Chapter 3: A Painfully Awkward Moment

Damn it! Griffin silently cursed his impulsiveness. Why had he kissed her? After all this time, he still couldn't control himself around Angela. Her trim, toned body and perfectly formed breasts attracted him like a magnet.

But this wasn't the way he wanted it to happen. The last thing he wanted was for Angela to learn of his marriage in such an upsetting manner. He'd hoped she would hear it casually, perhaps through her father or an old shared acquaintance. But now here they were, face to face, and they were both paying the price for his carelessness.

"Angela…I," he began, but out of the corner of his eye, suddenly caught Savannah watching him closely. She was no fool. He had to play it carefully.

"Go on," Savannah said impatiently.

Idiot! What had he been thinking, kissing Angela that way? Griffin thought. But that was the problem, wasn't it? He hadn't been thinking at all. He had acted on pure instinct. The unexpected pleasure of seeing Angela's creamy skin and tight, tiny body again had obliterated all reason. He’d been swept up in the emotion of the moment.

Angela looked as hurt and confused as if a bus had hit her, and he deeply regretted it. He had no right to disrupt her life this way. But he'd made a promise to Savannah, one he was bound to keep.

"Since the cat seems to have gotten both your tongues, I'll repeat myself," Savannah said, filling the uncomfortable silence, her tone almost gloating. "Griffin and I are getting married. Isn't that exciting!"

"Savannah," Griffin cautioned with irritation. "Give her a second to digest it. I'm sure it's a surprise."

Angela looked stunned, as if she'd left her body. Guilt sucked the energy out of Griffin's body. "W…wow," she croaked, backing away from Savannah as though physically repulsed by the ring. "I hadn't heard. Congratulations." She looked at Griffin with confusion. "I'm sure the two of you will be very happy."

Savannah was relishing her triumphant moment. "It was so romantic," she gushed. "He proposed to me at his parents' garden party in front of our family and friends." She wiped a hand across her dry eyes. "It was one of the most special moments of my life. I'll never forget it." Then, she turned to beam at Griffin, wrapping herself around his waist. "It was everything I always dreamed a proposal could be."

Griffin gulped, his throat suddenly dry. Angela looked like she might faint. He reached out to catch her, but Savannah blocked his hand.

"We'd love to stay and chat, but I have an appointment at the Imperial room at the country club with your mother," said Savannah. “It’s the top contender for our wedding venue.” She held up a colored pamphlet in her hand. "But we're stopping by the tearoom for some estimates on our engagement lunch first.” She rolled her eyes at Angela. “There’s so much involved in a wedding. Who knew?”

“It sounds like it,” Angela mumbled.

“I'm meeting Cookie in twenty minutes,” Savannah continued. “Why don't you join us, Griffin, since you're here? That is if you don't have to return to work, of course. I hear the tearoom has recently been remodeled, and it's absolutely divine!"

"Next time," Griffin said with a thin smile. "I have patients booked all afternoon. Why don't you go ahead?" he offered, wishing Savannah would leave so he could have a minute alone with Angela. He needed to explain everything. It was taking everything he had not to scoop her up in his arms and hold her. He couldn't bear to see the shock and pain settling into the deep amber pools of her eyes.

Savannah suddenly looked irritated. "Okay, then let me at least walk you back to your office. We can review a few details for the ceremony on the way."

"No need, Griffin said, looking at his watch. "You'll barely make it to the tearoom on time, as it is. You better go. You know how my mother hates tardiness."

Savannah looked torn. She studied Angela briefly, then appeared to decide in Cookie's favor. "Okay, but don't linger too long," she cautioned Griffin as she turned toward the path. "And don't get fired for being late." She gave Angela a horrified grin. "This wedding is costing an absolute fortune."

"Go," Griffin gently chided her as he pecked her on the cheek. "I can't wait to hear all the details. I'll quickly say goodbye to Angela and be on my way."

