The Perfect Match (Blue Heron #2)(14)

The family meeting would be more of the same.

Her in-box chimed.





To:       [email protected]

From:       [email protected]

Subject:       Hey

Hi, Honor.       Don’t know if you got my call the other day.





Oh, she had. She’d just opted not      to return it.





You might       be avoiding me.





Why, the man was a genius!





So here’s       the thing. I’m so, so sorry, Honor. I really never meant for you to feel bad       in any way, honest to God. When we talked a couple of months ago about       getting married, I was sure you were cool with that. And then this thing       with Dana... We both weren’t sure how to tell you about it, exactly, but we       figured once you heard, you’d be happy about it.





She heard an unpleasant sound. Ah. Her teeth, grinding. Brogan.      Was. Sostupid.





And       obviously, that was really stupid.





Her jaw unlocked. Whatever else, Brogan always did have a way      of reading her mind.





I feel       like utter crap that I misread the situation so completely. Your friendship       is incredibly important to me. You’re the only one I’ve kept in touch with       since elementary school, you know? I’d kill to know that you and I can still       be friends. If not, I understand. I’d be really sad, but I’d       understand.

Hope       you’re okay. Miss you.

Brogan





“Yeah, you should miss me,” she said, but her voice was      shaking. Because let’s not fool ourselves here. She was going to forgive him.      Even now, her heart felt floppy and huge in her chest.

Ah, dang it. That was the thing      with Brogan. He never meant any harm. He wasn’t the type. With a sigh that made      Spike yawn in sympathy, she started typing. May as well get it over.





To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Hey

Hey, you! Of course we’re still friends. Don’t be silly. I’m really      embarrassed at how I acted, that’s all. But I’m fine. It was surprising, that’s      all, and I guess





—here her typing slowed—



I had more invested in the idea of us than I realized.



A horrible thought occurred to her. That since the catfight,      Dana had told Brogan about how wretched she’d been after the failed proposal.      That he knew how much she loved him. But no. Dana wouldn’t do that. It would      make Dana look bad if she admitted she knew how Honor felt.

But I do       realize that “us” was just an idea and not anything more than two old       friends hooking up once in a while.





Oh, hell, that wasn’t true. It felt horrible to be throwing her      heart under the bus this way.





Anyway,       I’m mostly just embarrassed. Not sure if you know this about me, but I       generally don’t fight in bars. :)





Reduced to emoticons. She sighed, feeling her throat      tighten.





You’re       special to me, too, Brogan, and I’m glad you’re happy.





The eggs rolled their cataract-riddled eyes.



Please       don’t give my girls-gone-wild moment another thought. In fact, I’d really       appreciate it if we never talked about it again. :) I’ve got a crammed       schedule for the next two weeks



—lying—



but maybe       we can get together after that, okay? Take care.

Honor





It was better than the truth. I love you.       I’ve spent two months trying to talk myself out of loving you. How could you       not know? Even if you really didn’t see how I felt, Brogan, because you’re       an obtuse male, Dana did, so now my best friend has stabbed me in the heart,       and you’re marrying her.