5. River

5

RIVER

I trailed behind Adam, my eyes fixed on his rigid shoulders. The usual carefree warmth in his demeanor had vanished, replaced by an unsettling detachment that sent a chill down my spine.

“Adam, wait up,” I called softly, quickening my pace to catch up. “Are you okay?”

Adam paused at his room door, key card hovering over the lock. He turned around, his eyes uncharacteristically distant. “I’m fine,” he replied, his voice flat. “Just need a minute.”

I hesitated as he swung the door open, torn between giving him space and my instinct to comfort him. Before I could decide, Adam gestured for me to enter.

“Please don’t leave me alone to face the firing squad. Even if their intent is to fire on my behalf and not at me.”

How could Adam be so calm after what just happened? This wasn’t like him at all. I watched as he methodically removed his suit jacket and loosened his tie, movements precise and controlled.

“Adam, you don’t have to pretend with me,” I said gently, leaning against the wall. “It’s okay to be upset.”

His gaze met mine, a flicker of emotion finally breaking through. “I don’t know what I am right now, Riv. It’s like I’m on the outside, watching everything happen to someone else.”

My heart ached at the vulnerability in Adam’s voice. So many times in my life, I’d wished I could just kiss him and take care of him. Make all the hurt go away. But if that little wish had come true, there’s no way he’d be hurting this way. Not on his wedding day. Not ever.

I stepped forward, hand outstretched, when a knock at the door interrupted the moment.

“Adam? Honey, it’s Mom and Dad. Can we come in?”

As Adam had predicted, his parents entered, followed closely by Lex, Emery, Noah, and Lior. The room suddenly felt crowded, filled with concerned faces and hushed voices.

“Oh, honey,” Adam’s mother said, rushing to embrace her son. “We’re so sorry this happened. Are you all right?”

He returned the hug mechanically, his eyes meeting mine over his mother’s shoulder. “I’m okay, Mom. Really.”

Lex stepped forward, placing a hand on Adam’s arm. “We’re all here for you, bro. Whatever you need.”

“Thanks,” he replied, his voice soft. “I appreciate it, all of you.”

As the family crowded around Adam, offering words of comfort and support, I found myself retreating to the corner of the room, watching the scene unfold, feeling both a part of and separate from the family unit.

Whenever his gaze drifted to me, I offered small, reassuring smiles, even as my own emotions churned beneath the surface.

I should have been happier that the wedding was off, but my immediate guilt for the selfish thought made me feel like the worst friend in the world. Today already felt a week long, this morning only a distant memory. One that wouldn’t be erased from my brain anytime soon.

Noah’s voice cut through the conversation, sharp and angry. “We should make her pay for this. I know a guy who?—”

“Noah!” Adam’s father interjected, his tone firm. “That’s not the answer. We’ll handle this the right way.”

“I’m not one to enable Noah’s weird ideas, but Victoria was really mean to Emery when we reconnected, so…” Lex said, putting his arm around Emery’s waist.

Emery shook his head. “It was a while ago, and it doesn’t matter.”

“Baby, she’s hurt two of the people I love the most in the world. She can’t get away with it.”

“Hear me out,” Noah said.

“Here we go,” Lior interjected. “I apologize in advance, and if you want me to tie him up somewhere for a while so he can’t get into trouble, I’m sure it could be arranged.”

“Ooh, kinky, but, babe, not in front of my family. They already know far too much about our sex life.”

Lior closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Seeing them together made so much sense. The older, more controlled man was perfect to balance out Noah’s wild side.

“As I was saying,” Noah continued, “I know a guy who, for a small fee, will do a bunch of stuff. Nothing illegal. You still have your apartment key, right, Adam?”

Adam nodded.

“So the guy goes in and replaces all the shampoo in the bottles for soap with glitter. He hides all the left shoes, apart from any smelly, dirty sneakers. He replaces the cutlery with spoons and can check your TV and delete all the shows you have saved. If you want to be reeeally petty, you can sign Victoria up for all kinds of magazine and email subscriptions and list her phone number on Craig’s List as an advice columnist for weird body problems.”

“Hmm, I’ve got to admit those are not bad ideas,” Emery said.

I watched as Adam remained quiet, almost detached, a storm brewing behind his blue eyes.

“Just say the word, little brother, and I’ll get on it,” Noah said.

Lior pulled Noah close. “I worry about you sometimes.”

