Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Matty heard Wells groan before he yelled to Alex, “That’s my shirt. I got the one with turtles, you got the whale.”
Snatching the shirt from one of the guys, Wells moved past them into the room. Both guys had the look like they wanted to fight, but Matty wasn’t even the least bit concerned as he moved past them into the room where Alex, who was also still in his tux, snatched the shirt back from Wells. “It doesn’t matter! Why would you want a shirt we got together? I was going to burn it for you!”
Wells rolled his eyes. “You don’t need to burn my shit. And even if we bought them together, it’s still a cool shirt and a nice memory.”
“Oh! But it isn’t a memory with him, so why would you want it, you piece of shit!”
Matty went to say something, but Wells cut him a look before snatching the shirt back and throwing it on the bed. “There is no reason for name-calling, Alex. Calm down. This doesn’t have to be like this.”
Alex’s head did a roll that could give any drag queen a run for their money before he screeched, “Oh! So you’re gonna go back in time and marry me?”
“No,” Wells said calmly, shaking his head. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have let it get this far, but I did, and that’s my fault completely.”
“You lied!”
“I did,” he admitted, to which Alex’s face scrunched up even more. “I care for you and I always will. We had some great times and some not so great times, but I shouldn’t have let it get to this point. I should have called this whole thing off when you asked me to marry you, but I couldn’t.”
Alex laughed, and Matty decided he would never like this guy. Wells was a good dude and basically liked everyone. Matty was nothing like that. “Yeah, you’re pathetic,” Alex mocked.
Again, Matty went to defend Wells, but his hand came up, silencing Matty once more. “You’re right. I was a coward. I wanted so badly to forget Matty that, in the process, I hurt you. And honestly, Alex, I never wanted that. I just wanted to believe my lie so bad that I dragged you with me, and I apologize for that. Really.”
Alex looked away, tears gathering in his eyes as he shook his head. “And I’m supposed to forgive you? Is that what you want?”
No, fuck you, was Matty’s thought, but Wells was a different man.
“In time, yes. I would like your forgiveness. I want you to think of me and not hate me, but I know that won’t happen today, tomorrow, or even a month from now. But Alex, truly, I am sorry. I was so wrong for how I handled things with you. I just couldn’t get over him, and I needed something—or better yet, someone—so I latched on to you.”
Matty didn’t like that. He hated it, actually, but he had been the one to drive Wells to it. He had no horse in this race, so he pressed his lips together, looking away. This was between Alex and Wells, but he wouldn’t leave Wells’s side. He was sure Wells could handle himself, but Matty wasn’t sure he would against someone he knew he’d wronged.
It was something else Matty just adored about him.
When the tears started to fall down Alex’s face, Wells took a step forward, but Alex’s hands shot up. “Don’t you dare touch me, Wells Lemiere. Don’t you dare!”
Wells took a step back, nodding his head. “I didn’t want to hurt you like this. I feel awful, and I’m sorry for what I did. But surely, you of all people can understand. I had to follow my heart. He’s everything to me. You knew that.”
“I did, but you told me plenty of times nothing would ever come of it.”
“Because I thought it wouldn’t,” Wells explained, and then he glanced back to Matty and smiled. “But that changed.”
Yeah, it had. Everything had changed, and seeing Wells, stand there, defending Matty and their love made Matty’s heart almost come out of his chest. A grin pulled at his lips as he nodded, but Wells was brought back to Alex when he said, “So you just drop me. Like he dropped you. How do you think that makes me feel?”
“Like shit,” Wells answered, glancing back to Alex. “I’m so sorry for that.”
“Well, your apology doesn’t mean shit to me,” Alex sneered back, grabbing his bag off the bed. “And I never want to look at you again.”
“That’s understandable, and I’m sorry. Really.”
Throwing his free hand up, Alex glared. “Ugh, can you just stop? Stop being the good guy, You’re not good! A good man doesn’t do this.”
“He is a—”
But Wells stopped Matty, shaking his head as Matty tried once more. Placing his hand on Matty’s chest, Wells shot him a calm look. Turning then, Matty drank in Wells’s profile, the little dip in his nose, his dark as night hair that curled at his ears. He was beautiful. Stunning even, and ever so calm. “You’re right, a good man doesn’t do this, which is why I’ve apologized because I am man enough to know when I’ve made a mistake. And getting involved with you, on the rebound, planning a wedding, and walking out on you… That was all a mistake. But I’ll never forget our nights out, our game nights, or even our trip to Miami. I’ll always remember that, Alex, and I’ll always be appreciative of your friendship and companionship through a time in my life when I thought all was lost. But I’ve always known who I loved. Who my other half was, and that is Matty.”