Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

All night I was restless, watching the time go by, waiting for the sun to break out. I knew Russell liked to be at the shop early. I got out of the bed carefully; I didn’t need to wake Abigail. I didn’t need her to think something was wrong when I wasn’t sure myself. I didn’t want her asking questions about a past I never discussed. I didn’t need to worry about the past either, but yesterday I let Freya get to my head.

Fuck, just knowing she was back in town made those forgotten memories real again. I was at Emma’s working because it was quiet and peaceful, but mostly because I wanted to see her to know she was real. To knowI hadn’t made her up. I needed the sting of pain I felt when I saw her to remind me of what she didto me. So, I sat there, dreading having to see her because, every time I did, it was a reminder of one of the lowest points of my life. The words of her letter kept playing on repeat like a jammed CD .

When Freya finally walked in, looking as beautiful as ever and ranting about exes, a part of me was glad she was just as affected as I was. I thoughtI would apologize, talk to her alone, and try to get answers. Then I could finally close the Freya chapter of my life just in time for my wedding. It was crazy, I knew it was, but then she turned and told me I was cool, that I wasn’t a pain in her ass, diminishing what we had once again. All the anger I thought I worked through came back tenfold, so I wrote those words on the board and got the fuck out of there.

“Babe, where are you going? I thought we were having breakfast with Prescott and Rachel,” a sleepy Abigail asked through hooded eyes. Usually, looking at her soothed me, but right now the effect was anything but calming. Instead of answering her, I kissed the top of her head.

“Go back to sleep, Abbi,” I whispered, and I felt like a dick when she smiled at me trustingly and did as I asked. A part of me wanted to feel guilty for looking for answers, but it wasn’t like I was doing anything wrong.

Was I?

When I pulled into Hayward’s Auto Shop, I was glad it was just Russell who was there and not his father. My pride was already taking a hit. I didn’t need anyone else to know how much Freya’s return was affecting me. Russell was on the computer when I walked in. As if he knew it was me, he spoke without looking up. “I don’t want to be in the middle of it.”

“No offense, but you’ve always been in the middle. That black eye I had for a week sure felt like the middle of it. When we got together, you told me if I broke her heart, you’d snap my neck; thatdefinitely was in the middle.” It wasn’t a smart thing to say because Rusty looked up and gave me a hard look.

“What do you want me to do, Max? Pick sides? Because you know I wouldn’t do that.”

“She’s a fucking whore! She didn’t even show up to your wedding, and yet you want to act as if nothing happened? Are you shitting me right now?” I hated to admit that I had looked for her. My stomach sank with each person who walked in that wasn’t her. I hated her.Everything that went wrong with my life was because of Freya fucking Pratt.

Russell glared at me, but his anger was no match for the rage I had bottled up for the last seven years. “You want to know why she didn’t show at my wedding? I didn’t invite her, and now she’s pissed at me for that. I had a choice to make, you or her, and I chose you.”

Russell’s answer took me back; I dropped into thechair by the waiting area, put my elbows on my knees, and stared at the floor. I could understand why Russell did what he did, and it made me feel a little ashamed. I was a fucking mess back then.

“Has… has she asked about me?” It was physically painful to get the words out. I hated how much I needed to know if she had… How much it matteredto me. I looked up at Russell who was watching me with pity. I got up. That was answer enough. I wasted time and energy on a bitch who tossed me aside when she found something better .

“We’ve been solving our issues. You haven’t exactly been our priority.”

“Honestly, I don’t know why I fucking asked.” A bitter laugh left my lips. “That girl fucking played me. She played me good. I can’t wait for her to leave; it’s what she’s fucking good at.” I let the door close without looking back at him. What Freya did shouldn’t matter; it was seven years ago. I had time to process and take my revenge with every woman I took to bed after her, except it made me feel empty and hollow.

By the time I made it back to my apartment, I had gotten myself under control. Abigail came out wearing a bright melon-colored dress, and I reminded myself why she was it for me. Why out of all the women who came after Freya, Abigail was the one who I would marry. I didn’t let myself think of anything else. I couldn’t, or I feared what would come out.

“You look beautiful.” I handed her the bouquet of roses and watched a smile light up her face.

“You look handsome, but you always do. God, Max, just a few more weeks for our big day. I can’t wait.” Abigail reached over and held my hand with a smile on her face the whole ride over to my brother’s. This was why Abigail and I worked so well. She was calm, collected, and sophisticated—everything I didn’t know I was looking for until one night our paths crossed.

I was on a path to self-destruction the way I went through booze and women. Even my mother knew I was beyond sowing my wild oats .

Everyone in my family knew what was wrong with me, or who it was, but her name was never uttered around me, except in hushed voices when my mother would blame that trashy girl, and I was at a point in my life where I agreed with her.

I was driving back from Superior when I noticed Abigail’s car had broken down just at the town’s entrance. It was a miracle I wasn’t drunk and didn’t have a woman with me already. Abigail wasn’t someone I had thought of since school ended. She’d left town to pursue a degree in communications, and I hadn’t seen her since graduation, but there she was in the middle of the night, car broken down outside of town, and she was the distraction I needed. Or so I thought, because Abigail Newton wasn’t a girl to be anyone’s distraction. Maybe at first it was the chase, and then it was just her and the calm she brought, but it was enough for me.I could see myself spending the rest of my life with her.

“Max, Abigail, I’m glad you’re here.” The smile on Rachael’s face would be believable if it weren’t a little too bright and her eyes weren’t puffy. Abigail turned to give me a look. We both knew she was probably crying all night. I knew I would hear it again today when we left, but my brother and Rachael’s marriage was their business, and I would not meddle. Prescott was who he had always been. Rachael knew what she was marrying when she said I do.

We were already having breakfast when my brother joined us.

“Sorry I’m late. Town business, you know how it goes. I want the elections to be over already. Abigail, you look lovely as always. Brother, you look well.” He gave Rachael a quick peck and sat down. Is that how my life would be? Just a commodity with Abigail? I knew I would never be unfaithful to her, but was love even forever? And why was I thinking like this suddenly?

“I heard Freya Pratt was back in town. Is it true?”

I stopped chewing mid-bite, trying hard not to think of her and all the doubts that girl brought, but my brother had to open his mouth and let the floodgates open.

Why did I ever fall in love with her?

“Who’s Freya?” Rachael asked, probably wondering if it was another woman my brother would cheat on her with. Why word on my brother’s lascivious tendencies hadn’t gotten out yet was a surprise. Or maybe not. People in this town loved the Dunnetts and Newtons. Even when we were wrong, we were right. Money had a way of blinding people.

“No one of importance,” Abigail answered curtly.

Prescott smirked.“You tell yourself that, Abbi, but do you ever ask yourself where you would be right now if Freya hadn’t left town?”

I glared at my brother. The last thing I needed was Abigail asking questions. “That’s enough, Prescott.” My fork made a loud clank when it hit the plate, making the women jump back.

“Sorry, I didn’t know it was a forbidden subject. It’s not like she broke your heart or anything.” The smug smile my brother gave me was more than enough proof he had accomplished what he wanted. Freya may have broken me, but I had put myself back together.