The best man

Chapter 11

As we step into the café, the warm scent of fresh coffee and baked goods envelops me, but it does little to comfort the knot in my stomach. Shelly and I grab our drinks—juice for her and tea for me. I steal a glance at her, noticing how much bigger her belly looks since the last time we met. Her face glows, and I can't help but feel a pang of envy mixed with happiness for her.

"Lily, you won't believe how much the baby kicks now," she says, her voice filled with excitement, her eyes sparkling. I force a laugh, trying to share in her joy, though the heaviness that's been weighing me down won't let me fully.

"Really? Is it like a soccer game in there?" I joke, attempting to mask the sadness creeping into my voice. The words feel hollow as they leave my lips, and I hope Shelly doesn't pick up on it.

"Totally! It's like he's doing gymnastics or something," she chuckles, patting her belly with a proud grin. But then she pauses, her expression shifting slightly as she looks at me, concern creeping into her eyes. "Hey, are you okay? You seem a bit off."

I hesitate. The thought of diving into everything—Conor, Ethan, the mess I'm in—feels overwhelming. I'm not ready to go there, especially not now. "Oh, it's nothing really. Just a bit of the flu. I'm sure it'll pass," I lie, forcing a tight smile. I don't want to taint her happiness with my problems, not when she's so close to becoming a mom.

Shelly watches me for a second longer, clearly sensing that something's off, but thankfully, she lets it slide. "Well, since I've been pregnant, I've had the weirdest urges," she says, her voice lightening. "You know what really gets me? Watching James brush his teeth! It's the silliest thing, but I swear, I could watch him all day."

That catches me off guard, and I can't help but burst into laughter. The image of James standing there, brushing his teeth with toothpaste foam around his mouth while Shelly ogles him from across the room, is hilarious. "Seriously? That's what does it for you?" I tease, shaking my head, and Shelly joins in with my laughter.

"I know, right?" she says, rubbing her belly with a grin. "It's the little things, I guess. Him brushing his teeth or running his hands through his hair... it just drives me crazy."

I laugh again, and for a moment, it feels good. It feels like everything isn't so heavy, like I can breathe again. Shelly's lightheartedness is a welcome distraction from the storm brewing inside me. For a few minutes, I forget about Conor and Ethan. I forget about everything.

But as we settle into our seats and Shelly takes a sip of her juice, the mood shifts. "So, about the wedding... there won't be a bachelor party," she says casually, like it's no big deal.

I'm not surprised—Conor told me he and Anne broke up. "Oh," I say quietly, my voice barely above a whisper, "okay."

But then she hits me with something unexpected. "Still, they're planning to have the wedding sooner than ever."

I blink at her, my heart skipping a beat. "Wait, what? So there's still going to be a wedding?" My head spins, and disbelief floods my mind. "I thought they broke up!"

Shelly raises an eyebrow, clearly confused. "Who told you that? Anne just went out of the city for work. They've always been together as far as I know. James even said he's seen Conor talking to her on the phone a lot."

My heart sinks. **What? Conor lied to me?** My stomach churns as the realization hits me. He made it seem like things were over between him and Anne. He played me again. **I let him kiss me... I let him get close... again.** Shame creeps up my neck, and I feel my cheeks burning.

Shelly doesn't seem to notice the turmoil I'm in. She takes another sip of her juice, shrugging. "Yeah, I heard from Anne's sister.Seems a little weird, doesn't it?"

My mind is racing. **How come?** I think to myself, my thoughts a chaotic swirl of confusion, anger, and hurt. How could I have been so stupid, so blind? How could Conor do this to me again? And worse, why did I let him?