“You don’t have to. Your face saying enough.”
“What my face saying?” I paused before continuing. “That you think I care who she is.”
“Do you?”
“No… hell, no!”
The answer came too quickly, sounding like a lie.
He studied me for another second before nodding like he’d reached his own conclusion.
“Then we good.”
I looked back down at my plate, trying to focus on my food instead of the ridiculous conversation we’d somehow ended up having. I didn’t care who she was. I had no reason to. Vice wasn’t my man, and whatever history he had with somebody else wasn’t any of my business.
So why couldn’t I stop thinking about her?
Before I realized what I was doing, the question slipped out.
“So… how do you know her?”
Vice looked up, and that grin made another appearance on hid face.
I already regretted asking and rolled my eyes.
“She my ex.”
That explained more than I wanted it to. The way she’d walked over so comfortably. The smile she’d given him. The way she’d looked at me before walking away.
I picked up my drink and took a slow sip.
“How long?” I asked.
“Three years.”
Three years...
Three years was enough time to build a life with somebody.
I hated that my mind even went there.
“What happened?” He just stared at me. I didn’t know if he was confused by my question or what. So, I repeated it a little slower. “What happened? Why did ya’ll break up?”
Vice leaned back in his chair, watching me for a second before finally giving me something.
“She wanted something I wasn’t ready to give her.” He looked serious as hell, letting me know that he wasn’t going to joke his way through this answer.
“What did she want?”
“Marriage. Kids. More of my time than I was giving her.”
There was no bitterness in his voice. If anything, he sounded like a man who understood exactly why she’d left.
“And you didn’t want any of that?”
“I ain’t say that.”
“Then what are you saying?”
