Broken Promises (25 page)

Katie’s been watching me, silently sipping her drink. “What’s with you?”

“You’ll have to be more specific?”

“Why? So you can deny it? Come on, Trystan. Something’s up with you. You’ve been walking around drunk, falling off the stage at work—yeah, I heard about that—and, when it comes to Mari, you’re cold. Don’t you care about her? Don’t you want to keep her from getting hurt?”

She’s poking my buttons with a sledgehammer. Subtlety is a quality Katie has never possessed. I sit up and glare at her. “Don’t ask me questions you can answer already. You’re not that dense. Figure it out.”

She laughs once, bitterly. “Dense? Nice, Trystan. Tell you what, I’ll explain what I see, and you tell me when I’m wrong, okay?” She ticks off one finger. “First, you’re still in love with Mari. Second, you hate Derrick, but think it’s because you’re still sweet on Mari. Third, you didn’t tell Mari you still love her because you have some deranged idea you’re not good enough for her. And Fourth, and final, all the drunkenness that has you falling, tripping, and crashing your car is a hoax. You’re hiding something.”

My jaw tightens as she speaks. Her words feel like barbs in my chest, finding their mark and sinking in. I want to yell, but I swallow back any emotions. I’m not ruining Mari’s relationship. If the guy is really a dick, she needs to walk away because she sees it—it can’t have anything to do with me.

Katie places her mug on the table and walks over to me. I stare at her, unblinking. “Mari informed me she and I will follow you to your movie set. Why on earth would she do that? What would make her risk pissing off Derrick to help you remember a few lines? Hey, Trystan?" She leans in close to my face, and her eyes are swallowed by the black hole. I only see her mouth, wavering in front of me.

“What?”

“Really? No reaction?” I’m about to push her away, when she says, “What about this?” She leans in and presses her lips to mine. I jump out of the chair and practically fall on the floor trying to get away from her.

I wipe her kiss off and yell, “What the hell are you doing?”

“Trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with you! Either you don’t care, or you can’t see. I’m betting on the second.”

I swallow hard and look away. My heart is still pounding in my chest. “I’m going blind, Katie. I didn’t want to dump this on you now.” I explain what’s happening, and how I’ve been hiding it.

“I noticed. I’ve seen you hold a drink. That’s all you do—hold it. So, what are you going to do?”

“Deal with it, I guess. I don’t have many options.”

She puts her arm around my shoulder and hugs me from the side. “Well, I’m glad you weren’t acting weird because you had the hots for me. That would have been awkward since you’re like a loser little brother and all.”

“I’m glad we cleared that up.”

“Yeah, so, I’m thinking we try to bait Derrick at the engagement party. With you.” Katie then tells me what she thinks will piss the guy off, and I’m suddenly glad I’ve not angered the woman recently.

CHAPTER 40

TRYSTAN

T
he engagement party comes quickly. The closer we get to the wedding, the sicker I feel about the whole thing. If Katie’s right, I can’t let Mari marry him. But if she’s wrong? God, this is fucked up.

I know Mari didn’t tell Derrick she spent the night at my apartment. It wasn’t a lie, she didn’t bring it up, and he didn’t ask.

Bob is driving Katie and me to Mari’s Dad's house. When we arrive, the front lawn looks beautiful. White lights and silver balls make the trees look like a winter wonderland. A white carpet is rolled out from the curb to the front door.

Katie takes my hand and squeezes it tight. She leans in close to me and whispers, “Watch your step, the carpet buckles just past the curb.” She laughs lightly, kissing my cheek. She’s been great since I told her about the stuff with my eyes. She didn’t ask me anything else, she just made note of times I seem uneasy, and she stepped in to help. I don't worry about being unable to read the menus, cracks in the pavement, or a thousand other little things I used to deal with on a daily basis.

Thanks to her, I was able to try someplace new for lunch the other day—a place I didn't have the menu memorized. She sat next to me and read the entire menu to me. Discreetly. Seeing how close she's been to me physically, everyone thinks she’s my new girlfriend. She’s always holding my hand or whispering in my ear. No one guesses it’s because she’s helping me not to trip or quietly reading something to me.

“Thanks, Katie.”

