Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
With expert precision and artistic flair, Blair had posted a reel of incredible shots documenting their trip.
Adoration filled her as she played it. Blair had caught Emily and Sienna laughing together by the water, their bare feet on the white sand, a slew of stunning dinners Patrick had cooked for them, the tub of bubbles on their spa day, the candles lit by the swimming pool, their time on the deck drinking cocktails…
But Emily’s favorite was the shot they’d taken at the beginning of their journey—the one of the three of them sitting together on the beach. Blair in the center with her sun hat, Emily on her left, and Sienna on her right. In front of them was the wide, beautiful Gulf in all its glory.
The photos, of course, were the highlight reel of their stay, but they did their job and whisked her away to the best moments of their vacation.
Emily, Sienna, and Blair had brought more baggage than their suitcases, and they’d left with bonds that could never be broken.
With her friends by her side, she’d get through her hard times just as she’d gotten her friends through theirs.
This, too, shall pass, and her highlight reel would begin again.
Emily closed the app and climbed out of bed, the photos giving her the energy she needed to start her busy day.
When she opened the bedroom door, the silence was jarring after spending so many days with other people.
She already missed her friends and wished she was still with them.
She pulled her clothes out of the dryer, folded them, and returned them to her room, before making the bed and folding the nightshirt she’d worn, setting it on the edge.
Then she slipped on a pair of jean shorts and a T-shirt and got ready for the day.
She dropped a bagel onto a plate, along with a dollop of cream cheese, and took them to her desk with a cup of coffee.
On her laptop, she pulled up the number for the florist and made her first call.
The caterer was next, followed by the officiant.
She answered their questions and thanked them for their sympathy, although she felt oddly at peace.
Will wasn’t the one for her. Then, she called the photographer, the limo driver, and the cake baker.
She canceled the rentals of tables, chairs, and linens.
What made it finally feel real was when she called the church to let them know.
“We’re really sorry to hear that,” the woman on the phone said. “I’ll cancel your meeting with the preacher, and if you’ll hold just a second, I’ll patch you through to him.”
“Okay, thank you,” Emily said.
When the preacher came on the line, she explained briefly what had happened.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. “Even when a relationship ends for the right reasons, it hurts. I want you to know that God’s grace is with you, and you don’t walk through this alone.”
“Thank you,” she said, feeling more hopeful than she had in a long time.
Emily peered down at the names of the wedding guests she’d written in her planner; the thought of calling them all felt draining.
No one would have expected her and Will to fall apart, and she’d certainly have a lot of questions to answer.
This group would definitely be harder on her emotionally.
She needed a break before she started that task.
Apartment hunting as a distraction had just crossed her mind when Blair called.
“Checking on you,” she said happily down the line. “How are you this morning?”
“I’m good. I’ve been canceling my wedding. I’ve just got to call my friends and family who were coming, but I might do it later. I think I want to apartment shop to lift my spirits.”
“Ooh, I could help, if you want. We could take my laptop to The Brewing Bloom and grab a coffee. I miss you already.”
“I feel the same way! Coffee sounds perfect.”
Blair squealed. “Want me to call Sienna and see if she’d like to join? She’ll have all the details on real estate.”
“I’ll text her.”
“Okay. What time should we shoot for?”
“How about ten?”
“Perfect. See you soon.”
Emily ended the call and texted Sienna, who immediately said that she’d be there.
Next thing she knew, they were all around a table at their favorite coffee shop.
“This is where the seeds of The Broken Hearts Beach Club were first planted,” Emily said, settling into her chair with a cinnamon latte.
“This place sure has seen our worst moments,” Blair said.
Sienna raised her soda. “Cheers to that.”
They lifted their drinks with a giggle.
Then Sienna addressed Emily. “Are you ready to get your future started so we can officially end our little broken hearts club once and for all?”
“I am,” Emily replied, ignoring the big what-if she’d left back at the beach.
Blair opened her laptop and logged in. As they sipped their drinks, they perused the various apartment complexes within a thirty-mile radius. Sienna checked real estate listings and offered suggestions and amenities.
