Love Between the Lines ✔️ DRAFT 1 COMPLETE

Chapter 20

"So, tell us everything," Sydney said that evening. The three of us were gathered in Brena's basement and lounging on the large sofa bed while eating pizza. From the airport, Brena and Jared had driven me to their townhouse and Sydney met us there.

"Well, I'm home," I replied, taking a swig of my lemonade. "I don't really know what else to tell you."

"We want to know about Fionn," she urged. "I know things ended weird with you two, but c'mon. Anything?"

Brena elbowed our friend and shot her a glare. "Syd, you seriously need to work on controlling that mouth of yours."

"No, no it's ok." I sighed. "Fionn was wonderful and perfect and everything I desired in a boyfriend. He made me feel special. Heard. Wanted." I twirled the claddagh ring on my finger. "But it's because of me that it's over."

"He was a good guy, Em." Brena rested her hand on my knee.

"Yeah." I swiped away at the tears forming in my eyes. Not wanting to ruin the mood of spending time with my two best friends, I forced a smile. "Anyway, enough about him. Scotland is beautiful in the winter. The architecture, the literature. It's all so amazing and I still can't believe I get to go back to study it."

Sydney grinned. "This writing program is going to be fantastic for you, chica. I know it is."

"Knock, kno—ow!" Jared groaned, rubbing his forehead as he appeared at the bottom of the stairs. A loud thunk sounded when he hit his head against the low part of the ceiling.

"You ok, babe?" Brena asked.

Jared pouted. "Yeah. I brought down some ice cream for you ladies. I'll just, uh, go put it in the freezer. Or maybe keep it for my head."

"Aw." Brena scrambled to her feet and walked over to her fiance. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his head. "Better?"

He smirked. "Much. Thank you." He passed her the ice cream, and she went to put it in the freezer.

Jared started for the stairs again but I ran after him.

"Jay, can I talk to you for a sec?"

He nodded. "Sure."

I left my friends and followed Jared up the stairs to the kitchen. "I need to know something. Ab-about Kyle."

"Oh." He hopped up onto one of the bar stools. "What about him?"

"When we were in college, did he ever...I don't know. Did he ever bring back a girl to his room who, you know, wasn't me? After we started dating, that is."

"No, never. Not that I can remember anyhow." Jared frowned. "What's this about, Em?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. I just...I wanted to know if I've been blind to Kyle's crap for the past eight years or if maybe I wasn't giving him what he wanted or...I don't know. I mean, he's the one who proposed. Why would he propose and then cheat on me like that?" The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Jared wrapped me into his embrace, gently brushing his fingers over my back. "Emilie, the guy was an asshole. Hell, I don't even know why I was friends with him half the time. But what he did to you, no one deserves that. You didn't do anything. Kyle wasn't thinking."

"No, actually I think for the first time he was." I sniffed and wiped at my eyes. "He was thinking that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with me afterall."

"Em, Kyle is an idiot," Jared said.

"I'm the idiot," I mumbled. "I had a good thing going with Fionn and I just destroyed it for no good reason. Do you think it's possible that I can't find myself a boyfriend?"