My Favorite Mistake

by R. L. Kenderson

When Griffin and I met up again, I hesitantly put my arm through the crook of his. Somehow, I’d been in such shock on my walk up to the altar that I had missed how good he looked and how incredible he smelled. His scent brought up more memories than I had been prepared for, and I realized for the millionth time how much I’d missed him.

  “How have you been?” he asked me.

  I chuckled in disbelief. So, that was how it was between us now. Unbelievable.

  “Fine,” I said.

  “Madeline, I’ve known you a long time. You are the opposite of fine when you say it like that.”

  We reached the front and turned around to go back into the church. I ignored Griffin and prayed we’d go back inside soon.

  “I wanted to say thank you for helping me out after my dad’s death.”

  I started tapping my foot, and I refused to look at him. I didn’t want to hear thank you like I was some acquaintance. I wanted to hear that he’d missed me.

  I wanted to hear that he was in love with me too.

  Oh God. Why are we just standing here?

  “Madeline, please talk to me.”

  I was beginning to think he wasn’t going to give this up.

  I turned to him and whispered sharply, “Not now, Griffin. We are in the middle of a wedding rehearsal. A rehearsal that I didn’t even know you were going to be at, okay? Now’s not the time to talk. You’re just going to have to wait.”

  I spun away from him before he could answer, and Pastor Lutz picked that very moment to have us enter the church again.

  Thank God.

  GRIFFIN

  It took me a minute to locate Christina after the rehearsal was over, but I finally found her in a corner, having a heated conversation with her sister and some blonde woman.

  I was about to turn around and leave until their chat was over, but Christina’s eyes lit up when she saw me.

  “Griffin?” She rushed over to me. “Is there something I can help you with?”

  “Have you seen Madeline? She said she had to use the restroom after the pastor was finished with us, and now, I can’t find her. I hope she didn’t drown in there.”

  Christina didn’t laugh at my joke, and the light she had in her eyes dimmed. “She left, Griffin.”

  “What? But I thought she would be at the rehearsal dinner.”

  “She planned to be, but she said she had to go take care of something and left.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “But I think we know that was a lie. You didn’t tell her that you were going to be here today, did you?”

  I frowned. “I thought you would have told to her. I wanted to talk to her in person. I did not want to do it through text.”

  “And look how that turned out for you.”

  “Are you mad at me?”

  “I’m not happy with you.” She sighed and dropped her arms. “You basically ghosted her after your father died, and we all understand. You were grieving. But while you were holed up in your apartment, Madeline’s life continued. And now that you’re better, you waltz in here and expect everything to go back to the way things were. You didn’t want to tell her in a text that you were going to be in the wedding again? Fine. You know where she lives. You know where she works. And you know her phone number.” She shook her head. “I told Troy to tell you that I wasn’t going to be the one to break the news to her, but I should have known you hadn’t said anything when she didn’t bring it up to me. I’d been so consumed with the wedding, so I assumed she was okay with seeing you again.” She leaned closer to me. “By the way, it’s one thing to ghost your supposed best friend, but it’s another to ghost the woman you’re sleeping with.”

  “You know we slept together?”

  “Yeah. After she kept crying every time I mentioned your name, I finally dug that little tidbit out of her.” Christina shook her head. “I’m disappointed in you, Griffin.”

  “I…I thought—” I ran my hand through my hair. “Dammit. I don’t know. I thought I would walk in here, and she would be so happy to see me, and we’d…”

  “Live happily ever after?” Christina laughed.

  She stopped when she saw the wince on my face.

  “Wow. And I thought women were hopeless romantics.”

  “I guess Madeline made me watch one too many romantic comedies.”

  Christina patted my chest. “You’re not in a movie, buddy, and just seeing your face is not going to fix everything. You owe Madeline a real apology.” She looked at me sympathetically and walked away.

  Shit, shit, shit. I had planned to apologize. If only I hadn’t been late, I could have pulled Madeline aside and talked to her.

  Now, she was probably even madder at me.

  I sure as hell needed to figure out what I was going to do about that.

  Thirty-Eight

  Madeline

  I sipped my drink as I picked at my appetizer. Not only had I lost my best friend and the man I loved, but I’d also lost my favorite bar to hang out in. I missed going to My Favorite Place. Not only to see Griffin’s face, but I had made friends with his bartenders and some of the regulars too.

  Casey and I had texted back and forth a few times, but it wasn’t the same as seeing her several times a week.

  So far, I hadn’t found a good replacement for My Favorite Place, and I always felt lonely, coming to a bar by myself. I’d never felt that way, going to Griffin’s bar. Tonight, I should have probably gone home instead, but that would have made me feel even lonelier since I was missing the rehearsal dinner.

  “Madeline? Is that you?”

  I turned my attention in the direction I’d heard my name. “Oh, hi, Harris.”

  I hadn’t seen my ex-boyfriend since Griffin had basically kicked him out of my house.

  I looked around. “Who are you here with?”

  He came over and leaned against the bar. “Some coworkers.”

  “Oh yeah, it’s Friday.”

  “You had the day off, I take it?”

