“I’m really tired, Zane.” I walk past him, and his dogs excitedly circle me until I flop down onto the recliner. “Please give me some coffee, and then you can scream at me as much as you’d like.”

“W-why would I s-scream at you? It’s-s your life. You can choose to sh-share it with whomever you’d like.”

Those words, spoken in his usual soft voice, hurt like a bitch. It doesn’t help my headache when he saunters back into his home, leaving me on the porch with his fur babies.

Today seems to be a day of regrets.

Regret of hiding my marriage from my friends.

Regret of devouring Autumn like she’s the fanciest dessert I’ve ever seen.

Zane reappears holding a tray in his hand and is followed by his wife, Vienna. He places the tray on the table before me. Two coffee cups and some muffins.

“How are you feeling, Lukas?” Vienna, dressed in running gear, asks as she buckles collars around the two dogs.

“I’m better than the day before yesterday and worse than yesterday.”

She chuckles. “Don’t worry. My husband is good at making people feel better, and I think it’s time you two talk anyway.”

“Are you going somewhere?” I ask as she tugs on the leash of the two dogs.

“The kids are having a sleepover at Rose and Zander’s. I promised them I’d bring Mystery and Tassels for breakfast.”

Vienna sprints off, and watching her lead the pets, including Mystery, who is a wolf dog, I can’t believe it’s only been a few months since she had her brain surgery. Talk about bravery.

As soon as we’re alone, Zane asks, “So, wh-where’s the wife?” But before I can reply, he adds, “How d-did we not s-see her at my wedding? Her family owns th-that place, right?”

Of course, the Teagers would have found out everything they could about Autumn.

I nod. “It was a coincidence. There was some emergency in her family, and they outsourced a wedding planner at the last minute.”

“I know all th-this, Lukas. I was t-talking to Autumn all the time, making ar-rrangements. I can’t believe you d-didn’t think about telling any of us, including me, even after knowing th-the venue of my wedding.”

“What could I have said, Zane?” I grab a fistful of my hair and tug on it, hoping the pain will dull my headache. “Meet Autumn, my wife of four years who had just turned eighteen when I married her. What would you have thought about me?”

His coffee cup halts close to his mouth, as he’s clearly taken aback by my words, and remarks, “I’d have of course as-sked questions. I’d be inter-rested in knowing how my friend who I th-thought was alone forever had s-someone—”