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“Only if you quit calling me Scooter,” I texted back.
“Haha, Ok. How about our favorite restaurant at 1 pm?” he texted back almost instantly.
“See you there,” I confirmed. I had barely spoken to Matt since the night they’d caught The Hunter. It was almost like Connor's suggestion had forced me to build walls around myself again. Not even Lindsay had been able to get much out of me since then.
As I prepared for my day, the memories of my intimate moments with Connor replayed in my mind. The way his strong hands felt as they wrapped around me, the warmth of his body pressed against mine, and those damn blue eyes that could make me melt with just one look. There was an undeniable chemistry between us, more than just the casual hookup.
But was it worth the risk? Obviously, Connor had his doubts or he wouldn't have basically suggested a break. Was I just a quick weekend plaything for him? It certainly didn't feel like when I was out there, but maybe I’d misread the situation.
The bell above the door jingled as I walked into the cozy, sunlit café. The aroma of fresh pasta and garlic bread filled my nostrils, providing a brief moment of comfort in a lousy week. Matt was already there, sitting with his back against the wall with a steaming mug in front of him. His eyes flicked up as I approached, and the corners of his mouth tightened—not quite enough to form a smile but enough to acknowledge my presence.
“Hey, Scooter,” he said.
“Matt,” I said, sliding into the seat across from him and resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “I thought you promised to quit calling me that.”
“Old habits.” He shrugged and waved over the server. “So, how have you been?”
Confused. Angry. Hurt.
“Fine,” I lied. He didn't need to know I had turned into an over-analytical basket case.
A cheerful waitress appeared beside our table, "Can I get you anything?"
“Just an iced tea please,” I said. The waitress nodded and disappeared behind the counter.
“So, um,” Matt began, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “How's Connor?”
Weird. Why didn't he just ask him himself?
The waitress returned with my iced tea before I could respond. We ordered our food before she quietly slipped away again.
“So you and Connor,” Matt continued, holding my gaze. “What's going on with you two? Are you still together?”
“What do you mean? Still together?” I snapped, heat burning up to my ears. But then, the realization hit me like a tidal wave.
“Wait a minute,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "This was your idea, wasn't it? You told Connor we should slow things down. Didn’t you?”
"Becca, I just—" Matt started, but I slammed my drink down on the table, tea sloshing over the sides.
“Unbelievable!” I spat, glaring at him with a fury I hadn't felt in years. “You don't get to dictate who I can or can't be with.” What an overprotective prick. Where did he get off doing that?
“Look, I was only trying to look out for you,” he said, his voice firm but not unkind. “Connor's my best friend, and I know how complicated things can get when—"
“Complicated?” I interrupted, scoffing. "You think I don't know that? You think I haven't spent every waking moment agonizing over whether or not this is something I should pursue? I'm a grown-ass woman, and I can make my own decisions.”
The nerve of him. I may not have liked most of his previous girlfriends, but I kept my nose out of it. It wasn't any of my business, and this certainly wasn't any of his business.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“What exactly did you say to him?” The steam from his coffee twirled upward, dissipating into the air like my patience for Matt's excuses.
“Look, Becca, Connor is a great friend, but you don't know his relationship history like I do. He's not right for you.” Matt took a long sip of his coffee. The smell of it turned my stomach. Of course, he picked a public spot so I couldn't rip him a new asshole as easily. Always the cop.
The waitress returned with our entrees. I said a polite thank you, hoping she'd get the hint and wander away. Luckily, she didn't hang around.
“Who doesn't have a past, Matt? God, you're so hypocritical!” I retorted, my anger boiling over. “Remember when you dated Lisa and she broke your heart? Did anyone try to stop you from falling for her? I didn't like that woman, but I kept my nose out of it. It was none of my business.”
“Hey, that's not fair,” he said, hurt flickered in his eyes before turning back into the cop stare. “I learned from that experience and moved on.”
