8. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

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Silas wakes up alone

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Silas wakes up alone.

And when he realizes he's wound up on Mia's side of the bed, a warm firmness between his legs, he thinks it's probably a good thing she isn't still here. He wonders if he made his way to her side after she left, hopes that's the case if it happened at all. He hates to think that he might've unconsciously invaded her space in the night, hates to think that he might've missed out on what it feels like to hold her close.

He puts his hands over his face and groans against them, then throws his arms out wide, stretching until he feels a few vertebrae pop. When he checks his phone, he finds that it's a little past eight-thirty. The wedding doesn't start until three, Mia's informed him, and he's not quite sure how he's going to spend his time until then. So he lies in bed for a while, browsing his phone, breathing in what scent of Mia lingers on the pillows, contemplating and then deciding against taking his hand to himself, and then finally drags himself out of bed after an hour or so.

He showers, brushes his teeth, dresses in something casual. He remembers seeing a little café on their walk to the venue yesterday, so he decides to head that way, and regrets it when he walks through the door and sees Colin and the man Mia pointed out as his father at a table enjoying breakfast.

Shit.

It's too late to turn and leave, they've already spotted him. Mr. Lindgren gives him a friendly wave, bringing Colin's attention up to him. Colin puts on a smile and Silas waves, tries not to panic when Mr. Lindgren gestures for him to join them. So after his order is placed, he walks to the table and signs a quick Good morning before he sits.

They discuss the weather and the scenery, and Mr. Lindgren tells Silas a bit about the history of the town. Colin doesn't partake in the conversation much, and Silas isn't sure if it's because he can't or he just doesn't want to, but if he had to guess, he'd bet on the latter. He thinks back to the beginning of all this, when Colin interrupted him and Mia at the coffee shop. He thinks of how Mia said she thought Colin felt bad for her, then thinks about Mrs. Michaels and Mrs. Lindgren's whispering, Colin's animosity, and he thinks that Colin doesn't feel sorry for Mia at all. He thinks Colin still has feelings for her.

That's it. That's what's going on here. It makes sense. Colin was hoping he could take Mia to the wedding and have another chance with her, and it seems like the two mothers were hoping something similar. And then Silas had to show up with her and ruin everything.

But he knows from his conversations with Mia, that giving him another chance is something she'll never do, no matter how many people might want her to.

Something proud and spiteful rises inside him as he thinks about how her family might be rooting for Colin, but it was him who got to sleep next to her last night. But that feeling is quickly replaced by a sour jealousy when he realizes last night is probably nothing compared to what Colin has been allowed to share with her in the past.

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