Page 39 of The Wedding Menu

Shut up.

Ian:

Just tell Frank to buy you flowers.

Amelie:

Flowers?

Ian:

Tell him to surprise you with them next time he visits.

I haven’t said a word to Ian about my arrangement with Frank. We’ve agreed to be friends, and despite what I told my fiancé,that’s all I intend for us to be. And he’s a flirt, but I’ve got a feeling that has much more to do with his personality than with me. He knows I’m engaged, and he’s not looking for a relationship anyway.

We’re good.

Still, the comparisons I can’t help but make worry me. No matter how well-intentioned, Ian is making Frank look worse than bad, and I don’t need more doubts when my relationship has already taken such a huge hit.

No. I can’t let a random guy who gives me an ounce of attention be what breaks us.

Amelie:

I think we shouldn’t keep texting this much.

There’s a hole in my heart the second I send him the text. I almost wish I could unsend it, but I know it’s for the best. He’s become the highlight of my day, and that’s not healthy.

Ian:

Okay. I get it.

Not the answer I expected. Something tells me he’s sad: we’ve been texting enough that I can almost pinpoint the messages he types with a smile and the ones he sends with a frown. This feels like one of the latter. But even now he gets it; no need to explain.

I don’t want this to be the last time I talk to him.

Amelie:

We can still text sometimes, but not all the time.

Ian:

Sometimes.

But remember one thing?

Amelie:

What?

Ian:

It’s your rule. You can break it if you need me.

I exhale, slowly and so deeply that my whole body deflates. I need him so much all the time. He’s making this whole nightmare less stressful, and God knows I could use a friend. But right now he’s theonlyperson in my life, which means some stuff desperately has to change.

Amelie:

I can’t need you this much. It’s not fair.