"Well, it was nice seeing you, Angela," Savannah called over her shoulder as she checked her watch and picked up her pace. "Let's do it again soon. I'd love to hear about your life in Boston."

"Sure," Angela responded with a vague nod and a wave.

When Savannah was gone, Angela turned on Griffin in a fury. A fire burned in her eyes. "Do you mind telling me exactly what you think you were doing kissing me?" she spat. "Did you forget the little detail that you were engaged to be married?"

"I… I'm sorry," Griffin said. "I know I had no right. I don't know what I was thinking. It was just so nice to see you again. All the memories came flooding back to me. You don't know how much I've missed you. It almost killed me when you cut me off."

"Yes, I see that," Angela snapped. "You were so upset that you married the first girl you could find. Savannah? Really? The three of us have been friends since first grade. But now that I think of it, maybe it makes sense. Once you finished with me, I guess she was the natural candidate next in line."

"That's not fair," he cried. "It wasn't that way at all. You were the one who walked away from me. I tried to explain a thousand times, but you wouldn't even speak to me." He put his hands on Angela's shoulders. He had to make her understand how deeply she had hurt him. "It killed me. I'd never felt so lost and alone. Savannah was there for me when I needed someone. We talked for hours. She was a good friend to me."

"Last I checked, you don't get married to someone because they're your friend," Angela said accusingly. “And may I remind you that it was you who walked away first.”

"That's true. But I tried reaching you many times. Once I realized you were never coming back, things slowly progressed between Savannah and me into something more than friendship. In a weird way, I think she represented a connection to the past I'd lost. She reminded me of a time when we were together."

"So you're marrying her to stay close to me?" Angela hissed, pushing his hands off her shoulder. "That makes perfect sense. How stupid of me not to see it."

"Yes," Griffin said. "No. I mean, it's complicated. I didn't know if I would ever see you again, and I couldn't bear it."

"I'll bet your mother had something to do with this," Angela said. "You and Savannah getting married is her dream come true. She never thought I was good enough for you."

"That's not fair," he said. "To Savannah or me. While it's true my mother always liked her, marrying her was my decision."

"What your mother liked was Savannah's family connections," Angela continued, cruelly twisting the knife. "Their power and social position."

Griffin had never seen this side of Angela before. So bitter and angry. He fought the urge again to take her in his arms and soothe her. But even as he moved closer, she backed away from him. He recoiled at the gesture. It was like a knife in his heart.

"Don't you dare touch me," she fumed. "Anything that might still have been between us ended when you put that ring on Savannah's finger. Do you realize how lucky we are that she didn't see us kissing? How do you think you would have explained that to her or your mother?"

"I know," Griffin said, running a nervous hand through his thick hair. "It was stupid of me. I could have ruined everything. Thank you for not saying anything."

Despite his words, Griffin had to admit a small part of him wished Savannah had seen them. Then at least everything would be out in the open. But, no, it was too late. He'd made his choice, and now his fate was sealed. Savannah would be a good wife, an asset to his ambition. Angela was his past, and there was no going back to what they once had. He had to let her go. His bad behavior had been a stupid lapse in judgment. He would be more careful in the future. He couldn't afford to slip again.

"Then, for your sake, I suggest you stay away from me," Angela spit, slamming down the lid on her ice cream cart. "Surely, Savannah isn't stupid. She was there. She knows what we once meant to each other. I can’t believe she’d put herself in between us in the first place. True friends don’t do that.”

“I told you. We thought you were gone forever.”

“Savannah, of all people, knew what I was going through,” Angela snapped. She paused, looking as though she wanted to say more, and then changed her mind. Instead, she pulled the brake on the cart and shoved it forward.

"Give me another chance," Griffin called as he watched her move away from him. "I don't want to lose you all over again. Can't we find a way to at least be friends? Nothing like this will happen again, I promise." But even as he spoke, watching her march away, her hips swaying in that sensual way they did without her even knowing it, a small voice in his head gently warned him not to make promises he might be unable to keep.