  “Christina and Troy are getting married tomorrow, and this afternoon was the rehearsal. You remember them, right?” I joked.

  Harris looked sheepish. “Yes, I remember them. And I’m sorry I never gave them a chance.”

  I leaned way back and then forward and squinted my eyes. “Are you really Harris?”

  He chuckled. “Yes. Now that we’re not together anymore, I can see where I went wrong.”

  “How grown-up of you.”

  “I’m trying.”

  I didn’t know what I was thinking, but I held my hand out to the seat next to me. “Would you like to sit? Or are your coworkers waiting?”

  He smiled. “I can sit for a bit.” He pulled up the stool. “And just so we’re clear, I’m not taking all the blame in our relationship,” he joked.

  I laughed. “I never thought you would.” I picked up my drink and took the last sip.

  “Can I buy you a drink?” he asked, eyeing my glass.

  “Yes, please.”

  Harris raised his hand to the bartender.

  “So, because my first airplane needed maintenance before we could take off, I missed my layover flight. I had to sit in the airport for five hours, waiting for the next plane, for which I was only on standby, which means I wasn’t even guaranteed a seat.” Harris took a sip of his drink. “I told my boss that I was never flying over the holidays again.”

  I laughed so hard that I fell against him. If I had been sober, I wouldn’t have found the story so funny, but thankfully, I was a happy drunk tonight.

  I sat up and looked Harris in the eyes. “We used to have good times, right?”

  He smiled. “In the beginning, we had a lot of good times, if I remember correctly.”

  My face heated and turned away. Sex with Harris was nothing compared to sex with Griffin, but it had still been enjoyable.

  “Sometimes, I wish I had never broken up with you.”

  Harris cleared his throat. “Come again?”

  I sighed and fiddled with my drink,
swirling it around, tipping my cup back and forth. “If I had never broken up with you, I would never have asked Griffin to have sex with me on my birthday, and then I would never have fallen in love with him.”

  “Are things not going well? I was wondering where he was and why you were here.”

  I smiled sadly at Harris. “We had a falling-out. I’d stupidly thought I wouldn’t fall for Griff, but I did. Then, I’d stupidly thought if I told him how I felt, he’d tell me he felt the same way.” I shrugged. “Part of it’s my fault. I told him after his father passed away.”

  Harris sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Oh, Madeline, that’s rough.”

  “Yeah. I didn’t hold it against him though. I gave him his space, thinking he’d come back to me.” I tipped my glass back and swallowed the rest of my drink. “I hadn’t seen him in over a month, and he just showed up at the rehearsal and acted like we were old acquaintances.”

  “Ah…I was wondering why you weren’t at their rehearsal dinner, but I didn’t want to pry.”

  I put my elbow on the bar and my head on my hand. “I bailed after the rehearsal was over.” I sat up straight. The angry drunk was coming out. “Which pisses me off. He should have been the one to leave. I wasn’t the one who had disappeared for weeks on end. He should be the one avoiding me. He should have been the one to skip out on the dinner. He should be the one sitting alone in a bar, feeling sorry for himself.” I reached for my purse and started digging through it.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Trying to find my phone.”

  “Dare I ask, why?”

  “So, I can call and give Griffin a piece of my mind.”

  Harris put his hand on mine. “Now, I’m obviously not a relationship expert. But he’s still your best friend, and you still care about him, right?”

  I nodded.

  “Then, I’m thinking you should wait until tomorrow to talk to him.” He squeezed my hand. “Let me take you home. You can have a good night’s sleep and call him in the morning.”

  “Okay,” I said reluctantly.

  He looked relieved. “Let me go and tell my coworkers I’m going to take off. Do you have someone who can give you a ride to pick up your car in the morning? Otherwise, I can drive your car and ask one of them to follow.”

  “I’ll be fine. My mom can give me a ride if I need one.”

  Harris stood. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

  “Aye, aye, captain.”

  He chuckled. “You really are drunk.”

  I shrugged. It was the truth.

  As soon as Harris was out of earshot, I pulled my phone out of my purse and dialed Griffin.

  “Come on, come on, answer,” I said into the ringing phone. I didn’t want Harris to come back and catch me.

  Griffin’s stupid voice mail picked up.

  “Hey, Griffin. This is Madeline. Remember me? Your former best friend.” My words were starting to slur, so I cleared my throat and firmed up my voice. “I’m just calling to tell you that you should have been the one to leave tonight. It’s not right that you got to stay with our friends. You’re the one who ditched me. You’re the one who forgot about me. And you should have been the one to go home alone tonight.”

  I had been keeping an eye out for Harris and saw him coming back.

  “But you know what? I don’t need you. Harris is taking me home, and tomorrow, I’m going to pretend like I never loved you. In fact, I’m going to pretend like you and I were never friends. So, stay away from me.”

  Harris was getting close.

  “Gotta go. Harris is almost here.”

  I clicked End and set my phone down.

  “Who was that?” Harris asked.

  “Umm…” I gasped as an idea came to me. “It was my mom.” I nodded. “Mmhmm. I was just making sure she could help me pick up my car tomorrow.”

