Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
LOUISE
I propped my head on my knuckles, my elbow on Eve’s threadbare little couch as I sniffled for the umpteenth time.
As Theo had driven me back, tears ran down my cheeks, my heart breaking with every one that fell. Spencer’s cowardice, the way he’d tossed Eve aside–and me– had been too much for me to bear.
It broke my heart that he broke her heart.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Theo tried, rubbing my shoulder as he eased to a stop in front of Eve’s apartment.
“It’s not,” I sobbed. “I pushed her to date Spencer, and he broke her heart. I broke her heart.”
“You didn’t. You tried your best to be a good friend, to give her a shot at happiness.”
“She deserves it. She deserves so much more than what she got.” Tears streamed down my cheeks, my mascara running right along with it.
“Yes, she did. Eve’s a sweet girl. But, sweetheart, she’s not going to be upset with you. If that’s what you’re worried about–”
“It’s not,” I moaned, a long cry escaping me as my lips tugged into a grimace.
I wasn’t worried about my friendship with her. I didn’t want that ruined, of course, but for once, this wasn’t about me. It was about poor Eve. It was about how she’d gotten a raw deal. A raw deal I’d handed to her.
I wouldn’t blame her if she screamed and shouted at me and threw my friendship bracelet in my face.
But I desperately still wanted to be her friend, and I wanted even more to fix her broken heart.
She deserved the sun and moon and all of the stars.
Theo’s presence beside me was a steady warmth in the dimly lit car, his hand drawing slow circles on my back. Outside, the wind whipped, bending the trees toward the ground, mirroring the turmoil inside of me.
Theo sat quietly by, his hand rhythmically rubbing my back. “How about if I stay with you and Eve?”
I pulled myself together, wiping at my tears as I sniffled. “No. No, it’s all right. I think we need a little time alone. I appreciate that, though, darlin’. And I’m so, so sorry.”
“No, I understand. You need this time. And if you need me, I’m only a text away, okay?”
I threw my arms around his neck, giving him a kiss.
Thunder rumbled overhead, and I tossed the door open and raced into Eve’s apartment before the deluge could begin.
I found her still asleep, her mouth hanging open to combat her stuffy nose. I eased myself onto the sofa next to her, stroking her hair as I settled in for the night.
I’d never sleep. My mind still swirled, and the weight of disappointment pressed heavily on me.
How had Spencer, someone I cared about deeply, failed to see the pain he’d caused?
Was I so blinded by my own happiness that I’d missed the signs?
The more I thought about it, the more my heart ached–not just for Eve, but for the friendship I feared was irreparably damaged.
With a heavy sigh, I tugged a pillow from next to me and stuck it behind my head, attempting to relax. The rush of emotions I’d been through earlier finally caught up to me, and my eyes became heavy.
I slid my hand onto Eve’s shoulder, the rhythm of her breathing comforting as my head lolled to the side. As I began to drift off, the chime of my phone startled me awake, cutting through the silence like a knife.
I grabbed at it, expecting to see something warm from Theo. Instead, I found a message from Spencer.
No, it was more than a message, it was a confession, a plea. He admitted his mistakes, his fears, his loneliness.
My heart softened. I glanced at a sleeping Eve. Could there be a sliver of hope for him to mend things?
That depended on how far he was willing to go. Eve deserved nothing but the best, and so far, she’d gotten nothing but the worst from Spencer.
I licked my lips, crafting a return message. Glad to see you admitting that you made a mistake. That’s the first step. But before I help you, we have to talk.
I pressed the phone against my chest. Had I been too hard on him? No, I needed to protect Eve. She’d already been through too much. I wanted her to be happy. I’d played too fast and loose with her happiness before, so I had to guard it now.
He sent another message, the phone buzzing into my chest. Of course. Can I call?
I shook my head as I typed. No calls. It might wake Eve. I need to see your eyes when you speak, Spencer. The truth looks different in person. Meet me at Eve’s.
The chat bubble appeared and disappeared, indicating he was typing, but struggling to send the message. Finally, it appeared. Is that a good idea? I don’t think she’ll want to see me.
I raised my eyebrows. You’re not seeing Eve until you’ve been thoroughly vetted by me. I want to see you in person. I want to see your eyes when you answer my questions. If you want her back, come to Eve’s apartment. We’ll talk outside.
After a second, he texted an affirmative back.
As I watched for him to approach through the rain-soaked windows, I prepared myself to read his every expression, to gauge the true depth of his remorse. This wasn’t about words, it was about seeing the regret and resolve in his eyes, the determination for him to face the mess he’d made and see if through to the end.
Lights cut through the rainy night, and a car eased to a stop outside of Eve’s place. I hurried from the couch, pulling the door open and stepping out, careful to stay under the overhang.
The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but large droplets still dripped from the eave.
I crossed my arms against the damp chill in the air as Spencer approached, his features set in a frown, concern etched into his features.
“Hey,” he ventured as he joined me under the tiny roof. “How is she?”
“Asleep. Thankfully.” I eyed him up and down. “I need some assurances from you before I help you.”
“Okay.” He nodded, jiggling his keys in his hands nervously as he shifted his weight. “That’s fair.”
“Oh, it’s more than fair. Besides, you don’t deserve fair in this, Spencer.”
He shrank at my words before he bobbed his head again. “You’re right.”
“That said…I do want you to be happy. So, I’m willing to help…under certain conditions.” I wagged a finger at him.
He held his hands up in defeat. “Name them.”
I raised my eyebrows. “If you’re serious about this, Spencer, then promise me– promise that you’ll make her your priority. That you’ll always show her that she means the world to you. Can you do that?”
