But…I wanted to see him.
I didn’t want to be that girl.
But ugh!
I’m at my dad’s with my brothers. You can’t come here.
Meet me at the park.
I glanced around at the party. Blaire had successfully distracted Campbell. Hollin had wandered over to put his arm around Piper. Dad was arguing with Vail about the burger situation. Everyone was distracted. I could probably slip away for a minute.
I squeezed my eyes shut. Was it so wrong to want to see him? I wouldn’t have to do it again. Not ever. Fuck.
Fine. You have five min utes.
I made some excuse about taking a phone call and slipped back through my dad’s house. I snagged my jacket as I exited through the front door and strode toward the park across the street.
August hadn’t had to say where in the park to meet. When we’d been together, we always used to meet at the swings on family holidays. I sank into the swing and pushed off, letting it rock back and forth on its own. I felt stupid. I was being stupid.
It didn’t change how I felt to acknowledge that this was the last thing I should be doing. I was still sitting here on a swing, waiting for my ex-boyfriend, who was now engaged to someone else. I knew how dumb that was. But I would just let him say whatever he was going to say, and then I’d tell him not to contact me anymore. I might even get brave enough to block his number.
A throat cleared behind me. I dragged my feet in the dirt and turned around.
August strode toward me in his black peacoat, his hair perfectly put together, a tentative smile on his lips. “Hey, Nora.”
I swallowed back all the pain at seeing him, knowing he wasn’t mine. “Hi.”
“Thanks for meeting me.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “This is the last time.”
He nodded. “I figured.”
“It’s not fair to ask this of me, you know?”
“I know. I fucked up, but I didn’t want you to suffer.”
I scoffed. “You should have thought of that before you cheated on me.”
He kicked a rock in front of him, looking down at his feet. “Yeah. I know I can’t make up for that.”
“Make up for it? You’re marrying the girl you cheated on me with.”
He winced. “Uh, yeah. She really wanted to get married.”
I took a step back in disgust. Was he blaming Tamara for the engagement? How typical. “You still proposed.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry she came to see you.” He took a step forward, closer. “I, uh, I never knew she would do something like that. Of course we’re not going to get married at the vineyard or have you plan it.”
“No, because I told her no.”
“She said that you had”—he cleared his throat—“another guy with you, who cussed her out.” His eyes met mine again.
“Are you here to find out if I’m seeing someone?” I asked in disbelief.
“No, no. I’m here to apologize.”
“Jesus, August,” I said, storming away from him and running a hand back through my hair.
Here he was, literally engaged to my ex-bestie, and he was trying to figure out if I was dating someone. What a pathetic, egotistical, narcissistic ass.
“I can’t do this. I should have never come here.”
“Nora, wait,” he called as I stormed back toward my dad’s house.
“I waited for you. I’m done waiting. I’m done with all of this.”
He grasped the sleeve of my jacket and dragged me to a stop. “I’m so sorry. For everything. For Tamara and the engagement and hurting you. Fuck.”
“That’s not good enough,” I snarled at him. I jerked my arm away from him. “Your words mean absolutely nothing when they aren’t backed up by any actions.” I shoved him away from me. “Stop apologizing. Stop this puppy-dog act. Go home to your fiancée, August, because if you contact me again, I’m going to tell her about all of it.”
His face paled. We both knew exactly what Tamara would do if she found out he’d come to see me, let alone that he’d still been texting me all these months.
“Nora, hey, don’t do this.”
“I’m done.” A tear slid down my cheek, and I angrily swiped it away. I hated that it had happened in front of him. I’d sworn no more tears. “I’m done.”
Then I walked away, and he let me go. As he’d done many times before.
5
Nora
“Don’t go,” Campbell said. “I only just got home.”
“I know. Work is work though,” I said, wincing slightly at the lie. “This couple is pretty demanding.”
As much as I wanted to hang out at Campbell’s return party, I couldn’t stay here another minute. Not after August. And telling my brothers about it would end in bloodshed.
“You sure you’re okay, shrimp?”
I nodded and hoped it was convincing. “Totally.” I hefted my phone. “Just work. You know?”
He ruffled my hair lightly. “Well, come out for my birthday at least. Blaire said she got a reservation. Ask her for the details.”
“I will.”
At least that made me smile. I’d worried that he’d caught on to what we were doing, but so far, so good. I’d be composed again by then. I needed time alone to deal with what had happened.
I waved at the girls and Hollin and then fled the scene. I was halfway home when I remembered that I wasn’t going home to an empty house.
“Fuck,” I whispered.
I’d planned to snag some ice cream and unleash my tears, but I didn’t exactly want West to hear that. It was one thing to cry alone, but another thing entirely for someone to see me still mourning this bullshit. August had demolished my life, and I still didn’t know how to get over it.
My heart ached at the thought. Why couldn’t I move on like anyone else? Ten months was long enough to suffer, wasn’t it?
With a sigh, I abruptly turned the wheel down the next street and veered into the parking lot of my favorite nursery—Apple’s Nursery. Apple was the owner’s nickname for his wife, who had been working by his side at the place for thirty years. She was adorable and always so helpful. We’d gotten real fond of each other. Despite that fact, I avoided the front, not ready to face anyone I knew, and meandered down the aisles of greenery.
I hadn’t gotten into plants until after Weston left. I’d wanted to get a kitten or a puppy, but my wedding days were long. It felt cruel to leave a pet home alone all day. But plants? Plants I could keep alive. And it had gone from one potted monstera, which I’d been assured was nearly impossible to kill, to a veritable trove of greenery.
At the back of the place, I found a single orange flowering plant—a clivia, if my research was correct. It bloomed at the end of February and into March with the prettiest sunset flowers. I needed a sunset today.
I took the clivia up to the front and found Apple waiting for me.
“Plant therapy?” she asked intuitively.
“Nothing fixes your problems quite like buying another plant.”