“Do you love my brother?” Lauren asked again.
“What makes you think he loves me when he asked someone else to be his date tonight?”
Lauren barked out a laugh. “You think he asked Hilde to be his date? My mother is trying to get Hilde’s father to invest in some run-down museum she wants to renovate. She made Aaron bring Hilde to get in her parents’ good graces.”
Always the dutiful son. “Okay, so he’s not dating someone else, but I’m not sure he’s in love with me. In fact, I think he might be more disappointed in me tonight than I am.”
“Do you love my brother?” Lauren asked one more time. “Answer the question. Don’t come up with reasons why he couldn’t possibly love you, because I have already talked to him about this and he’s extremely clear about how he feels.”
Bonnie’s heart shuddered. Being loved was a gift.
“Yes,” she answered. “I love your brother.”
She’d done it. She’d said it. Admitting her feelings out loud felt good, even if she hadn’t said the words to Aaron himself.
Lauren actually smiled. Could she be pleased about this? “I wish someone would have made sure Mitch and I were on the same page about the whole love thing before we walked down the aisle. That’s why we didn’t make it.” Lauren gave a little shrug and rolled her eyes. “That, and he’s a doofus.”
Bonnie covered her mouth, feeling guilty for laughing. “Now what?” she asked.
“Now I let my brother be happy even though I’m maybe not.” Lauren pressed her lips together and dropped her eyes, like she was trying to maintain control of her emotions. She looked back up. “I’m also going to let my best friend be happy, because she deserves it after the way I treated her.”
Where had this Lauren been for the last few months? Why had she stayed away for so long? “I’m sorry you’re not happy. I know you think you were supposed to marry Mitch, but fate has bigger and better plans for you.”
Lauren laughed. “Two minutes ago you were telling me how evil I was, and now you feel bad for me? You are the opposite of mean and hateful. It’s just not in you, Bon. You are too nice.”
Sometimes nice didn’t feel like a compliment. “I don’t want to be a pushover, though.”
“You have stood up for yourself more times than you should have needed to this summer. You’re no pushover. And don’t feel bad for me. I won’t always feel this way. There’s someone out there who will love me the way Aaron loves you.”
Aaron loved her. He loved her in spite of her flaws. Hopefully.
Lauren touched Bonnie’s arm. “I also should take a minute to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything I said and did that hurt you. And I’m sorry for asking other people to hurt you as well. Most of all, I’m sorry for not trusting you even though you’d never given me a reason not to.”
Okay, this wasn’t real. Could she have hit her head at some point? Maybe Lauren had walked up to her and knocked her out instead of talking to her. Sorry wasn’t in Lauren’s vocabulary unless she was referring to how someone else was about to feel. Bonnie discreetly pinched herself.
“Can you repeat that?”
“Ha ha. You heard me. I. Am. Sorry. I grew up thinking I didn’t need to apologize for being me, but let’s be honest, that attitude is what got me left at the altar.”
She wasn’t wrong.
“If we’re apologizing, I better go,” Mary said. “Lauren, I’m sorry for not telling you that you were being a terrible person and for not being honest with you about how I felt. Friends don’t let friends be jerks.”
“Apology accepted. I’m sorry I asked you to shun someone you care about. I shouldn’t dictate how anybody lives their lives.” Lauren and Mary hugged it out.
When they were finished, Mary turned to Bonnie. “I’m sorry for being more worried about my social standing than being a good person to another good person. You deserved better than that.”
“I’m sorry for thinking both of you would ruin Aaron’s house. I’m also sorry for putting on this dress tonight and for showing up with Mitch. That was a low blow. It didn’t make me feel good, and all I want to do is tell Aaron the same thing.”
“I can’t believe you’re still here.” The gang was all here. Kathy’s sneer and Jeanne’s scowl came to fight. “Do you want us to get security to throw her out, Lauren?” Kathy asked.
Lauren took Bonnie by the hand and gave her a reassuring smile. “No.” She looked over at the two of them. “I would like you both to apologize for being mean to Bonnie to impress me. Anyone who is impressed by meanness and cruelty shouldn’t be someone you want to impress.”
“What?” Jeanne’s scowl turned into a confused grimace.
“You want us to apologize to her?” Kathy clarified.
“You should want to apologize. You have been really mean.”
Bonnie didn’t want them to say anything. If they had to be commanded to apologize, it wasn’t much of an apology. “Let’s just agree the slate is clean between us all. How about that? Let’s start over.”
“That’s more than we deserve,” Lauren said. “Have you two seen Aaron around? We need to find him.”
“He was waiting to talk to your dad last I saw him,” Kathy said.
“Perfect. I need to talk to him as well. I don’t suppose your dad would want his job back, Bonnie?”
“I think he likes working for your brother, but he wouldn’t have to work so hard if some of his friends felt like their jobs weren’t at risk by helping him out.”
“I will make sure that happens. Your dad was way nicer to me than he should have been this summer.”
Bonnie gave her a side hug. “He loves you like one of
