Unchasable

Chapter 20

LEVI

"Welcome, welcome", Chris shouts like a maniac as we arrive at the parking lot of the national park he chose for today. I offer Yvonne a look saying that if she wants, she can say the word and we're away from here. I can understand if she wouldn't want to spend her day with these assholes.

However, Yvonne only offers me a shy smile and steps out of the car, heading straight to the lion's den.

Fuck me.

Chris is the first one to see her since he was hovering around with his "CONGRATS, LOVEBIRDS" shield. I swear, once we're alone, I'll give him payback by asking too many questions about the girl he told me about when he was drunk at the bar. His Addie-Boo. Hasn't seen her in one year, but his heart still belongs to her, for some reason.

"There is the bride", Chris says, opening his arms to give Yvonne a welcome hug. She is a bit shy at first, yet takes the hug anyway, and I step outside of my car, somehow not feeling comfortable with her hugging anyone else.

I clear my throat.

Like a fucking idiot.

Chris must have known, since he now grins at me. "And if it ain't Romeo himself", he adds, coming to pat my back. As he's close, he teases: "Fucking hate you man. First of all you broke our engagement, then you screwed me over and didn't have me as best man."

"It was spontaneous", it's all I say.

As he lets go, he gives me a serious look. "Spontaneous, my ass. It could have been three in the morning, I would have still gotten on the first plane and came to you. I would have driven there myself."

"There's an ocean between the two continents, Chris."

"Try me", he winks.

Fabio meanwhile spotted us too, from where he was texting on his phone with someone. He locks it, then rushes our way, where he offers us a huge smile. "Congratulations", he begins. It's then we all remember Fabio and Yvonne have never been officially introduced, to which he takes her hand and gives it a kiss. "Hey, I'm Fabio. Fabio Rossi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Yvonne, Yvonne Pruitt", she says. I notice the way she still used her last name, and say nothing. "It's so nice to meet you too."

Silence installs, that I quickly cut. "So, when are we doing that thing we're doing?"

Yvonne looks up at me surprised. "Wait, you don't know what we're doing?"

I shake my head, my eyes still boring in hers. "No. Apart from about a hundred messages from Chris saying we'll love it, he wouldn't say more."

Yvonne nods, and comes a bit closer to me, as if to shield herself from whatever might come. Not knowing myself what will come, I take out my hand and place it around her shoulder, pulling her even closer to me. I swallow hard once at the proximity, she seems to stiffen, but none of us makes a move to let go.

"It's gonna be epic", Chris says, still overexcited. "We're only waiting for the other two lovebirds."

"Where are they, for heaven's sake?", I ask. I really want to get this over with quickly.