Hollywood Remake (A Celebrity Love Story)

Chapter 24: Best Friends' Weddings

Kate looked across the room at the man kneeling in front of her – his arms outstretched, his chest heaving with emotion.

He’d used the same words he said to her the first time he proposed – or almost the same – but the expression on his face bore no resemblance. He was livid with anger. Taunting her. Look, he was saying with his eyes. Look at what you could have had back then. Look at what you threw away.

As if she needed reminding. As if she'd never wondered what could have been, if she'd stayed with him all those years ago. As if she'd never lain awake, tortured with regret, every time she stood by at another friend's wedding – watching another one float away down the aisle into her happily-ever-after.

Kate snapped the ring box closed and jerked her hand away as if she had burned it, letting the box and its contents fall to the floor. They both followed its descent with their eyes, watching it hit the carpet and bounce once, twice, before coming to rest at her feet.

Aidan dropped his arms to his sides in defeat. He lifted his eyes to meet hers again, but she merely shook her head before turning without a word and heading toward the bedroom.

“Kate!” he called after her. “Goddammit Kate!”

She had already hoisted her suitcase onto the bed and was hastily throwing her things inside when he came into the room.

 “What?” he said to her turned back. “You’re not even going to give me an answer?”

“If you think yelling at me is the way to get me to say yes—“

“Well I tried the nice romantic way before and that didn’t get me very far, did it?”

“Just—goodbye.” She moved across the room to gather an armful of clothes hanging up in the closet.

“Where are you going?”

“Airport.”

“Kate—“

She held up a hand to silence him. “I need to go home now.”

Kate heard the quaver in her voice as she spoke, and she cursed herself for her weakness. She would not cry, she silently commanded herself. No matter what he said. No matter how much it hurt. She would not let him see her cry.

Aidan watched for a moment as she continued throwing her things into her suitcase. All the anger he’d felt a moment ago was draining away now as the realization of what he’d just done hit him with full force. He was supposed to take another week. Woo her. Set the mood. Pick the perfect moment. Say the perfect words. Not this. Not like this. He was supposed to have another week.

He walked over to the bed and put his hand on top of the open suitcase, blocking her from putting in the clothing she was trying to pack.

“Come on,” he said. “It’s almost midnight. No one’s going to the airport tonight.”

“Then I’ll go to a hotel.”

“You’re in a hotel.”

“Then I’ll go to another one!”

“Katie, please—” He broke off, his voice shaking as he reached out and put his hand on her wrist. She looked up at him in surprise and saw his eyes red-rimmed now with the same misery she was trying so desperately to hold back. She couldn’t control it any longer – not when she saw it reflected back on his own face – and she felt herself crumple as the tears began to fall.

“Katie,” he whispered. “Katie, Katie.” He sat down on the bed and gathered her into his arms. She buried her face into the crook of his neck as the uncontrolled sobs began to rack her body.