Before You Go

chapter twenty-nine

Leon

After I've put Liz to bed, I head back downstairs to grab a glass of water. The house is quiet, so I'm surprised to find Tenille in the kitchen when I enter. She's snacking on celery covered with peanut butter and raisins while she reviews some notes for the wedding. The very sight of that goddamned binder irks me in more ways than one. But what irks me, even more, is that Tenille is still up and meticulously reviewing the plans for the wedding. It's just after midnight, for God's sake!

"Do you ever take a break?" I ask, glancing over her shoulder as I grab one of the plastic cups that was set out for tonight's events. She's going over the appointment dates for hair and makeup regarding the rehearsal dinner. I squint at the date and my heart nearly gives out on me. It's in two weeks. That means the wedding is close. I tighten my grip around the cup in my hand, the plastic crinkling beneath the force. My time to tell Liz the truth about how I feel is running out.

Tenille shoots an unimpressed glance at me. "Leon, Eliza is my best friend. I want this wedding to be perfect for her. Besides, I'm just double-checking the appointments."

I tap her on the shoulder. "But you're not sleeping."

She shrugs me off. "Did you ever stop to think that part of the reason why I'm in the kitchen at 12:21 A.M. is that I can't sleep? I'm also the Maid of Honour. It's my duty to make sure everything runs according to plan."

I walk over to the sink to toss the plastic cup I broke and to prevent myself from staring at that binder and wanting to rip it up. "It all seems a little overrated, don't you think?" I ask casually. I open the cupboard above the bowl of fruit in the corner of the kitchen to grab a glass, which I then fill up with water from the faucet. "Seriously, Ten. I'm sure that whatever you're doing can wait until tomorrow. This isn't going to help you fall asleep."

"Says you," she counters, turning to face me. She drops the pen to the pad of paper and crosses her arms. "Why are you still up if sleep is that important to you?"

"Liz had too much to drink. I was nice enough, unlike James, who has been a no-show all night, to make sure she got to bed without knocking herself out on the stairs."

She frowns at me. "What the hell is going on between you and James? Where did this conflict come from? All day, there's been nothing but testosterone radiating between the two of you; you're both being ignorant assholes. Are you and James trying to make this wedding more stressful for Eliza?"

I run a hand through my hair. My intention was never to make this harder for Liz. To be honest, I don't really know what I was thinking when I showed up. The invitation to the wedding threw me off; I was driven by my heart and all the underlying feelings I've been suppressing for the past two years. Learning that Liz was getting married...I wish I would have thought things out a little better, but that's what happens when you're in love: you're as reckless as the beat of your heart.