“Hey, you. Is everything okay?”

She patted lightly on the seat next to her. As I walked over toward her, I couldn’t help but notice how sad she looked.

I’d known Meg since high school. She was a year older than me and a year younger than my brother. They had been dating since Tyler’s senior year and her junior year of high school.

I sat down and followed her gaze. I wasn’t sure how long we sat there before she began talking.

“Have you ever carried a secret so dark that you felt like you were drowning in it?”

I snapped my head over at her. Does she know? I quickly looked away and nodded my head as I said, “Yes.”

Now, it was her turn to look at me. “Sometimes, I just want to run away.”

I looked at her and gave her a weak smile. “Are you having second thoughts?”

She looked down and said, “I don’t deserve your brother.”

“What? Meg, of course you do. He’s damn lucky to have you. How you put up with his ass, I’ll never know.”

She laughed slightly and said, “I’ve tried talking him into moving to Texas. I just want to leave New York. I hate it here.” She looked back out the window. “The memories here are too…painful.”

I grabbed her hand and held on to it as I took a deep breath. “Meg, is there something you want to talk about?”

She turned, and when I saw the tears in her eyes, I caught my breath.

“Something happened. It was a few years back, but I never told Tyler, and the guilt is killing me.”

My heart started pounding. “Did you cheat on him?”

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. “No! God, I would never do that to Tyler.” She quickly wiped the tears away. “I’ve never told anyone, and I just can’t do this anymore. I’m so scared, Courtney.”

“You can trust me, Meg. I promise you.”

She was just about to start talking when the door opened, and my mother, Sissy, and Meg’s mom all walked in.

“Oh hell, Megan, your eyes are going to be all puffy now.” Meg’s mother stood there with her hands on her hips, looking at her daughter, clearly not caring that her daughter was upset.

Meg pulled her hand from mine and stood up. She wiped away any evidence of sadness and replaced it with a smile. I recognized that smile. I’d seen it a million times on my own face.

“Sorry, Mama.”

She started to walk away, but I grabbed her hand. She gave me a look, and I dropped her hand.

Sissy walked up to me and whispered, “Those did not look like happy tears. Is everything okay, Court?”

I gave her a reassuring smile and said, “Nerves, that’s all.”

I had tried to talk to Meg again, but we were never alone. Now, it was nothing but running back and forth between rooms, getting hair and makeup done. Sissy was zipping up my dress when little Lizzie Sue, the flower girl, walked up to me.

I bent down, and she said, “Um…Weed is waiting for you in the libwary.”

I smiled and said, “Thank you for letting me know, angel.”

I stood up, and Sissy turned her back to me, so I could get her zipper.

“Lucky bitch. I wish I had weed waiting for me. I don’t smoke the shit, but if Mom doesn’t cut out the crazy-ass behavior, I’m going to be picking it up.”

I hit her shoulder and laughed. “Reed is waiting, Sis, not weed.”

She turned and winked at me. “I knew what she meant. You better hurry if you want to sneak in a quick fuck.”

My mouth dropped open as I stared at her. “Oh. My. God. Really?”

She shrugged her shoulders and said, “Listen, I’m just saying if my hotter-than-hell husband was waiting for me downstairs, you better believe I’d be ditching my panties on the way down.” She turned and walked over to our mother but not before turning and winking at me. She held up her hand and mouthed, Five minutes.

I hugged myself as I headed to the hall bathroom and followed my little sister’s advice. I walked into the library, closed the door behind me, and locked it. It was dark in there since my father had the curtains drawn.

“Reed? Baby, I got your message, and I have a little surprise for you.”

I saw someone move in the corner. I smiled as I made my way over. I stopped when I saw Noah step out into the small amount of light coming in through the curtains.

No.

“It’s been a long time, Courtney. I’ve missed you.”

I just stood there, frozen. I willed my feet to move, but I couldn’t. “Wha-what are you doing here?”

“Funny how I had a change of plans right at the last minute, isn’t it?”

I shook my head as I took a step back.

“You see, I knew you wouldn’t come to the wedding if you knew I was going to be here, so I hatched up the whole being-out-of-town-for-the-wedding excuse. I knew Meg would never change the date even though Tyler had asked her to so that his very best friend wouldn’t have to miss the wedding. That fucking bitch hates me. She tries everything she can to keep Tyler and me apart.”

My head began spinning. “Does Tyler know you’re here?” I whispered.

He threw his head back and laughed as he took another step toward me. “Of course he does. Who do you think threw his party last night? He stayed at my house last night, too. Naturally, I asked him not to tell you about me being here. With our history and all, I told him you would be upset, and I just wanted to get through this as easily as possible. You know…with how you devastated me and all by breaking up with me.”

I went to turn and walk away, but he grabbed me and spun me around. He held on to my shoulders and began backing me up until I hit the wall.

“You’re crazy. We were never together! Let me go, or I’ll scream.”

“Now, Court, if you scream, you’ll regret it. Did Tyler happen to mention that I’ve taken Sissy out? We went out twice, and she sure is a sweet little thing even though she’s a few years younger than me. I’m now engaged though. Sweet girl, Lilly is, but she sure isn’t you.”

I looked at him, confused. “Stay away from my sister.”

Noah laughed. “Please. Your sister is a bitch. I have no interest in her at all.”

I let out a sob and placed my hand on my stomach.

He looked down, and when he looked back into my eyes, his eyes were filled with anger. “You let him get you pregnant, you bitch. You. Are. Mine. You’ve always been mine, Courtney. I was your first.”