Max looked impatient.
“What exactly is the point?”
Edward folded the trousers over one arm.
“The point is Veronica never told me what I should weigh. She never told me I would be more valuable if my body changed. She just made me realize I had started speaking to myself the same way someone else was speaking to her.”
People were listening now.
Edward continued.
“I stopped postponing my life until I looked acceptable. Later, I changed some habits, and my body changed too.”
Max smirked.
“So Veronica inspired you to get in shape. Great.”
“No.”
Edward answered immediately.
“That is exactly what you still don’t understand.”
Max’s smile faded.
“She didn’t fix me. There was nothing wrong with me that needed fixing before I deserved to enjoy my own life.”
Claire glanced at Max.
Then at me.
Max gave an uncomfortable laugh.
“What does any of that have to do with me?”
Edward handed him the trousers.
“Because you looked at me tonight and decided my appearance proved something about Veronica.”
Max shrugged.
“It does.”
Edward held his gaze.
“Then why are you still trying so hard to prove it?”
Max stopped smiling.
A few minutes later, Edward asked me to step into the hallway.
His expression had changed.
“Veronica, Max was wrong about you. But there’s something I should have said before we came.”
“What?”
“You asked me because you thought showing up with a man who looks like me would prove something to Max.”
My face warmed.
“I know.”
“I agreed because I hoped you would realize it wouldn’t.”
I stared at him.
“You could have told me that before the wedding.”
“Yes.”
“Instead, you let me pretend you were my boyfriend so you could teach me a lesson.”
“You’re right.”
No excuse.
No argument.
Just that.
I walked farther down the hallway because I refused to cry where Max could see me.
Edward followed but kept his distance.
Then I heard a small voice.
“Mom?”
My oldest daughter stood nearby.
I quickly wiped beneath one eye.
“Hey.”
She looked toward the reception.
“Why did Dad say nobody would date you?”
I crouched beside her.
“He was being unkind.”
She thought for a moment.
“Edward isn’t really your boyfriend?”
“No.”
“Then why did you say he was?”
For a moment, lying would have been easier.
Instead, I told her the truth.
“Because I wanted your dad to think somebody wanted me.”
She frowned.
“But we wanted you here.”
I had no answer.
She hugged me.
That one sentence did more for me than anything Edward or Max had said all evening.
After she ran back to the reception, Edward was still waiting.
