Chapter 28
CARMINA
Two hours and three glasses of Cabernet later, the world seems a bit less sharp around the edges.
Freddie and I are tucked into a cozy corner at Le Chic, swapping stories that”d make a sailor blush, when I feel a lump in my throat.
This place, filled with memories of Jenny”s beaming face as she asked me to stand by her side, now bears witness to my confession.
The dim lighting that set the stage for Quentin and me casts a cozy glow over our table, reminiscent of that night when life seemed a lot less complicated.
After I pour my heart out to Freddie about all that happened with Quentin, my PR wizard pours herself another glass of Cab, leaning back in her chair, blue eyes the size of tea saucers. ”O...kay, I was not expecting that. Like, at all.”
I nod, letting out a shaky breath. ”Me neither.”
”Well,” Freddie begins after a moment of silence, swirling her wine glass contemplatively. ”First off, you are an idiot for not sleeping with him sooner. Secondly? Wow. That man has got it really bad for you.”
”Correction,” I interject. ”He used to have it bad for me. Now? After what I said in the hospital, I”m not sure he”ll ever forgive me. Doesn”t help that I”ve been avoiding him like the plague in the office.”
Freddie rolls her eyes. ”We”re not skipping half a working Friday night to discuss your love life just so you can sulk. Get some backbone, Carmina. If Quentin loves you half as much as he seems to, he”s not going anywhere.”
”Okay, you”ve gotten way too good at this Jenny impersonation.” I blow out a breath, finally smiling. ”I”m pretty sure this isn”t what Jenny had in mind when she asked me to be her Maid of Honor here.”
”Jenny doesn”t get a say in how we process our drama. Especially when it involves clandestine love affairs and existential crises.” She pauses, mulling over what I”ve just told her, blue eyes focused on the wine she”s swirling. ”So, Quentin really laid it all out, huh?”
”He did. And I... I panicked,” I admit, the words tasting like vinegar. ”I”m supposed to be the dependable one, Freddie. The rock. I can”t afford to fall apart over... over some man.”
”A ”man”? Okay, Quentin Anderson is many things, but he definitely does not fall under the category of just ”some man”. From what you”ve told me, his dick and bank account are both way too big to be downplayed like that.”
I groan, resting my head on my arms. ”This is why I need you. To tell me things I already know but don”t want to admit.”
”Hey, it”s what friends are for. And let”s not forget that you”ve been holding out on me about this whole thing.” She takes another sip of wine before adding, ”And besides, since when did accepting help become a character flaw?”
It’s my turn to swirl the wine, watching it cling to the sides of the glass. ”Since I saw what depending on someone can do. My mom, she?—”
”—fell apart,” Freddie finishes for me with a contemplative sigh. ”But you, Carmina, you”re not her. And this isn’t you falling apart. This is you building something. With someone who seems to be doing everything to earn your trust.”
I sigh, the weight of my secrets pressing down on me. ”Quentin told me he loved me, right there in the hospital hall, and all I could think about was running away,” I confess, a moment of vulnerability breaking through. ”I”m terrified of becoming like my mom—relying too much on someone and then falling apart when it”s over. My family... they”ve always depended on me to be the strong one. Like I told Quentin, I”ve never had the luxury of being selfish.”
Freddie”s gaze softens. ”Carmina, you”re not selfish. You”re a person with needs. Two totally different things. And asking and accepting help with those needs, especially when you”re taking on so much, isn”t a weakness. It”s human.”
”But I pushed Quentin away because of it. Ironic, isn”t it? I might have lost him because I was afraid of losing myself.”
”Hey, you haven”t lost him yet. And from what I”ve seen, Quentin is not one to give up easily.”
”Maybe.” I straighten in my seat. ”But what am I going to do about Jenny? I”ve been lying to her. Avoiding her questions. I mean, this is her future brother-in-law we”re talking about.”
”Okay, listen up.” Freddie sets her wine glass down and leans in closer. ”You are going to call Jenny back. You are going to apologize for being MIA, explain what”s been going on with your family, and ask for her forgiveness. And if she”s the friend I know she is, she will understand. And then...”
”Then what?”
”You are going to tell her that you”re boning her brother-in-law.”
”And after she stabs me with a wedding cake fork?”
”Then we”ll all have a good story to tell at your funeral.”
Freddie laughs, and I join in, feeling lighter.
”There you go,” she says, grinning. ”A laugh is always a good sign. Now let”s finish this wine and come up with a plan for telling Jenny.”
The noise of the restaurant fades as I lean in, keeping my voice low. ”So... how exactly should I tell her?” I ask, taking another sip of wine. I pause. ”In case you hadn”t noticed, this is me admitting I need help and blatantly asking for it.”
Freddie claps. ”Finally! The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.” She eyes me thoughtfully. ”As for how to tell Jenny... honestly, I think the direct approach might be best. Just sit her down and explain... that Quentin”s cock was too perfect to pass up.”
”Freddie...”
”Fine.” She waves the waiter over. ”I”ve got another idea that might work. But first, we”ll need a pen, another bottle of Cabernet, and a pair of lady-balls big enough to put it all on the line.”
I exhale loudly. ”Okay, lady-balls and Cabernet it is...”