Page 18 of All I Feel

It was Monday afternoon, and since Lark and I typically took our lunch breaks at the same time, unless one of us had an appointment that ran longer, I decided this was the best opportunity I’d have to share everything that had happened with Ryan.

I’d just done that, and Lark responded precisely how I’d anticipated she would have if I’d told her that night.

“Well, I knew you’d be upset and angry on my behalf, and as much as I love that, I didn’t want to do anything that would ruin my sister’s birthday.”

My best friend shot me a dubious look. “You could’vesaid something when I brought you home that night. You could’ve called me the next day. I never would’ve left you alone all day.”

“I wasn’t alone.”

“Tell me that asshole showed up,” she seethed. “What did he say to you?”

“He didn’t show up,” I assured her. “Or, well, I guess I should say that he didn’t show up when I was there.”

Lark blinked and jerked back. “What does that mean?”

“Ace picked me up.”

“My brother picked you up?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

Lark squinted at me, like she was trying to figure out what part of the story I’d just told she’d overlooked. “I don’t understand.”

Though I still felt as though my heart was in pieces, I couldn’t stop the small smile from forming on my face. “So, while I shared what happened when I called Ryan, I didn’t tell you what happened afterward.”

“Which is?”

“Evidently, Ace saw me run out of Lou’s for some fresh air, and he came out to check on me. I told him everything. And after staying out there with me until I’d pulled myself together enough to return to the festivities for Harper, he showed up at my place first thing yesterday morning.”

Surprise washed over her expression. “My brother, Ace Townsend, did that?”

Nodding again, I confirmed, “He did. I was just as surprised then as you are now. Ace told me he wanted to take me out for breakfast. He wanted to make sure I was out of the house in case Ryan tried to stop over like he’d mentioned doing.”

“I’m impressed.”

The more I spoke, the more her fury faded. So, I added, “Yeah, it was very sweet. He took me to First Tracks for breakfast, and at some point, I broke down in tears when I realized that Ryan never loved me. That he did all that he’d done to make me feel special just so he could get what he wanted out of me. Ace saw me through that meltdown, and after we left, he took me to his place. He wanted me to be somewhere that was safe for my heart.”

“Wow. I never would’ve guessed he had that in him,” she murmured. “So, have you spoken to Ryan since Saturday? Has he reached out at all?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t spoken to him, but it’s not because he hasn’t tried. He called me yesterday when I was with Ace. I ignored the first call, and after the second one came in, Ace suggested I just turn off the phone. So, I did. And I was so exhausted by the time he took me home last night; I didn’t even think about it. But when I woke up this morning, I turned the phone back on.”

“How many messages did Ryan leave for you?”

“Are you referring to voicemail or text messages?” I countered.

Her brows shot up. “That many?”

“Yep.”

“What did he say?”

I closed my eyes and sighed. The roller coaster of emotions was utterly exhausting, which was made worse by the fact that I hadn’t slept well the past two nights. I’d mostly been wavering between sadness and anger.

“Well, it was clear he believed I was home, because his first few messages were all him telling me to come to the door, to let him in, and to give him the chance to explain.Obviously, that never happened, so I guess he thought insulting me would be better. He told me not to act like a child. To open the door and talk to him like an adult.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Lark seethed.

“Nope.” Feeling frustrated, I ran my fingers through my hair. “The last few messages were the worst, though.”