His agreement was immediate with a head bob. “Yeah, yes. I promise. Pinky swear. Whatever. I…I messed up, Lou. I should have already been doing that, and instead, I’ve been hiding behind all of my fear.”
His voice broke as he spoke, his eyes filling with regret as he flicked his gaze into the foggy night.
“Oh, Spencer,” I said, my shoulders slumping as I stepped closer and pulled him into a hug. “I want you to be happy. That’s why I gave you Eve.”
“I know. And I screwed it up. Royally.”
“But you’re going to fix it, right? And if you do, you’re going to have a lifetime of happiness.”
He sucked in a deep breath, and I spotted both fear and resolve burning in his eyes. “Tell me what to do. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“Well, it’s going to have to be something big.”
He licked his lips, and for a second, I thought he may back out–tell me he didn’t want to do something grand. As I started to arch an eyebrow at him, he said, “Would it be…inappropriate for me to propose?”
My frown morphed into a grin as my excitement built. “I love it. It’s perfect.”
“Is it?” he asked. “I feel like…I owe her so much just to get her back into my life, but…I want her to know I’m serious.”
“Aw, darlin’, we’re going to do this right, so she knows everything and you propose. Now, this changes everything. But for the better.” I beamed at him. “First, we’ll need a ring.”
“Yeah, I…don’t have one.”
“Well, we’ll get one,” I said, my voice incredulous. “Don’t worry, I already have a few ideas for one that will just knock her socks off. We’ll shop tomorrow morning. In the meantime, we need more. We need to make her remember everything special about your relationship.”
“I’m pretty sure she wants to forget everything about that right now.”
“Well, we are going to subtly remind her. Not enough to upset her, but just enough to get her reminiscing until you can tell her how much each of those special moments meant to you.”
He chewed his lower lip, his features pinching. “They really were, I just…Lou, what if I mess this up? What if I can’t find the words.”
“You will, darlin’, you will. You just need to open your heart and be honest with her.”
“Right,” he said.
“Now,” I answered, “give me some of those special moments so I can brainstorm how this little trip down memory lane is going to go.”
We spent another hour going over the details, selecting memories and how to represent them before we detailed the big finish.
I’d text Eve the clues, leading her from location to location as she found each object until she ended at Spencer’s. Rose petals would lead her to the beach where Spencer would be waiting to propose.
If anything would do the trick, this would.
With hope in my heart, we parted ways to get a little sleep before we had to start the setup and buy the ring.
I grinned down at Eve, sleeping on the couch, exhausted from emotion. “Tomorrow is going to be the best day of your life, Eve, I promise.”
I kissed her forehead before I snuggled next to her and caught a few hours of sleep. As the sun crept over the horizon the next morning, bright beams streaming through Eve’s front window, I woke, excitement filling me.
As I eased off the couch, Eve stirred next to me. “Lou?”
Her puffy eyes squinted at me.
“Hi, sugar,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“Did you stay all night?”
I nodded at her. “I did. But now I have to rush off because today is a new day, darlin’. I have a special surprise for you to cheer you up. I just have to get it ready.”
“Oh,” she said, her brow pinching, “Louise, that’s okay. I just…I think I’ll just curl up in my pajamas, watch movies, cry, and eat ice cream.”
“No, you will not,” I said. “You’re not going to sit here and lament what could have been. You’re going to celebrate what will be. And I’m not taking no for an answer. Now, I want you to get ready…that pink dress I bought you a few months ago that you never got to wear will be perfect. You put that on around mid-afternoon and wait for my text.”
She licked her lips, looking like she was about to protest when she thought better of it. “A-all right.”
“That’s right, darlin’. You just leave it all to Louise, and I’ll have you right as rain in no time.” I grinned at her, imagining her face as Spencer got down on one knee and offered her the ring.
The ring we still had to buy. I squeezed her hand and offered her a curt goodbye before I raced out the door and hurried to the shopping district.
Spencer waited for me on the sidewalk, pacing around as he chewed his thumbnail. He heaved a sigh of relief as he spotted me.
“Lou, I thought maybe you were ditching me.”
“Not a chance, darlin’. I want Eve to have the best ring ever. Now, I’ve picked out two in this store, one in the one down the street, and I’m saving my personal favorite for last.” I waved a finger at the jeweler across the street.
We spent the morning picking out that all-important ring. As we perused each selection, I kept my eye trained on Spencer for any sign of him wavering, but he didn’t.
He seemed intent on picking something that would make her say yes, that would appeal to her but also show her how much she meant to him.
When he made his section–my favorite choice, too–he made the purchase, offering me a nervous grin. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“Are you having second thoughts?”
“No,” he answered with a vehement shake of his head. “I’m just…really nervous. I think I may have ruined everything with her. I wouldn’t blame her if she said no.”
“Oh, darlin’, she truly cares about you. Just…be honest, tell her how much you care, how big of a mistake you made, but tell her why. Admit that you were scared. She’ll understand.”
He gave me a dubious glance as he stared at the ring. “Right.”
“Now, let’s go finish getting the other details in place.”
We spent the better part of the afternoon setting up her scavenger hunt that would lead her to Spencer.
As the sun descended toward the horizon, painting the sky pinks and purples, Spencer took his spot on the beach. His hands trembled as he waited, champagne chilling, ready for a celebration.
I sent her the first text, sending her on a trek through Newport.
As the first message went out to her, I shot Spencer an excited grin. “It’s almost time. Soon, you’ll both find your happiness.”
I squeezed his arm, a silent sign of support as I hoped against hope that Eve would find it in her heart to forgive him and give him a second chance.