“Here’s a list in Columbia. That’s a little farther than you wanted to go, but not too bad.”
Emily shook her head.
“What about this one?” Sienna pointed to a new building about a half hour from downtown. “Quartz countertops, oversized closets, and more…”
“Not that one,” Blair said. “It’s too far from my house.”
“Yep, she’s right,” Emily said. Funny that not too long ago, she was considering living in a tent in Florida. Normalcy was taking hold.
Over the next week, Emily saw the five apartments the three friends had written down as contenders.
Blair and Sienna went with her to check out each one.
With Sienna’s keen eye for real estate and Blair’s knack for design potential, Emily finally found an apartment that seemed perfect—bright, open, and just a few blocks from her school.
Every step toward her future strengthened her.
She submitted her application for the apartment, nervous but encouraged.
Then, she spent the next couple of days calling all her friends and family to let them know about her and Will.
Explaining things wasn’t nearly as difficult as she’d thought.
Enough time had passed that she had a level head about it all, and her emotions had subsided.
She was comfortable with herself, and excited about the choices she had ahead of her.
Two days later, she’d been approved for the apartment. Before she signed the lease, she planned to go through it with Sienna one final time.
In all the busyness, she’d been able to push Patrick out of her mind.
But when she went to her desk to throw the RSVP cards away and organize the papers she’d laid out while making various calls, the navy measurement card came into view, and a hollow ache of what could have been formed in her chest.
He hadn’t texted or called. But neither had she.
Perhaps, like her, he’d gotten busy. Or maybe, just as she’d suspected, the spell had broken, and he’d gone back to his life.
But she missed him. She’d missed him the whole time, but simply wouldn’t allow her mind to consider it.
Would she find herself, two years down the road, wondering about him?
When they were together, she’d been able to tell him anything.
Could she still? Even with a couple weeks between them, she wondered now.
She wanted to hear his voice… Maybe she’d start with a text to break the ice.
She pulled out her phone, but as she got going, she typed that she missed him. Should she disclose that? He hadn’t texted her—what if he didn’t miss her? But if she was being honest, she wanted him to know. She hit send.
The three bubbles immediately appeared on her phone, sending heat through her neck and up to her cheeks.
I’ve been dying over here waiting for this text.
She laughed, his words filling her with happiness. Her phone rang, and she answered.
“You trying to kill me or something? It’s been eleven days,” he teased.
“What have you been up to?” She had to fight the smile off her face to speak.
“Just working and doing some renovations around the house. Winston’s been helping me with some painting.”
“Oh, how nice of him! What are you painting?”
“Just some stuff outside. I miss you,” he said out of nowhere.
Her heart skipped a beat.
“When are you coming back?”
A tingle spread through her. Talking to him, all she wanted to do was to go back.
As exciting as her new apartment was, and as encouraging as her friends had been, she wanted to spend time with Patrick to see where things would lead.
What would it be like to date him? She’d be able to enjoy him so much more now she’d gotten through the issues with Will. No more storms.
“As soon as I can.”
School started in six weeks. Could she get back before then?
She still had to get the rest of the boxes out of the house she’d bought with Will, make sure he sold it, and possibly have a yard sale for everything that wouldn’t fit into her apartment.
Then, she’d have to move in, which would take some time.
But she could squeeze in a week somewhere, right?
“I thought about driving to you,” Patrick said, “but I’m inundated with preparations for the launch of the restaurant, and Winston and I enrolled Stormy in training classes. I promised to take him.”
“It’s easier for me to come to you.”
“Come anytime you can. Sooner rather than later. Surprise me for all I care.”
She laughed. “I’ll check my calendar.”
“Okay. Hey, a huge delivery just showed up at the restaurant. I’ve gotta go. I can call you later?”
“Of course.”
A strange, sobering weight filled her chest when she hung up the phone.
She paced around for a little while, her mind full.
Unsure what to do next, she went into her bedroom.
She’d been so busy that her suitcase was still against the wall, like a symbol of the place where she’d become the person she was now.
The only change from when she’d been at the beach house to this moment was that now, when she asked herself what she wanted, she knew.