really that jealous? Had I ever been jealous before? The truth was, probably not. I had never really gotten involved with anyone as seriously as I had been with Cole. There was no one before that I cared about.

But jealousy be damned, I was still pissed. “I know about your past. I know that you were a player and that there was a good chance she was just a notch on your belt. But maybe I was too.”

He set his lips into a thin line and didn't speak for a moment. The only thing I could hea

r was my own heart beating and the fountain bubbling behind me. Finally, he said, “Is that really what you think of me? Is that what you think about us?”

“I don't know what to think,” I answered honestly.

He ran his hands through his hair. “I think that I'm scared about tomorrow. But I have this overwhelming excitement too. I can't wait to see where our relationship goes. But I don't want you entering into this if that's what you think about me. Even if it may have been right at one point it hasn't been for the past month. The minute I met you everything changed. And I need you to recognize that. If you can't, then I don't think we should keep going.”