Riley saw that something was off with her fiancé’s best man, Tommy. His strange message, “I need to tell you something,” sent in the middle of the night, only added to her worries. When she met Tommy just minutes before the ceremony, the truth was more surprising than she ever could have imagined.

I sat there, surrounded by my closest friends, yet my mind kept drifting.

The living room was decorated beautifully, with colorful balloons tied to every chair, sparkling streamers hanging from the ceiling, and even a table piled high with treats and drinks.

My friends had really gone all out to make this night special.

Yet, instead of wild party music and crazy games, the room was filled with soft chatter and laughter, just as I’d wanted.

Rachel rolled her eyes playfully as she sipped her drink, her glittery dress catching the light.

“I still can’t believe you chose to have your bachelorette party like this. Not even a single wild game or a cheesy dare!”

She shook her head, pretending to be disappointed.

“Are you really ready for your life of freedom to end?”

“Rachel!” I laughed, nudging her playfully. “I’m serious! I’m ready for this. I’m tired of the drama of single life. Martin and I are both ready for something calm and real.”

Laura grinned from across the circle.

“Yeah, I mean, your life has had its share of drama! Like when Tommy—the best friend of your fiancé—used to be so close to you back in high school. That was entertaining!”

“Oh, stop!” I said, laughing.

“Tommy wasn’t hitting on me! We were just close friends. We still are, actually. He’s like my go-to guy for advice on gifts for Martin. After all, who knows Martin better than his best friend?”

Rachel and Laura exchanged looks, grinning.

“Friend-zoned forever,” Rachel teased, and they all burst out laughing, filling the room with giggles.

“Come on!” I said, shaking my head, trying not to join in on their laughter. “We’re adults now. No drama, no romantic secrets. Just… friends.”

“Just kidding, Riley,” Rachel said, still smiling.

“But what about Martin? Are you sure he’s enjoying his bachelor party as calmly as you’re enjoying your bachelorette?”

“Oh, please!” I sighed, rolling my eyes.

“He’s probably just having a few drinks and watching a game with the guys.”

Laura raised an eyebrow, smirking.

“Hmm, you’re so sure? They’re men, Riley. Maybe Martin is having a last taste of freedom,” she teased, clearly loving every moment of my embarrassment.

Rachel gave her a little nudge, trying to steer the conversation away. “Laura, stop! This is Riley’s night. Let’s not give her crazy ideas and ruin the mood.”

But I couldn’t help the nagging thoughts that slipped in.

What if Laura was right? What if Martin wasn’t as excited about our big day as I was?

I’d never doubted his love for me, but the way the girls teased left a small shadow of doubt.

Could he have gotten cold feet? Could he be second-guessing the idea of settling down?

Trying to shake it off, I forced a smile and took another sip of my drink, laughing along with the girls.

But deep down, a small voice wondered: what if there was something I didn’t know? And with the wedding just one day away, I felt a nervous flutter, hoping that tomorrow, all of my worries would be proven wrong.

​​Stepping outside into the cool night air, I dialed Tommy’s number, hoping he’d pick up and ease my mind.

I didn’t want to seem paranoid, especially not to Martin, but I knew Tommy would understand.

He always had a way of calming me down. When the call went to voicemail, my heart sank a bit. A moment later, my phone buzzed with a message from him.

“It’s loud here, I can’t talk. What’s up?”

I typed back quickly, hoping to make it sound lighthearted.

“I’m just worried about Martin. I hope he’ll be able to walk himself down the aisle tomorrow ;)”

There was a pause, and then another buzz. “Everything’s fine…”

That was it. Tommy was usually chatty, always quick with a funny reply or some reassurance, but this short, curt message felt off. I stared at the screen, my anxiety only growing. What could he be holding back?

I tried another question, hoping to dig a little deeper. “Are you guys celebrating just with your group, or did anyone else join you?”

Almost immediately, his response popped up. “Others joined. Busy now, talk tomorrow.”

My stomach twisted. The fact that “others” had joined and Tommy wasn’t offering any details made my imagination run wild.

Was there someone else there? Someone who might change how Martin felt about our wedding?

My mind filled with worst-case scenarios—what if Martin was having second thoughts? What if he’d done something he regretted?

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unease. No, that couldn’t be it. Martin wasn’t the kind of guy to do something so reckless.

