“You were?”
“Yeah, I really was.” He brings our joined hands to his mouth and kisses the back of mine before saying, “Can I ask you a question?”
“Yeah.”
“Earlier tonight, I plugged in your phone and noticed several missed calls and text message notifications from Braden. Is there still something going on between the two of you?”
Rearing my head back, I scowl. “God, no.”
“Then why is he so insistent on getting in touch with you?” he asks, running his thumb back and forth on my hand.
It’s a reasonable question, but I’m not ready to answer it with the truth. “I’m not sure. I’ll text him tomorrow.”
There is nothing Braden can say that I haven’t heard one thousand times before, but he’s persistent. He even showed upat the shop earlier in the week. Thankfully, Logan was working and asked him to leave before he had a chance to talk to me.
I’m hoping that if I continue to ignore him, he will eventually leave me alone. There are four months left on the lease of the house we once shared. I have already told the landlord that I’m no longer living there and that I will not be renewing. Braden will either have to renew it without me—which is unlikely—or he will have to find somewhere else to live. The problem is everything is in my name. I can’t afford to support two separate households, but if I stop paying, he’ll destroy what’s left of my credit. He has already run up my credit cards. The minimum payments are killing me. I know what he’s doing. He’s trying to trap me financially until I have no choice but to go back. I will live on ramen and tap water before that happens.
The truck is a little more complicated. He says he needs it for work—how is he supposed to get back on his feet if he doesn’t have a way to get around? I know it’s not my problem anymore, but he plays on my guilt. He likes to remind me that none of this would be happening if I hadn’t “invaded his privacy” or “made up stories” about him cheating. According to him, we’d already be on our trip. Away from Emerley. But I know what I saw. He wants me to question it—question myself.
“If he’s bothering you, you can tell me.”
I give what I hope is a reassuring smile and say, “There’s nothing really to tell. We were together off and on for years, and it’s going to take a bit to untangle myself from him.”
“I feel like there’s more to it, but I’ll leave it alone for now. Promise me you will tell someone—tell me—if you need help. You’re not alone.”
“I promise.”
Seventeen
“What do you mean you don’t own a coffee pot?” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Look around.” Her arms are outstretched wide as she spins in a slow circle. “Do you think I’m going to sacrifice space for a fucking coffee pot when Aunt Maggie has an amazing bakery in town that serves excellent coffee? Be for real.”
Narrowing my eyes, I grumble, “Lose the attitude, Trouble. It was just a question.”
“Lose the tone, Pretty Boy, and you will get less attitude.” She scowls, sitting down cross-legged on her couch, pulling a blanket over her legs. “It’s not my fault you are miserable until you’ve had your first coffee.”
“You’re right,” I concede, leaning back against the counter. “Since you are in no condition to be going anywhere, how about I drive into the village and get us both one?”
“You don’t have to do that,” she mumbles with a furrowed brow. “I’m feeling much better this morning.”
“I’m glad you feel better, but you had a high fever less than twelve hours ago. And you kept waking up coughing in the night.I think you need at least one more day of rest. What do you say? Do you want a coffee?”
“Fine,” she pouts. “But if you are going to the bakery, I want a cupcake too. Consider it payment for your grumpiness.”
“Deal,” I snort and shake my head. “Do you need me to pick up anything else while I’m out?”
“No, I’m pretty sure you covered anything I could possibly need with your late-night delivery.” Raising an eyebrow, she gestures to the obscene amount of cold and flu supplies lined up on the table.
“Except for a coffee pot,” I deadpan.
“Yeah, except that.” She tries to suppress her giggle.
Grabbing a new burgundy hoodie out of a shopping bag, I remove the tags before pulling it over my head. I’m very grateful that Vaughan had the foresight to buy essentials for me as well. I couldn’t think of anything but her.
“That’s a nice colour on you,” she muses before taking a sip from her water bottle.
I glance down at my shirt and then back up at her. “Huh?”
