Listen to Your Heart(32)

“That was the night you left on your trip.”

“The night you asked if I’d ever met someone who took my breath away.”

I nod.

“It was . . . intense, Jules. I’ve never felt so connected to another person. Someone who so totally gets me. I mean, you get me, but it’s different.”

“I understand, Caleb. I really, really do.”

She can’t. Not really. But I appreciate that she’s trying.

“I’m sorry, Jules. I tried to stay away from her. I really did. I had no idea she was the wedding planner, and she had no idea I was the groom. We met each other a few nights later at The Boombox—completely by accident—and then we had dinner at her place. We watched Dirty Dancing and made out on her couch and—”

“You watched Dirty Dancing?”

“The girl is obsessed with all things 80s. The movies, the music . . .”

“I can’t believe you watched Dirty—”

“Would you listen?”

She grins.

“It was amazing, Jules. Nothing happened. We just kissed a lot and fell asleep in each other’s arms and woke up together the next day. It was the most incredible morning of my life. That was last Thursday.”

“The day you visited Mom?”

“And the day of the tux fitting.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh . . . shit.”

“Yeah.”

“Skye was there. Lynsey had the flu.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, that explains the call from Lynsey telling me that all questions about the wedding should be directed to her—and only her. She didn’t tell me why.”

“I don’t think she knew at the time. She knows now.”

“Wow,” she says softly. “How awkward was that tux fitting?”

I close my eyes as I recall the look on Skye’s face.

“I broke her heart, Jules.”

“I’m sure it was awful, but you know what that means, right? It means she loves you, too. It wouldn’t hurt otherwise.”

“It doesn’t matter. She won’t wait. She was very clear about that.”

“You keep saying she won’t wait. Wait for what?”

Is she serious? I point to the antique diamond on her finger. It was my grandmother’s ring, and because I’m the only grandchild, it was passed down to me. It won’t live on Juliana’s hand forever. For now, it’s just a prop. An expensive prop, but a prop nonetheless.

“I made you a promise, Jules. I fully intend to keep it.”

Juliana blinks rapidly.

“Caleb, you’re an idiot.”

“Thanks a lot.”

“No, you are an idiot. A complete and utter idiot. If our phony engagement is the only thing keeping the two of you apart, then there’s a very simple solution to this.”

“I made you a promise.”

“A promise that became null and void the moment you fell in love. Do you seriously think I would hold you to this? You’re my best friend. I want you to be happy. The only reason I agreed to this charade in the first place was because we were both single and had zero prospects of that changing in the future. It changed, Caleb. It changed and it’s wonderful.”

“Nothing’s changed.”

Juliana smiles and kisses me on the cheek before climbing out of bed. “Call her. Right now. Tell her there’s no need to wait.”

“What do you mean?”

“The wedding’s off.”

I bolt upright in bed. “What? No!”

Juliana nods. “Yes. Call her.”

“Jules, wait!”

She ignores me and walks out of the room, letting the door softly close behind her.



My life is purgatory.

There’s really no other word to describe it. I’m caught between heaven and hell, where every decision I make hurts someone I love. The only difference now is that my decisions are all being made for me. Every woman in my life is ignoring me and doing whatever the hell she wants.

“Pizza’s good,” Juliana says.

I toss my half-eaten slice of pepperoni aside and stare at the TV. We’re on the couch, watching a National Geographic documentary on the Australian outback. I have no idea why. I think she said she knew one of the photographers or something. I’m only half listening to anything she says because every fifteen minutes she asks me the same question.

“Called her yet?”

“Nope.”

Jules sighs and takes the pizza box to the kitchen. It’s literally ten steps. Our apartment’s ridiculously small. I didn’t realize how small until today.

“I don’t know what you’re waiting for, Caleb. I told you the wedding’s off.”

“And I told you it’s not. I can’t believe we’re still arguing about this.”

Jules walks back over the couch and sits down beside me.

“Caleb, I know you love me. And you love my family.”

“I do.”

“But you know I’ve never been comfortable with any of this. We’re lying, Caleb. Sure, our intentions are good, but that doesn’t make it right. My mother is dying, and I’m trying my best to deal with that. I was afraid to attend that conference. I wanted to go, but I was petrified something would happen to her while I was gone. She insisted, although she was concerned about all the wedding planning I’d be missing while I was away.”