“I’m going to find water if you want to join me.” I turn and walk away before he can respond. I’m afraid that if I stay in front of him for any longer, our neighbors are going to get a fireworks display they didn’t sign up for.
The parking lot is even more crowded now than before the parade started. Instead of neighbors packing it in for the day and enjoying their nice, air-conditioned homes, they’re filing into the clubhouse parking lot carrying a plethora of beach towels and coolers big enough to feed the entire community. Picnic blankets are being spread across the grassy areas as people claim their spots for the fireworks display set for hours from now.
PTA moms are setting up folding tables, covering them with plastic tablecloths and an unrivaled assortment of homemade goodies. I lose count of the different pies sitting atop ceramic stands and almost ditch the pursuit of water in lieu of a sugary treat.
“There’s Janice.” Nate points across the way to the HOA secretary, who has been rocking the same curly perm since I was in eleventh grade. “She always has a cooler for board members after events like this. I’m sure she’ll share even though you’re not technically a part of the HOA.”
“Yet.” I finish his sentence for him. “I’m not a part of the HOA yet. I’m still totally going to kick your ass.”
“Sure, keep telling yourself that,” he says. “I’m not sure if you’re confident, delusional, or both.”
“Confident, definitely confi—” I start, but stop when a voice as sugary sweet as the desserts around us calls his name.
“Nate? I thought I might find you here.”
Beside me, every line in Nate’s tall body goes taut and the color drains from his sun-kissed face.
I follow his eyes and even though I’ve only seen her face from a small framed photo on his bookshelf, I’d still know that this is the kind of woman Nate was engaged to. She seemed tiny in the picture, but she’s even smaller in person. Her cream skin doesn’t have a blemish or wrinkle anywhere on her face. With her long blond hair, wide eyes, and delicate features, she looks like a Barbie doll come to life.
Elizabeth’s eyes are trained on Nate and she doesn’t seem to notice anyone else around us. She shifts back and forth on her heels and nervously bites her bottom lip. It’s obvious to anyone watching this scene play out that it took a lot of courage to come and say hello. If I didn’t know who she was or what she did to Nate, I might feel bad for her.
But I do know, so all I see in the pint-sized blonde is a whole lot of nerve.
“Nate,” she says his name again. “Please, I’m so sorry.”
My palm itches to slap her back into whatever hole she climbed out of, but no matter what happened between Nate and me last night, I know this isn’t my battle to fight.
The fun-loving, happy-go-lucky guy who was waving to the entire neighborhood is long gone. Frown lines I didn’t even know he had deepen around his mouth, which only moments ago was laughing and smiling. He watches her from hardened eyes, and pressure builds in my chest as I watch.
“What do you want, Elizabeth?”
Her features crumble as nosy onlookers watch the scene unfold. I’m sure half of them know exactly who she is and why she’s here. I can’t decide if she’s brave or cocky.
“I made a mistake.” Her voice thickens and sympathy I don’t want to have builds within me when I realize she’s about to cry . . . at a Fourth of July parade. “I wish I could take it back, but I can’t.”
I try to walk away, but it’s like the rubber soles of my shoes have melted and melded me to the spot. I keep thinking of running away this morning and wondering if that was my only opportunity to figure things out with Nate. Did I blow my chance at something I didn’t even know I wanted?
It’s selfish. This woman could’ve been the love of his life and I want nothing more than for him to send her on her way.
“You’re right.” Nate’s gentle voice barely carries above the crowd. “You can’t take it back.”
“But—” Her voice cracks and the tears I suspected begin to fall, leaving trails of smeared mascara in their wake.
As a person who has lived with the ramification of crying in public, the part of my heart that’s not completely black hurts for her. Plus, at the end of the day, when I had my scene with Peter, I was leaving a piece of total fucking garbage with no redeeming qualities. I can’t imagine having Nate’s ring on my finger, a beautiful life laid at my feet, and completely fumbling the bag.
It’s tragic.
“Do you know what it was like moving all of my furniture into the house I thought we were going to grow old in together? I thought we had our future planned out. Look at me! I joined the freaking HOA.” He lets out a humorless laugh and rakes his fingers through his hair.
The crowd around us gives up on pretending to be discreet and are openly gawking now. It’s a sensation I remember all too well, and even though I still have no idea what’s going on between us, I can’t let Nate go through it alone. I finally become unstuck and move to his side, taking his hand in mine and offering him a small reminder that he’s not alone.
Elizabeth’s wet gaze drifts to our hands and her mouth falls open in surprise when she finally notices me.
“Oh. I . . . I didn’t know.” She forces a smile and swipes away the falling tears. “I’m sorry.”
I glue myself to Nate’s side and his grip tightens like a vise, but I don’t even flinch.
“You don’t need to be sorry,” Nate says to her, and I swear I can hear his heart pounding through his shirt. “It wasn’t until very recently that someone made me realize that we weren’t right for each other. You weren’t wrong to walk away.”
The hushed whispers around us come to a sudden halt and the world tips on its axis. I don’t know if Elizabeth is still here or if Nate is even talking.
I can only hear one thing playing on a loop in my head. Someone made him realize they weren’t right for each other. And for some reason I can’t explain, I have a sneaking suspicion that that someone is me.
Chapter 21
In case you didn’t know, someone’s ex-fiancée showing up at the end of a neighborhood parade creates quite the commotion and makes it easy for the person they slept with the night before to make a clean escape.
I know the neighborhood gossip machine is going to be in full force in no time, but I’m hoping Elizabeth’s presence outshined the portion where I clung to Nate. The second he let my hand go, I forgot all about my quest for water and took off for Ashleigh’s house.
Before the parade, we all agreed her house would be the meet-up point so we could debrief and begin preparations for the final HOA meeting, where Nate and I will state our cases. It’s a month away and all I have prepared is a kick-ass motto and a plan to bring doughnuts. We really need to get to work.
Plus, Ashleigh got a panini maker in the mail as a late wedding gift and she promised we could take that bad boy for a spin. As far as incentives go, paninis are high on the list.