The sound of that name made me want to stick a gun barrel in my mouth. Tom of all people knows how much I despise the guy that broke my heart into a million pieces.

That's right, Landon is my ex-boyfriend, the guy that ruined my outlook on life. Like I've admitted before, Tom is the first guy that I've really actually been head-over-hills in love with. 

I walked upstairs to the master bathroom, locking myself in. I could hear Tom running to the door, jiggling the doorknob and cursing profoundly. Landon and I ended abruptly after a huge fight; the fact that he's here in London freaks me out.

"Marie, darling, open up. Let's talk." says a pleading Tom; I can hear him sniffle. Please God; do not let those be tears! I walk over to the door, leaning my forehead against it. Listening carefully, I can hear his heavy breathing as it echoes through the narrow hallway on the other side. I grasp the doorknob with my right hand, clenching tightly before I slowly twist it. 

The door is open, so to speak. Before I open it wider I whisper Tom one question, "Did you talk to him about me?" I can hear Tom's body shuffle. "Just open the door, babe." I clench the knob tighter. "Tom. Tell me. Did you talk to him about me." I was beginning to lose patience. 

"No."

I let go of the doorknob and sit down on the edge of the bathtub. "You can come in." I don't make eye contact with Tom as he walks in, sitting next to me with one hand on my thigh and the other on the small of my back. His body was facing towards me with his knees pressed inward. I could see the dark shadow of his face in my peripheral vision. With my eyes focused below me, I saw a little teardrop fall on Tom's right knee, soaking through his grey trousers. 

I made the man cry. 

Shit.

"He wanted to see you, Marie. He even called Luke to get your number but instead Luke gave him mine. You weren't supposed to find out."

"You don't understand, Tom. You kept it from me; you lied. I just.... ugh. I can't stand liars." Tom hardens his grip on my thigh. "Marie, I didn't want you to worry about him. You're already stressed; as it is with this wedding, classes and your future...you don't deserve to be sidetracked by someone like him. I'm sorry, babe, honestly."

I feel something wet drip on my left arm, shifting my head to the spot. It was a single tear. A tear shed by a man who I've never seen so emotional. I look up at Tom, his eyes red and glossy. He blinks, making another slide down his cheek but before it falls of his face, I catch it with the underside of my thumb.

"He asked me to marry him. Landon wanted to marry me and I said no, so we broke up."

There I said it. Landon and I, well we agreed to never tell anyone the real reason we broke up, because believe me; a lot of people were shocked when they found out. Tom's face goes blank as he wipes his eyes. His body shifts from mine so that his knees are no longer facing me, but are facing towards the door. 

"You're just telling me now? Usually this is something couples discuss, Marie." His voice is soft and monotone with no expression. 

"We never told anyone the reason. Tom, I wasn't ready to get married. Hell, I didn't even love him...not like I love you and certainly not how two people getting married do."

 He grabs my hand, "Well that makes up even doesn't it? It definitely explains a lot of your issues."

Wait a minute. Hold on for a fucking minute. Issues? ISSUES?

"Excuse me? My issues? And you still haven't told me what he was doing here so don't you go throwing in my 'issues' in a conversation that has nothing to do with them!" I was officially offended.

"You know what I mean. You literally freaked out when I proposed; obviously now I know the reason why."

Okay, this was not the way I wanted this talk to go. Two weeks before the wedding and we're having our first huge fight. Somebody alert the media!

"This is ridiculous, Tom. You're the only guy I've felt this way about and sure, it scared the shit out of me to know you wanted to marry me and that you loved me like you do. You want to know why it was so scary? Because I felt the same way. With Landon, I never saw a future. I could never picture us having kids or growing old together. But with you..." 

Here comes the waterworks. 

"With you, I picture those things almost everyday. I've always been the friend who could have boyfriends and never commit, the friend that would judge if her friends 'fell too fast.' Coming to London, studying abroad here and meeting you, well, I've become the girl that I judged which just confused the crap out of me."

 I felt a sense of relief knowing that someone finally knew the truth behind Landon and I, even if it was my soon-to-be husband.

"Landon, he flew out here to get you back; he wanted to steal you away from me." Tom's head sinks into his hands. "He said he'd crash our wedding or spread horrible lies if I didn't let you speak to him."

I wasn't a bit surprised; this is typical Landon, always wanting what he can't have.  "So I paid him off. $35,00 was enough to keep his mouth shut from telling lies. Marie, I did it for us, I didn't want you to ever feel embarrassed by any lies he was willing to reveal. I just want us to be happy, babe."

"Okay. Then let's stop talking about it, okay? Lets focus on the next two weeks." I smile cheekily, hiding my concern.

If I know Landon like I think I do, this isn't the last time we'll be hearing from him. He's the kind of guy that is almost perfect but it tattered and torn around the edges. He can snap at any moment. But of course, I'm not going to tell Tom because then he'd just worry about where I'm at or what I'm doing. I just want to marry this man as soon as I can so I can start being happy again. 

Tom looks into my eyes, "Marie Lucas, I wish these next two weeks could fly by so I can make you my wife. I love you so much." His lips touch mine softly but with enough passion behind it to get me all hot and bothered. 

I can only imagine what our first kiss, as husband and wife will be like.