He loved me, I reminded myself.

I tried to silence the little doubts clawing at the back of my mind and returned to the living room, where my friends were waiting, laughter filling the air.

Rachel looked up as I rejoined the group, her face filled with a cheerful smile. “Everything okay?” she asked, probably noticing my tense expression.

“Yeah,” I replied, forcing a smile.

“Just wanted to make sure the boys weren’t getting too wild.”

I sat back down, determined to enjoy the night. But as my friends continued laughing and talking, my mind kept drifting back to Tommy’s vague messages.

As sunlight crept into my room, my eyes immediately sought out my phone on the nightstand.

I hadn’t slept much; my mind had been a storm of uneasy thoughts about Martin and his bachelor party.

I had been caught in a swirl of worry, imagining things I didn’t even want to think about.

Swallowing the knot in my throat, I unlocked my phone, and there it was—a message from Tommy. My fingers trembled as I opened it.

“Riley, I need to confess something… Are you awake?”

My heart skipped a beat. I could feel it hammering in my chest as I reread his words. What could he possibly need to confess?

The way he phrased it—almost hesitant, almost urgent—only deepened the pit in my stomach.

I tried my best to nod, to smile, to seem present, but Tommy’s words lingered, casting a shadow over everything.

As we headed to the ceremony, I took a deep breath, trying to calm the swirling doubts. For now, I told myself, I would wait and see. Rachel went with me to dress up and help me with the makeup.

“You look absolutely stunning, Riley,” she whispered, her eyes gleaming.

“Martin is going to lose it when he sees you.”

But then, as if on cue, there was a knock at the door, snapping me out of my thoughts. I opened it, and there stood Tommy, looking nervous and out of place in his suit.

“Hi, Riley. Hi, Rachel. I’m sorry to bother you,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Hey, Tommy,” I said, surprised. “Is everything okay?”

“Riley, could we talk alone, please?” His voice was soft, almost hesitant.

Rachel glanced at me, and after a small nod from me, she quietly slipped out, leaving Tommy and me alone.

“Tommy, what’s going on? I barely slept because of your message last night,” I said, my voice carrying a hint of impatience.

Tommy’s face softened, and he looked down at his hands, twisting his fingers nervously.

“What? Really?” he asked, looking genuinely surprised.

“I didn’t mean to make you lose sleep.”

I sighed, trying to hold back my frustration.

“Tommy, is this about Martin? Did he do something at the bachelor party that I should know about?”

Tommy shook his head slowly.

“No… Well, yes, but it’s not about Martin. It’s… actually more about me.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“What?”

He took a deep breath and looked straight into my eyes.

“Riley, I’ve wanted to tell you this for so long, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. I… I love you.”

“Tommy, what are you saying? We’re friends. Martin is your best friend…”

“I know,” he said, his voice barely a whisper.

“But these feelings… they’re real. I can’t pretend anymore. I know it’s too late, and I should’ve kept it to myself, but I had to be honest with you.”

I felt a wave of emotions, sadness mixed with frustration.

“Tommy… what do you expect me to do? I love Martin. He’s going to be my husband today.”

He nodded, looking down.

“ I don’t know what I was hoping for, maybe that… maybe that you’d call off the wedding for me, that somehow you felt the same. But I realize that’s just a fantasy.”

“Tommy… I care about you, but I don’t feel that way.”

He took a shaky breath, trying to smile but failing.

“I understand. I’m sorry for saying this now. I just couldn’t keep it in any longer. But don’t worry, Riley. I know Martin is a great guy, and he truly loves you. I promise I won’t let this come between us. I only want you to be happy.”

He turned quickly, and before I could respond, he was out the door.

Moments later, Rachel came back, her eyebrows raised in curiosity.

“What was that?”

I shook my head softly, deciding to keep it to myself.

“Just nerves, I guess,” I said, offering a small smile.

As I walked down the aisle and stood beside Martin at the altar, I looked into his eyes and finally felt a sense of calm. I was certain I’d made the right choice.

Glancing over, I saw Tommy standing in the background, and a sense of peace washed over me.

Even someone who secretly loved me didn’t want to disrupt this moment, and that reaffirmed my choice.

In another life, maybe Tommy and I could have been something more, but in this one, Martin was the person I was meant to be with.

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