I escaped into the dressing room, the heavy damask curtain a flimsy shield. I leaned against the wall, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. I was playing with fire, and the whole world was a tinderbox.
A soft knock came at the curtain. “Ava. It’s Jessica. Can I come in for a second?”
My stomach plummeted. “Uh, sure. I’m decent. ”
The curtain swished aside and she slipped in, closing it behind her. The small space immediately felt airless. She offered me a small, kind smile.
“Sorry to bother you,” she said, her voice gentle. “I just wanted to see how you were doing. For real. ”
I busied myself with unzipping the silk sheath, keeping my back to her. “I’m fine. Just the usual wedding craziness, you know. ”
“I know. ” She paused. “Chloe can be… a lot. And Marcus is so excited. It’s a ton of pressure. ”
I finally managed to get the dress off and hung it carefully, reaching for my own clothes as armor. “It’s my job to handle pressure. ”
“I know it is,” Jessica said softly. “But you’re also a person, not just a planner. ” She hesitated, and I could feel her weighing her next words. I braced myself.
“Marcus is a great guy. He’s been like a brother to me for years. I care about him. And I care about Chloe. ” She took a small step closer. I finally turned to face her, my sweater halfway over my head. Her eyes were full of a sincere, gentle pity that was somehow worse than any accusation.
“He deserves someone who is one hundred percent sure, Ava. Someone who looks at him with their whole heart. ”
The air rushed out of my lungs. *One hundred percent sure. * A month ago, I would have said I was one hundred percent sure I was *over* him. But now. . . now my heart was a fractured, traitorous thing, and a significant piece of it belonged to the man standing on the other side of that curtain.
Jessica’s gaze flickered, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken. “I see the way you handle everything, how you keep a smile on your face for Chloe and for Marcus. But I also see… the strain. The glances across the room when you think no one is looking. ”
She didn’t say Rhys’s name. She didn’t have to.
My mouth was dry. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. ”
She gave a sad little smile, not pushing, not judging. “Maybe not. It’s not my business. But honestly. I like you, Ava. You’re navigating a minefield, and I just… I hope you figure out where you want to land before someone gets hurt. ”
She reached out and squeezed my arm briefly. “Take care of yourself,” she whispered, and then she was gone, the curtain swishing shut behind her, leaving me in the suffocating silence.
Her kindness was a blade. A furious, accusatory outburst I could have fought. But her quiet, genuine concern left me with no defense.
She had simply held up a mirror, and I hated the reflection staring back at me.