Chapter 14
Weston
Everyoneisenjoyingtheir cake, but I can't find Rory anywhere. Thinking she might have ducked out to the restroom, I sit at the table and eat my cake and watch for her. When I still can't find her twenty minutes later, I get up to look for her to at least make sure she's okay.
But Nate catches up to me first.
"Have you seen Rory?" I ask.
I don't want to worry him, but they seemed okay after their dance. Maybe he knows where she is.
"She left man, and I didn’t pry. But I was going to ask you what the fuck happened," he says as Mandy walks up beside him.
"What do you mean she left?" I ask.
"She changed her flight and left to go home early."
I have to go after her. As if Nate can read my mind, he grabs my arm.
"What happened? I thought you were going to fix this."
Running my hand through my hair, I sigh. Then I tell them what she said last night and while we were dancing. Mandy listens too, though I'm guessing she heard all this from Rory herself.
By the time I'm done talking, Nate's face is pale, and he actually looks shaken.
"She's right, you know," Mandy says to Nate, "You have always been a roadblock for every guy she has dated, and no guy has yet to pick her over you. So, I see her point."
She gestures between Nate and me. "Your loyalty has always been to each other. How can she trust either of you to be loyal to her and pick her? Especially you." She turns to me and stares me down.
This woman might be small, but she is damn scary. Then, without blinking, she just stares, waiting for me to talk. But since I have no answer for her, I only shake my head.
"If you want a relationship, she has to be first. No. Matter. What. I'm sorry but screw Nate."
"Hey!" Nate says, acting like he’s offended, but I can see the smile he's trying to hide while staring at his new bride.
"Listen. Nate’s your best friend, and he will forgive you later on, especially if he sees you treating Rory right. But you’re risking losing her now, and if you don't fix this right away. Then there is no coming back from it."
Shit, she's right. Nate and I have been through some tough shit but didn't I decide just last night that I can live without Nate? But I can't live without her.
"I need to go after her," I say, making plans in my head.
"The next flight out isn't until tomorrow, anyway, and it’s the one you’re already booked on. Let her get home and have a bit of space to think. But you need to cool off and come up with a game plan," Mandy says.
I look back toward the reception and can't stomach the idea of going back in there.
"You okay if I go back to my room? I want to pack and get a game plan in place."
"Yeah, man, but I'm warning you. If this shit isn't fixed when we stop by after our honeymoon, I’ll beat the shit out of you. Got it?" Nate says, and I know he's deadly serious.
"If I can't fix this by then, I’ll welcome it." I hug him and kiss Mandy on the cheek before I beeline it to my room.
I check the flights, and sure enough, my flight is the next best way home. I could leave now and have three layovers, but I'd get in thirty minutes after my original flight. So as much as I hate to sit here and wait, that's what I plan to do.
Then I pull up her flight and track it on my screen. As I watch her get further and further away from me, I swear my heart is going with her. I feel the distance growing, and I can't stand it. There is no way I'm getting any sleep tonight.
Pacing the room watching Rory get further and further away, I'm no closer to a game plan. When she lands for her layover in Denver, I watch her connecting flight.
An hour later, the universe gives me a Hail Mary, and I swear I hear it say, don't fuck this one up.