“It’s okay, baby. I know you’d never do anything to trigger my enthusiasm for the road less traveled.”

“Noah, I went away on a work trip and came home to a dog.”

Noah grinned. “Yeah, but that was cute Noah.”

“There’s nothing to handle,” Adam said suddenly, his voice surprisingly steady. “The wedding’s off. Victoria made her choice, although it would have been much less embarrassing if she’d done it before this morning. No point in agonizing over it. I need a break from this so I’m going to go on my honeymoon, since I paid for it and all. When I’m back, I’ll deal with the rest.”

A hush fell over the room. My breath caught, surprised by Adam’s declaration.

His mother stepped forward, brow furrowed with worry. “Sweetheart, are you sure that’s a good idea? After everything that’s happened…”

Adam’s gaze met mine, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of the determination I knew so well. “I’m sure, Mom. I won’t let Victoria take this from me too.”

I found myself nodding, a surge of pride and affection washing over me. This was the Adam I knew—resilient, stubborn, refusing to be beaten down.

“But you shouldn’t go alone,” Lex chimed in, concern etched on his face.

Adam’s lips quirked in a small smile, the first I’d seen since the wedding disaster. “Who says I have to?”

His eyes locked with mine again, and I felt a jolt of electricity run through me. What was he thinking? And why did that look make my belly tighten?

Adam’s smile widened, a mischievous glint appearing in his eyes. “You know what? River, Lex, Emery, Noah, Lior, you should all come with me.”

I blinked, caught off guard by his sudden shift in mood. The others seemed equally surprised, exchanging confused glances.

“Are you serious?” Noah asked, his eyebrows raised.

Adam shrugged, his demeanor unexpectedly light. “Why not? It’s already paid for. Might as well make it a family vacation, right?”

I couldn’t help but marvel over his resilience. Here he was, hours after being jilted, suggesting we all crash his honeymoon. It was so absurd, so utterly Adam, that I felt a burst of warmth in my chest.

“Hell yeah!” Noah exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face before he turned to his husband. “We’re in. What do you say, Mr. Van Spencer? Fancy another honeymoon?”

Lior laughed. “With you? Any time. Let me make a couple of phone calls.” Giving his husband a kiss on his temple, Lior pulled out his phone and walked to the balcony.

As the others began to chatter excitedly, I caught Adam’s eye. He watched me, his expression a mix of hope and something I couldn’t quite place. My heart stuttered, and I found myself wondering what it would be like to spend a week with him in paradise.

“What do you think, River?” he asked softly, his voice barely audible over the commotion. “You in?”

I swallowed hard, torn between the longing to be there for my best friend and the nagging fear that this would make me change my mind about the plans I’d been working on for the last few months. But as I looked at Adam, his eyes pleading, I knew there was only one answer I could give.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “Of course I’m in,” I said, “Someone’s got to make sure you don’t drown your sorrows in too many Mai Tais.”

His face lit up with a grin, and I felt my heart skip a beat. “You’re the best, River,” he said, squeezing my shoulder. The warmth of his hand lingered even after he pulled away.

As the others continued to make plans, I found myself lost in thought. What was I getting myself into? A week in paradise with Adam, surrounded by couples on their honeymoons…? It felt like a recipe for heartache. But I couldn’t bring myself to regret my decision, not when my best friend needed me.

An hour passed in a blur of phone calls and excited chatter. Lior finally hung up his phone and turned to address the group. “All right, everything’s set,” he announced. “We’ve got a private jet leaving tomorrow morning, and since Adam already has the honeymoon suite, I’ve booked two additional suites.”

I nodded, relieved that things were falling into place. But then Lior continued, “The only hiccup is that there aren’t any extra rooms available. River, our suite has a pull-out couch, and it’s big enough that we won’t be on top of each other. You’re more than welcome to stay there.”

My stomach dropped. The thought of being so close to Adam yet still separated felt like a cruel joke. But before I could respond, Adam spoke up.

“No way,” he said firmly. “River’s not sleeping on some uncomfortable couch. He can stay with me in my suite. We shared a room in college. It’ll be just like old times.”

I froze, my mind reeling. Just like old times?

If only Adam knew how different our experience of sharing the same room had been for me. But as I met his earnest gaze, I found myself nodding. “Yeah,” I managed to say, my voice slightly hoarse. “Just like old times.”