  He looked at my phone, so I snatched it up and stuck it in my purse.

  “Are you ready?” I asked, hopping off my stool. I swayed and fell against him. I burst out laughing. “Whoops.”

  “Someone is happy again,” he said, helping me stand up straight.

  “Yep.” I always felt better after getting stuff off my chest.

  Thirty-Nine

  Griffin

  As I sat in my vehicle, I listened to Madeline’s message again.

  I didn’t know why I was torturing myself with it because Madeline had not answered her phone when I called her back. And I had only missed her call by ten minutes.

  Which was why I was now sitting in her driveway, praying that she showed up. It had already been five minutes, and considering she’d had a head start, I was beginning to worry that she had gone to Harris’s house.

  The idea filled me with dread. If I had driven her back into the arms of that asshole, I was never going to forgive myself. At least this way, if the two of them came back to her house, I might be able to stop her from making a drunken mistake.

  Because she had clearly been drinking when she called me.

  Just when I thought I was going to bust my steering wheel with all my tension, a car pulled up beside mine.

  I turned off my engine and jumped out into the cold weather as Harris opened his door.

  “I’m not letting you sleep with her while she’s drunk,” I told him. “She’s not in the right mind to make decisions like that.”

  He scowled at me. “I wasn’t going to sleep with her. I am simply bringing her home. Like a gentleman.”

  I held up my hands. “Sorry. Seriously.”

  He walked around to the passenger side. “She fell asleep, so you’re going to have to come and get her.”

  I rushed over as he touched the door handle.

  “Also, I don’t know what you did, but you’re lucky she still cares about you. And it’s only because I know how close you are that I am leaving her here with you.”

  I balked. “I would never hurt her.”

  “Not physically, but the next time I run into her alone in a bar, I’m going to tell her to run as far away from you as she can.”

  “I know I have some making up to do. That’s why I’m here.” And to make sure she doesn’t sleep with you.

  Harris nodded. “Good.” He opened the door and leaned inside. “Madeline, you’re home. It’s time to wake up.”

  “I’m home? Oh. How nice.”

  Harris backed up. “Come on now. Let me help you up.”

  Madeline put her hand in his and stood. She squinted when she saw me and then smiled. “Griffin. You’re here.”

  I blinked and looked at Harris. “I thought she was mad at me.”

  He led her around the open door. “Her moods have been flipping back and forth tonight. Give her a minute, and I’m sure she’ll be mad at you again.” He put her hand in mine.

  “Gee, thanks.”

  The two of us walked Madeline up to her door. While I wanted Harris gone, I couldn’t help but be thankful. If she slipped on the ice or snow, it would be nice to have someone help me get her into the house.

  When we reached the front door, he squeezed her shoulders. “Good night, Madeline.”

  “Good night, Harris. Thanks for the ride home.”

  He looked at me. “Don’t fuck this up,” he said and took off.

  “Madeline, where are your keys?”

  She held up her purse and waved it in front of me. “In my purse.”

  I reached for it, and she pulled it away from me and laughed.

  “Madeline.”

  She did it again.

  Thankfully, I was quick, and I got it on the third time as she fell against me.

  “Griffin, why do you smell so good?” She rubbed her face on my chest where my coat had come down as I dug through her stuff to find her keys.

  I found them just as she went on her tippy-toes and licked my neck.

  “Jesus Christ.” I quickly unlocked the door and gently pushed her inside as I flipped on a light.

  Madeline was g
iggling as she came toward me again.

  I stopped her with my hands on her shoulders. “Oh no. We’re not doing that again.”

  She had felt too good against me, and I needed to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid tonight, like sleep with her.

  She stuck out her lower lip. “Don’t you want me, Griff?”

  I groaned. “More than you can possibly know. But you are going to bed, young lady.”

  “Young lady?” She bit her lip. “Are we role-playing?” She turned around and pushed her butt out. “Are you going to spank me for being a bad girl?”

  I shook my head and walked toward her bedroom in hopes that she’d follow. “I think you’re trying to kill me,” I muttered.

  I heard her shoes drop on the floor as she ran after me, but I was ready for her. I handed her the biggest, fluffiest pair of pajamas I could find in her dresser. “Go in the bathroom and put these on.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather I take my clothes off right here?” she asked innocently.

  “No. Go change.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “You’re no fun.”

  “I know.” I pointed to the bathroom. “Go.”

  I went into the kitchen, grabbed a tall glass, and filled it with water. Then, I dug through the cabinet for ibuprofen and poured a couple into my hand.

  Before I walked back into her room, I peeked my head in to make sure she wasn’t naked. I sighed with relief when she walked out of the bathroom in her pajamas.

  “Hey, I got you some medicine and water, so hopefully, you don’t wake up with a headache.”

  She did not need a hangover on the day of her friend’s wedding.

  Thankfully, it wasn’t even ten at night, so she should be able to get a good chunk of sleep.

  She took the pills and drank all the water before climbing into bed.

  I pulled up the covers and tucked her in up to her chin. “You and I will talk in the morning.”

  She frowned. “So, no sex?”

  “No, Mads, no sex.”

  “Bummer.”

  Forty