The first picture was of Carissa sitting on a green lawn, bouquet in her hand, massive dress spread all around, her eyes up and not looking at the camera, but shifted to the right.

She was laughing.

Carissa had asked their photographer to put a picture of the two of them together at the beginning of the album.

Carissa’s dad had insisted on paying for the wedding, including the photographer, but still, even though she wasn’t paying for it, his mother had vetoed Carissa’s wishes and chosen that photo.

As usual, his mother got what she wanted.

Aaron stared at the picture, his gut twisting.

He looked at her face in the photo and remembered that moment. Remembered it exactly.

It had been half an hour after they’d been declared married. He’d spent half that time in the back of their limo making out with his beautiful new wife, enjoying himself immensely, and also enjoying pissing off his parents, who wanted his and his wife’s asses in front of the photographer.

But as that photo was taken, he was standing to the photographer’s left and it had been all about Carissa. All about how sure he was about her right there in that beautiful gown. All about how sure he’d always been that they would have that, him in a tux, her in a wedding dress.

He’d been happy, happy for himself, happy for her, and because of that he’d been teasing her. He’d made her laugh and the photographer had snapped the picture.

I can’t stand the sight of you.

He swallowed, staring at the album.

That had been Aaron’s favorite shot. He liked it up front. He’d never said anything, but whenever he opened that album, that was precisely the picture he wanted to see.

Carissa looking beautiful and happy, laughing because he gave her that.

He liked to tell himself that was what he intended to give her for the rest of her life, even when he knew he was on the path to becoming his father, so he also knew it was a fucking lie.

He’d dicked her around. He knew that too. It was like he couldn’t help himself.

His father told him it happened. “You just have to get it out of your system, son. You’re young. You will. When you do, if she’s worth having a Neiland and knows what’s good for her, she’ll be there. Trust me.”

So he always knew, in the end, it would be her.

He was just so ridiculously arrogant, he didn’t know, in the end, for her it shouldn’t be him.

His mind filled with her weeping in Carson Steele’s arm.

I’ve loved her since high school, man.

Aaron slugged back more gin and stared at the photo.

You gotta drag her down, that’ll suck, but I’ll pick her back up.