Breakable Heaven

Part Four

Dinner that night was fine, Danny was introduced to a few more bridesmaids that had made the journey in. And the next day was lackluster for him, the groomsmen didn't have a plan, but the bridesmaids were all meeting up at a local dress shop, for one last look to make sure all the alterations done were perfect.

Danny was grateful Gavin seemed to keep away from you and him, though the occasional glare was tossed Danny's way. It made Danny feel proud in some ways, that he had this effect on the man, and he wasn't even really dating you. And that Danny was intimidating enough to keep distance from, well that was a cherry on top.

He didn't really think much of Gavin outside of seeing him, until you burst into the hotel room in the late afternoon on Tuesday, your garment bag tossed over your shoulder. Your face was red, and you were doing your best to catch your breath. Danny paused the movie he had been watching and got up from his relaxed position on the couch, coming over to you.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, taking the garment bag off of you and draping it over the arm of the couch behind him. "You seem upset."

"Naomi showed up early." you grumbled, kicking off your shoes.

"Oh." Danny shoved his hands in his pockets, not exactly knowing what to say. "Uh, what happened?"

"She showed up to the dress shop, Gavin told her where we'd be. She just showed up, uninvited and unexpected." you moved around him, going to the couch and flopping on it. "Olivia was going to send her back here but there wasn't any point."

"Did Naomi do something?" Danny asked, lifting your legs and sitting under them, resting them back on his lap. "Say something?"

"No," you pouted. "I just...it's so stupid but I hadn't seen her in a long time. And I didn't think seeing her again would make me feel like this."

"Like what?" Danny leaned in, his voice soft. You shrugged, avoiding his eyes.

"I don't know...I guess kind of like a loser?" your fingers busied themselves with a loose button on your cream colored knit cardigan sweater. "It just makes me feel pathetic. I shouldn't care about her or Gavin."

Danny watched as you bit your bottom lip, staring down at the button.

"You don't care about them." Danny told you softly, rubbing a hand up and down your jean-clad calf soothingly. "But that doesn't mean the hurt doesn't come back when you see them again. Gavin really hurt you, honey." The pet name slipped out, but if it bothered you, you didn't show it.

"Naomi was another friend of mine." you mumbled. "A coworker, really but I trained her and we got close and started hanging out. I should've noticed Gavin would leave bed when she'd stay the night." your name fell from Danny's lips in a soft whisper, panged with sadness. "I thought 'wow, what a great guy I have, checking on my friend in the night, making sure she has enough blankets.' I was so stupid...and maybe I was a bad girlfriend and deserved it."

"I'm so sorry," Danny leaned over, wiping a stray tear you failed to hold back from your cheek. "You didn't deserve it, even on your worst day." your shoulders shrugged in response.

"My grandma always said 'you're either a lesson or a blessin''. your response was paired with a sheepish smile. "Maybe this is my lesson." Danny pulled his hand away, sitting back up as he rested it back on your calf.

"I hope you get your blessing soon, then."

"Who knows, maybe I'll get it this weekend." A small laugh rippled from your chest. "Maybe they'll fall down a well and go missing."

"I'll dig one myself if I have to." Danny grinned, making you smile.

"Olivia will gladly help." You smiled. "She's been waiting to knock him out."