Wednesday Read Free Page A

comes
to an abrupt halt and one of the melons drops to the floor.
     “Tris,” she whispers.
    Stunned, I narrow my eyes. It can’t
be.
    Aria.
    It’s been so long since I’ve last
seen her, and she’s even more beautiful today than she was then. On her wedding
day. It was the last time we spoke. Once I heard she was marrying the resident
football star, Alex Anders – from a friend, which really pissed me off – the bottom
of my world dropped the fuck out. Nothing made sense anymore and no matter how
hard I tried, I couldn’t get my footing back. 
    I knew she hooked up with Alex at
prom, but afterwards she wanted nothing to do with him. That was when things
starting changing for us – when I thought I might stand a chance. Especially
graduation night.
    But then, in a crazy turn of
events, Aria and Alex went from dating to engaged in record time. To say I was devastated would be like saying Kate Upton is slightly curvy. But after sulking for a
month, I found the strength to crash her wedding and beg her to reconsider.
    Sadly, she didn’t want to listen to
a word I had to say. She made up her mind and that was that. My insides ache at
the memory.
    “Aria,” I say now, a little colder
than necessary.
    I take a breath, find the cojones I need to get through this, and walk over to her, determined not to let her see
me lose my shit. “I see you’re still making a mess of things.” I point to the
cantaloupe carcass on the floor.
    Her entire demeanor changes the
second I open my mouth. She hangs her head and lets her shoulders slump as a
crackly voice rings out over the loudspeaker, “Clean up in produce. Clean up.”
    I almost feel bad about my
behavior. Almost.
    She chuckles, but the laughter
doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. What are you doing
in town? I heard you moved to LA or something.”
    “I did, but I came back a few
months ago to help my dad. He had a stroke over the holidays.”
    “Oh, I’m so sorry. How’s he doing?”
she asks, completely sincere. She reaches out for me, as if on instinct.
    I back up for the same reason,
except my instinct is self-preservation.
    The interaction is too sweet, too
normal. She isn’t allowed that. Still I have to know more. Why is she here and
how long will I have to endure it?
    “He’s fine,” I say, brushing it
off.  “He’s on the road to recovery. So, are you in town for a visit?”
    She clears her throat and waves to
someone. Someone standing behind me, evidently.
    Please don’t be him. Don’t fucking
be him.
    “Actually,” she says, “I’m back.”
     “To live?” I ask. My voice raises
a full octave.
    “Yes. To live.” She smiles and
reaches her hand out again. This time, to that someone behind me. 
    Now it’s time to go. Right. The.
Fuck. Now. But when I turn to make a run for it, I’m so stunned I can’t move.
    Aria Prince. A.k.a. the girl next
door; my childhood crush; the first girl I rounded second with – actually the
only girl I got to any bases with in high school. The girl who crushed my heart
is also… a mother.
    There’s no mistaking the
resemblance when the kid comes up from behind and launches himself into Aria’s
arms.
    “Who’s that, Mommy?” the little boy
asks.
    “An old friend,” she answers, her
face turning red.
    I might’ve debated that
characterization if I was in my right mind.
    “Tristan.” Aria gives the kid a
squeeze. “This is my son, Caden.”
    Shit, I don’t want to know this.
Man, why did I have to stop to check her out?
    Dammit, tight yoga pants!
    I can actually feel my face heating
up. Itchy and uncomfortable, my fight for that self-preservation is on. Step
one, get out of the danger zone. And fast. In my haste, words spill out of my
mouth. They sound something like, “Cute kid. Nice seeing you. Sorry about the
melon. Gotta go to my steak. Say hi to Alex.”
    Idiot.
    My head feels like it’s going to
explode. Still, I vaguely remember her saying something as I