“Is what? You’re shivering. You’re cold.” He pulled the covers up, tucking them around her.

“I feel terrible saying it...”

“Say it.”

Alix swallowed. “She hasn’t once thought about my feelings. Or that’s how it seems. She used to be so good at knowing how I was feeling. I didn’t even have to tell her. But not anymore. It’s not that she gets it wrong. She doesn’t even seem to think about it. It hurts me that she didn’t once think about how it must have been for me when she got married. She didn’t think how I might have felt.” She covered her face with her hands and groaned. “I sound pitiful, don’t I?”

“No.” He tugged her hands down and pulled her closer. “I totally understand why you’re upset.”

“You do?”

“Of course. Can I say a couple of things now?”

She sniffed and leaned against his shoulder. He was such a good listener. As always, she felt better having talked to him. “Go ahead.”

“First of all, you did not ruin Christy’s wedding.”

“But she said—”

“It sounds as if she said a lot of things in the heat of the moment.”

“It was freezing.”

He smiled. “Maybe. But the fact remains that I know for a fact that you didn’t ruin the wedding, so don’t let that comment eat you up.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I was there! I saw her laughing and dancing, and kissing Seb and—” he shrugged “—I don’t know—she was a walking smile that day. If that’s a ruined wedding, then don’t invite me to a happy one, because I wouldn’t be able to take it.”

She was desperate to believe him. “But if that’s true, why would she say—”

“Because she was upset. And people say things they don’t mean when they’re upset.” He pulled her closer. “I know you think Christy is perfect, but she isn’t. She’s human like the rest of us. Flawed. She hasn’t given any thought to how her marriage might have affected you. She’s been thoughtless. Selfish. And, honestly, hard on you. I’m not surprised you’re hurt.”

She hadn’t expected him to say that. She’d started to convince herself that it was all her. That she had unrealistic expectations about friendship. “So you don’t think I’m overreacting?”

“Far from it. If anything, I’m surprised you’re not more upset with her.”

She was upset. Very upset. “But even if you’re right, the end result is more confirmation that I’m rubbish at relationships.”

“Not true. And I have evidence to prove it.”

“What evidence?”

“By my reckoning, this is about our fifth date. And I’d say we’re doing great.”

Her heart thumped against her chest. “Don’t be ridiculous. You know I’m not the dating type.”

“You don’t know what you’re capable of until you’ve tried it.”

She felt a flash of panic. This was why she didn’t get involved past a certain point. “Zac, you’re not hearing me. I can’t sustain a relationship. Even if I wanted to, I don’t know how. I mess things up.” And she couldn’t stand the pain of it; she just couldn’t. She’d grown up with it with her parents, but that had been nothing compared to how she felt at the prospect of losing her friendship with Christy. The last thing she wanted was to embark on another relationship.