“No problem. And remember, I’m the one that will tell Derrick. I’ll put you with Mari and then go to find him. Either the shit will hit the fan, or not. Then this will be over. God, I hope I’m wrong about him.” Her voice is tight, and I know she’s worried. Katie and Mari have been best friends for as long as I can remember. I know Katie can’t afford to lose that support right now, and I admire how she's put Mari’s needs in front of her own.

The front door is open, and a woman is there with a clipboard. Katie gives her our names, and she welcomes us inside. “The bride-to-be should be downstairs in a few moments.”

Katie leans in and whispers in my ear, “Can you make it up a flight of steps without falling on your face?”

“Yes, I’m not an invalid. I just can’t see very well.”

“Just checking. I’m going to torch this mofu. Burn baby, burn.” She goes into a chorus of a song and dances a little bit as she leads me to the back stairs on the other side of the kitchen. I used to sneak up these steps in high school. “Go get her, killer.”

The lights are off, which makes it more difficult to see, but everything is the same as it was when we dated. I follow the railing up, turn onto the landing, and go to the end of the hall. Mari’s door is cracked. I put my hand on it and push it open a little allowing the light to spill out onto the darkened hallway floor.

“Mari?”

“Trystan? You came!” She sounds excited.

“I wanted to see you, I mean really see you. I can’t do it downstairs.”

She’s up and walking toward me. Mari pulls me into her room, and closes the door. “I know what you mean. Go ahead. I spent half the day straightening my curls. It feels like unicorn hair,” she says, giggling.

She guides my hands to her face, and I move slowly, feeling the curves of her cheeks before slipping my hands back through her silky hair. One side is pinned back, and the other is down. “You look beautiful tonight.” I let her locks fall through my fingers and put a hand on her shoulder. “Are you happy?”

“Yeah, why?” Her voice says the opposite of her words.

“Nothing, it seems like you’re nervous, that’s all.”

Mari reaches out and takes my hands in hers. Tingles shoot up my arms and my heart is engulfed with the emotion streaming from her body. “What does it feel like to you?”

I have no clue. Something is making her feel loved and excited, but there’s fear and guilt swimming around in there, too. “I know you think I can read your mind, but I can’t. I only feel what you feel. I’m guessing, and even that is open to interpretation. So you tell me. Use your words, Mari. Come on, girl, you can do it.” I tease her and get treated to a laugh before she shoves me lightly.

“You’re an ass.”

“Yeah, but I’m a cute ass.”

“Oh, I have no doubt you know that already, so let’s not inflate your ego any bigger. Tonight is my night. I’m supposed to be the one who’s walking on sunshine.”

“Does it feel good?” I’m joking, but her demeanor changes as she considers the question seriously.

“I’m not sure. Half the time I feel like I’m going to puke. Is that normal? I’ve asked a lot of people about cold feet, and everyone says it passes, that it’s fleeting. I’m sure that’s all it is, but it’s scary, you know?”

I feel like an asshole for adding to her misery tonight. It’s too late. The plan is already in motion. Katie is telling Derrick that Mari slept at my place earlier this week. She’s going to let it slip like she wasn't supposed to say anything. I am supposed to distract Mari until it’s done. Katie will text me and let me know.

“Life is scary at times. That doesn’t have to mean anything. Mari, you know how you feel about this guy, right? He’s one hundred percent what you want, right?”

She laughs it off. “One hundred percent isn't possible.”

Wait. What? Before I can ask her about that, my phone buzzes. It’s Katie. She’s done it.

Mari takes my hand. “Let’s get downstairs before people wonder where we’ve been.”

“Mari…” I place my other hand over hers and look into her fading face. Our eyes lock and that strange pull feels stronger than ever, beckoning me to her. I’m so close it wouldn’t take much to lean in and kiss her. I banish the thought, but before I can blink her bedroom door flies open. It hits the wall so hard the knob busts through the sheetrock.

“Nice. You’re up here with your ex-boyfriend while I’m downstairs telling people how much I love you.” Derrick growls at her. I want to step between them, but I can’t. This is what Katie worked to set into motion. I need to wait.

Mari laughs him off. “Trystan is one of my best friends. He wanted to see me before the party.”

“I’m sure he did.” Derrick glares at me while pumping his fists at his sides. “Was it fun? Nailing my fiancée behind my back?”

Mari scolds him, “Derrick, it’s not like that.”

He rounds on her. “Then what’s it like? Because sleepovers with an ex this close to a wedding aren’t usually a good thing.”

