Chapter 29 Eva
We both sit in complete and utter silence.
Aston insisted we take his Porsche and get the hell out of the Grand Honey Lodge. He never said it, but I assume he was worried Maddy’s father would try to manipulate her decision and pressure her to walk down the aisle.
I don’t blame him because the thought had crossed my mind.
The car is parked beside the abandoned house overlooking Peppermint Lake.
The usually crystal clear water is looking slightly murky from the turnover in seasons.
As I look a little closer, I see the organic matter from the bottom of the lake floating on top, but it’s all a part of nature and what I love the most about living here in Cinnamon Springs.
There is so much beauty to be found in each season.
Only today, a darkness cast its shadow over this normally happy town.
Earlier this morning, the sun graced us with its presence, only to be overshadowed by fast-drifting clouds warning us of an impending storm.
When we checked the weather forecast a few days ago, there was supposed to be a chance of light showers in the early evening.
But as they say, when it rains, it pours.
Even Houdini is nowhere to be found. I don’t blame him, to be honest. Sometimes, I wish I could disappear, too.
Maddy has been quiet since the moment we left the Grand Honey Lodge. We avoided running into anyone on our way to the car and drove to somewhere no one can find us, which makes sense, at least for now.
While this is usually my happy place, it’s also my place for peace and reflection. It’s my place to sit and think when I’m feeling overwhelmed or lost, and at times, it’s been the place to breathe in the fresh air with the need to just survive.
I hope, by bringing Maddy here, it will be her place to realize just how strong she is for being able to walk away.
Buried in my purse is my phone, but I refuse to check it, assuming there are a million missed calls, all of them asking where the bride is. There’s a high chance Myles will know the truth by now, and while I respect my best friend’s decision, a part of me feels sorry for him.
It won’t be easy telling his family and friends that the wedding is not going to proceed.
That the bride changed her mind.
“We don’t have to talk, or we can talk,” I voice hesitantly, then continue with, “I’m here for you, Maddy. I’m always here for you, first and foremost.”
Her vacant stare is worrying. Beneath her eyes, her face has turned puffy from all the tears she’s cried today.
I ache from seeing her in such emotional pain, but I am unsure how to help her get through this.
All I can do is be a friend who listens, holds her when she cries, and then reminds her this, too, shall pass.
Just like Marco said, one day at a time.
After a longer period of silence, an exaggerated sigh escapes her parched lips. “I’ve humiliated Myles.”
“This is one moment in time, Maddy. Your emotions were running high, and you were upset.”
“I’m still upset.” She lowers her gaze, fumbling with her hands. “I always defended my father, even though I knew he treated Aston differently than me. I just never knew there was a reason behind it. I honestly thought it was a normal father and son relationship.”
“He showed his true colors…” I trail off. It’s not the right time to voice my opinion on Harvey Beaumont. At the end of the day, he is still her father.
But to me—he is scum.
I also worry about Aston, knowing he must be in so much pain at learning the man he knew as his father is not.
As much as I want to reach out to him right now, Maddy needs me.
I know deep down inside, Aston will put his sister first. He always has, and that’s one of the reasons why I fell in love with him.
Why I still love him.
“Do you hate me?” I ask, barely above a whisper.
Maddy shakes her head slowly. “I could never hate you, but I do need time to process everything. You lied to me, Eva. All that time you lied to me. It hurts to be lied to by the one person you always trusted to tell you the truth.”
“I didn’t want to, but I was scared of losing you and adding stress onto your already full plate. It was stupid, I know. I was just so in my head.” I sigh, dropping my gaze to the dead grassy patch on the ground. “There have been a lot of revelations today. You take all the time you need.”
Suddenly, her breathing becomes irregular, like a wave of panic has hit her.
“I need to get out of Cinnamon Springs, but I need to get out of this dress first. If you take me back to your place, people will look for me there. How about Billie’s?
Can you call her? She’ll understand and no one will find me at her place, and I’ll be able to get out of this dress and take a train somewhere. ”
With a heavy chest, I tell her the truth. “Um… there’s something I need to tell you. Billie’s mom passed last night.”
Maddy’s eyes widen in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“She asked me not to. Plus, I knew you had a lot on your mind. I got the call when I was about to leave dinner last night. I drove over and spent the night with her.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Maddy expels a long breath. “She was so young.”
“She was—”
“I want to see Billie. I need to make sure she’s okay,” Maddy rushes.
“Why don’t we go back to my place? You can get changed, and then I can drive you over.”
Maddy nods quietly.
Before we leave, Maddy pauses mid-step. “This place… I understand now why you want it so much.”
My shoulders relax as I take in the lake one more time before leaving. “It was my first love—maybe that’s why it’s always had a special place in my heart.”
As Maddy settles into the car, I start the engine, and the loud roar takes a moment to settle down.
It’s not hard to remember this is Aston’s car, his pride and joy, so I take extra care in driving back into town and ignore the pain inside my chest from the smell of his scent lingering in the car.
A scent that reminds me of how broken my heart is right now.
Back at my apartment, I help Maddy remove her dress as we both stay silent.
It’s bittersweet, and I can see her hesitation as I hang it on the coat hanger. The two of us just gaze at the dress, numbed by the reality staring back at us.
“They’ll call me the runaway bride,” she murmurs.
“So, let them.” I reach into my closet to pull out a pair of jeans and a sweater. Luckily, Maddy is my size. “Everyone in this town will talk, then they’ll get over it and find something new. It’s the cycle of Cinnamon Springs.”
“I wish I’d stopped this wedding sooner.”
“But you didn’t. So stop beating yourself up over something you can’t change. It’s done, Maddy. You need to focus on healing, not wishing you’d done things differently.”
“You’re right.”
With much reluctance, Maddy pulls her phone out of my purse to call Aston. She doesn’t even look at the screen, which must be swimming in missed calls.
“Aston,” she says softly. “It’s me.”
She drops her gaze to her feet, listening to him speak. I step out of my bedroom to give them privacy but struggle to ignore the constant wave of nausea in the pit of my stomach. I haven’t slept or eaten, and all the adrenaline is slowly wearing off.
As I stand inside my living room, staring blankly out my window at the bare trees slowly coming to life, my head begins to spin.
Maddy exits my room, wiping her nose. Her splotchy skin has returned from the obvious tears she’s just cried over the phone. “I’m going to drive to Billie’s, then meet Aston later.”
My chin lowers to my chest, avoiding eye contact with her. I’ve done everything I can, but in the end, they need each other right now.
And who’s going to take care of you? The voice whispers inside my head.
Maddy takes the keys to the Porsche and then walks toward the door. She opens it to step outside but stops momentarily. “Eva?”
“Yes?” I barely manage to answer.
“Are you and my brother still together?”
Holding back the tears I’ve fought hard this entire time to keep at bay, I shake my head. As the door closes behind Maddy, a sob escapes my throat.
I’d held it together for Billie as she grieved her mother, and we watched her be taken away.
I held on to Maddy as she broke down in my arms and needed her best friend to comfort her.
And I also told the man I love, a man who has consumed all of me, to let me go.
We have nothing.
We are nothing.
As I stand here inside my apartment, my weakened knees finally giving up as I fall to the floor with the world spinning around me, I realize I’m not all alone.
It’s just me and my broken heart.
The worst company any girl could have.