Chapter 3

The wedding, huh?

I clenched my fists. Well, who was I to ask about Cheryl's wedding?

On the way home, I drove past the park where Cheryl and I used to go all the time. It was a beautiful place, with a big lake and flowers planted all along the bank.

I remembered something that happened seven years ago.

In a daze, I could almost see 20-year-old Cheryl again, crouching in front of the flowerbeds. Her fingertips had been smudged with dirt as she'd looked up at me with a smile.

"Nate, can we use these flowers for our wedding someday? Red roses mean eternal love."

Back then, we'd just scraped together enough for a down payment and were renting an old apartment near the park. Every weekend, she would drag me over to feed the fish.

I'd looked into her bright, innocent eyes and ruffled her hair. "Sure. We'll have our wedding here in the future."

She'd pointed toward the pavilion in the middle of the lake. "We'll have the ceremony right there. You'll wear a white suit, and I'll wear a wedding gown with a long train. We'll rent a swan boat to take all our guests around the lake."

I pulled over by the side of the road and walked toward the lake, almost without thinking. The bank was lively now, decked out with white balloons and champagne-colored arches. From a distance, strains of the wedding march floated over the water to me.

"Mr. Garrison?" A familiar coworker walked up, holding a champagne flute. Her gaze flicked between me and the wedding setup.

"Did you… come to drop off a gift?" Her tone had a probing edge to it, as if she'd just stumbled onto a live soap opera.

I smiled and nodded. I went back to the car to grab a nice envelope. I'd been keeping a whole stack of them in the glove compartment, originally planning to use them to give out return gifts after my own wedding someday.

I stuffed some cash inside.

From the direction of the lakeside pavilion came a wave of cheers. Jason was carrying Cheryl toward the swan boat.

I walked over and looked at her in that pure white wedding gown, feeling my eyes sting a little. But I quickly got myself under control.

"Ms. Landeau, Mr. York, why didn't you invite me to the wedding?" I asked. "Pardon me for showing up uninvited, but at least I have a wedding gift. I wish you two a long and happy marriage."

I set the envelope on the sign-in table and signed my name on the guest list.

"Nathan, what are you doing here?" Cheryl's smile instantly froze on her face. Behind her, though, Jason grinned.

"I was just passing by and thought I'd drop off my gift."

"Well, that's very thoughtful of you, Mr. Garrison. When you get married someday, you have to invite me. I'll make sure to give you a big gift in return!" Jason's eyes were full of open provocation. "Oh, wait—you don't have a girlfriend yet. I'll introduce you to someone!"

He pulled Cheryl closer to his side, staking his claim, but she shook him off and tugged me aside. The look on his face soured.

"Do you get some sort of thrill from stalking me?" Cheryl frowned at me. "Did you really have to show up and stir things up with all my family and friends here today? Jason's mother insisted on seeing us get married as her final wish. Don't overthink this."

I took a step back, putting some distance between us, still wearing a smile. "Ms. Landeau, you're a married woman now. Is it appropriate for you to be standing this close to me? Anyway, don't take this the wrong way. I honestly just came to drop off my gift. Well, I'm heading out. My resignation is on your desk."

I turned and walked away.

"You—" Cheryl started to come after me, but Jason yanked her back.

The guests, not knowing what had happened, kept on cheering and egging them on.

Rain began to fall. My phone buzzed with a message from Mom. "Nate, come home. Your dad has saved you a project in Horsville."

I replied, "Okay."

Back in the car, I took one last look at the lake. This time, it was really over.

That same night, I flew back to Horsville. As the plane slowly ascended, I was finally leaving the city I'd spent eight years in.

A message popped up on my phone from Cheryl. I'd blocked her on WhatsApp but forgotten to block her number. "Nathan, where did you go? I bought you some cake."