“I didn’t sleep with him.” She laughs nervously and shakes her head. Her arms fold over her chest, across that white dress, and she holds tightly onto her arms. I want to intervene and end this, but I can’t. This is what we were looking for, and I admit—this sounds bad and looks bad. “Derrick, I’ve never given you a reason to doubt me.”

“You lied to me! You said you were sleeping at Katie's, not at his place! You didn’t ask me if you could spend the night with your ex. You hid it from me! Tell me why. Were you having an orgy? Were the Olsen twins there?”

I try not to laugh. I have no idea what this guy thinks I do in my spare time, but orgies aren’t my thing. “She had a fight with Katie and asked for a place to sleep. Damn, man. You could trust her a little bit, okay? Mari’s not the cheating type.”

Derrick is vibrating. He’s ready to blow. The guy sucks in air and presses his eyes closed. He willfully pries open his fingers and breathes a ragged breath. “Sleepovers with your ex-boyfriend are off the table.”

“You don’t trust her?”

He gets up in my face. “I don’t trust you. I see the way you look at her, how you’re always trying to touch her. I thought we could be friends, and I’d see that you were like that with everyone, but guess what? You’re not!” He screams the last two words in my face, spitting a little as he does.

I blink, and he steps back. “Yeah, well, she loves you. She’s marrying you, and I don’t fuck around with betrothed women. You won, man. Back off.”

Derrick is in my face again, and I know how badly he wants to put his fist in my face. The feeling is mutual. Every inch of my body is charged ready to fight. But Mari pulls on Derrick’s arm. Her voice is calming and soft. “He doesn’t feel like that toward me. We’re friends. That’s it.” She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him.

When she steps away, Mari seems happy. “I’m heading downstairs. Come down in a second and we’ll pour the champagne.” Mari disappears through the door and I’m left alone with Derrick.

He steps within an inch of my face. “If you even think about her, I’ll tear your balls off.” Derrick turns and slams his fist into the wall, cracking it. He shakes out his hand and smiles. “Next time, that’ll be your face, so stay the fuck away from her.”

He disappears through the doorway.

A few minutes later, Katie finds me sitting on Mari’s old bed, staring at the wall. She rushes through the door and turns around. Her jaw drops as she spots the hole in the wall. “He flipped out?”

“Yeah, he did, but not in front of Mari. You’re right. The guy is unbalanced.”

“She didn’t see this?”

“No, he did that after she left the room and said that would be my face if I tried anything with her.”

Katie pouts. “We can’t use that! It sounds like normal boyfriend pissy territorial crap.”

“I know.”

“What do we do?” She sounds truly worried, and the truth is, so am I.

“I don’t know.”

CHAPTER 41

TRYSTAN

A 
fter Katie helps me get down to the party without doing a header on the staircase, a passing waiter shoves a flute of champagne in my hand. I find a corner to watch from, ignoring the murmuring and staring from other guests. Katie finds a spot next to me. She leans in when she speaks, the top of her head nearly touching mine. “This blows.”

“I know.”

“I’m going to have to make a speech or something. She invited me to do it. I can out him.”

“I can’t let you do that. Mari will never forgive you and he’ll hide it. No, we need him to lose it in front of her.”

The high pitch of a champagne glass chimes and I hear Mari’s voice. “Thank you for coming tonight. As you know, this is the reception slash engagement party for everyone. The wedding will be in a couple of weeks, and we wanted to keep it small and intimate…”

Katie frowns, murmuring, “Derrick wanted that, not her. Mari always wanted a big-ass wedding. She has a three-ring binder from when we were kids listing out exactly what she wants in a wedding—straight down to the twelve bridesmaids, four flower girls, a fairy, and a dog ring bearer.”

I try not to laugh. “A fairy?”

“Yeah, that’s how I can tell you're a guy. Most women scoff at the dog.”

“I’m pretty sure there are other ways to tell I’m a guy.”

“Shut up! Derrick’s about to make his toast.” She elbows me in the side, and I nearly fall over.

“Damn it. Did you file those things?”

Derrick clears his throat. “There are very few things in life that present themselves with complete certainty. The day I met Mari, I knew we were meant to be together.”

Katie coughs softly and covers her mouth with the back of her hand, whispering, “Stalker.”