Page 38 of Nothing to the Wedding

“Like you’re up for roughing it.We could invite him to our island.”

“That’s too close to the equator for him.I’m still working on getting your agreement to disappear there for a month.Alone.No Kinloch.Just us.”

“We can’t abandon our responsibilities for…” Oh, he was a picture.Perfect.The only view that could balance her equilibrium.“You make everything better.”

“I know.Tell me what was wrong in the first place.”

“Nothing is wrong, I just…” Yes, she missed him.Why did that sorrow feel so potent these days?The wedding?“God, honestly, did you ever think, way back at the start, did you ever imagine that we could ever be…?You’re everything, Z.My everything.”

“You’re getting sentimental again.What’s brought this on?”

“Hatfield and I were reminiscing today.About Boston, Sydney… You already knew by then, didn’t you?”

“Mm hmm.”

“I have never loved, or trusted, a man so much in my life.Don’t you ever wonder what…”

“I told you that I would never have let us lose this.”

“Not that, do you ever wonder why we’re so blessed?Why can’t everyone find this?”

“Because it’s rare, Lo.What we have is, it’s like no other relationship I’ve ever had.”

“And you’ve had plenty of them,” she teased to lighten the moment.“I feel kind of stupid.”

“For loving me?Thanks.”

“For all the time and effort I put in with other guys.If I’d known it was supposed to feel like this…” She scoffed.“God, what a waste of time.”

“Those relationships, those guys…” Good clarification because sometimes calling certain guys “relationships” would be a stretch.“They made you who you are, Lo.”

“And you might not have loved me if I wasn’t so practiced.”

“No, I’d have loved you, but maybe you wouldn’t have seen how special this is.”

“Bambi and Struan are doing good, they look great together.”

“Yeah.”

“Roman’s still giving them shit.”

“Unfortunately, there’s not much anyone can do about that.Roman is… Roman.”

“Yeah, and that’s making excuses for him.He’s a big baby.”

“How’s our baby?”

“I think he’s seeing someone,” she said, her gaze slinking side to side as her eyes narrowed.“In the loosest possible definition of that phrase.”

“Do you like her?”

“I haven’t met her.Or maybe I have.My head spins with how he goes through women.Is that what you were like?”

“Ten, fifteen years ago, maybe.He’s happy, and it’s Tripp, he isn’t hurting anyone.”

“Honesty doesn’t erase hurt,” she said.“It’s the women and their white dresses all over again.”

“It exists nowhere but in their heads.”