Was this what a panic attack felt like? “Maybe I will.”
“Fine.” He stared her down, not a hint of softness in his eyes. Certainly no love. “Go ahead.”
“I will.” With slippery fingers, she took the ring off and threw it at him. He let it drop to his feet, not even bothering to pick it up. That’s how much it meant to him. “Don’t come chasing me, begging me to come back.”
He inclined his head. “I already told you I wouldn’t. As a matter of fact, I’ll leave now. Good luck, Morgan.”
He turned on his heel and walked away from her.
The jerk walked away from her, before she could walk away from him. She watched him go, her fists tight at her sides, aching to chase after him and scream at him and hit him until everything made sense again. Until she knew what was right and what was wrong.
Until the aching hollowness in her chest went away.
Morgan turned around, picked her ring up off the floor and opened the door to their honeymoon suite. It looked so big now. So empty. And it was all his fault. She sank down on the mattress and covered her face. No. It wasn’t all his fault. She’d flown off the handle as soon as he’d expressed hurt over the fact that she’d forgotten his sister’s wedding. Was that really so unforgivable?
She flopped back on the bed and her elbow hit something hard. The TV came to life, and she heard her own voice, slurred and way too sloppy sounding. Unrecognizable, even.
“Marry me,” she slurred into the camera.
Morgan sat up and rubbed her eyes. Oh, no. It was the wedding DVD. Had Mike been watching it before he came to get her? Had he been watching their wedding? Why? And did she always look that stupid when she drank too much?
Mike’s voice ripped her out of her distraction. Just hearing it sent a fist of pain straight through her heart. She hugged her knees to her chest, holding on tight.
“Tell the camera why you asked me to marry you,” a slow speaking Mike said, his mouth an inch from Drunk Morgan’s ear. “Tell the camera who asked who tonight, in case you forget and don’t believe me tomorrow.”
“I asked you because you’ll be the best husband ever. You’ll never hold me down,” Morgan said, grinning sloppily into the camera. “Right?”
“Not unless you want me to,” Mike murmured in her ear.
“Well, I just might, husband. Later tonight.”
“I’m not your husband yet.” Mike grinned and tossed her over his shoulder. “Elvis, marry us before she changes her mind!”
Mike started for the altar but a hand reached out and grabbed his arm. Alistair, presumably. “Dude, are you sure? Why are you doing this?”
Mike turned to him, leaned in close, and whispered, “Because I think I’m gonna fall head over ass in love with this woman, and she’s mine. I love how determined she is to succeed, and I want to watch her grow. Help her.”
Morgan’s breath caught, and she clung to her knees.
Al’s hand dropped out of sight. “I’ll be damned. A girl who out-Mike’d Mike. All right. Then I’m behind you, if you’re sure. And later on, when you watch this video—”
“I’ll be even more happy because by then, I’ll love her and she’ll love me, too.” Mike slapped Drunk Morgan’s ass, making her squeal. How long had she hung there, not speaking or moving? “Right, wife?”
“Right.” Drunk Morgan pointed at the altar. “Now let’s do it.”
Morgan shut off the movie, unable to watch any more of the wedding. The look in Mike’s eyes when he said he might love her someday was the same way he’d looked at her tonight after he’d told her he loved her. Before their fight had ruined it all. Before she could…
Before she could even think about saying I love you, too.
Chapter Thirteen
Mike tightened his bow tie and glowered at himself in the mirror. He’d been moping about since last night, wanting nothing more than to strangle himself for his own stupidity. He’d broken his every rule. Broken everything he ever believed in, and for what? A few nights of marital bliss that would be forever in his past, haunting him?
He’d become everything he hadn’t wanted ever to be.
Now he was at his sister’s wedding and all he could think about was Morgan. Morgan when she laughed. Morgan when she asked him if he’d meant what he said about loving her. Morgan when she told him he was despicable. All of it morphed into one crazy memory until he didn’t know what the hell he was feeling anymore.
Did it even matter?
Fuck everyone who had found their happily ever after. Who needed fairy tales, anyway? In a few days he would be back to normal. Cruising the bars and hitting on beautiful women with whom he didn’t want a relationship. Women who meant nothing to him.
Right after he managed to remove the wedding ring he still wore.
He clutched his fist tight, the band digging into his fingers.
But not tonight. Not yet. Tonight, he’d play the part of the solo husband. Women would leave him alone because of his ring and he could heal in peace.
Shit, now he really sounded like Oprah.
The door opened and Garrett entered, his cheeks flushed and his eyes sparkling. He looked so happy. Much like Mike had looked on his own wedding night which, thanks to Al, he’d gotten to see. That was right before everything collapsed around him, and directly after he realized he loved Morgan…and then told her how he felt, like the fool he was.
He should’ve kept that information to himself. At least he could’ve kept his pride.
“It’s almost time,” Garrett said, smoothing his tux jacket and grinning at Mike in the mirror. “I can’t believe this is actually happening and she hasn’t run for the hills yet.”
Mike choked back his own misery He wouldn’t miss the joy of such a momentous event. Garrett had been in love with Kiersten since high school. He deserved every happiness. “Me either. I have to admit, when you got her pregnant, I thought you’d fail in winning her heart.”
“For a while, I did too.” Garrett turned to him. “But for some reason, she loves me. And I couldn’t be happier.”
“I know. And I’m happy for you both. I love you, man.”
Mike cleared his throat, overcome by love for a second. Shit, Morgan had made him acknowledge his feelings for Garrett and Kiersten and everyone. He’d gone his whole life without getting choked up about anything, but now here he was, about to slobber and snot all over himself because his best friend was marrying his sister.