Page 215 of Show Me

She fucking is. And I’m tired of pretending otherwise.

“All this over Ruby?” Lindsey asks.

Something about the dismissive way she says Ruby’s name pisses me off. “Watch it.”

“Why? Everybody acts like she’s perfect.”

“Don’t.”

Her mouth pinches, revealing tiny fractures in her carefully applied makeup. “She already heard exactly what she means to you.”

“Because you made damn sure she did.”

Lindsey scoffs. “I didn’t make you say anything.”

“No. You just baited the conversation, so she’d hear the worst parts.” Why in the fuck am I even talking to her? She’s not worth the explanation or the argument.

“You’re acting like I ruined your marriage.”

“Get over yourself.”

I pay for my coffee and walk out before I say something worse. The problem is, Lindsey didn’t ruin anything. I did.

Jake’s SUV is parked across the street outside the diner. I cross over and lean against his open window. “You got anything?”

“Greg’s alibi still holds. No video evidence to prove it, but his card shows he was at the gym. Brent’s doesn’t.”

My attention sharpens. “Meaning?”

“Nobody can confirm where he was during the attack.”

“So he could’ve done it.” Adrenaline surges throughout my body. If he’s responsible, I’m going to beat the shit out of him.

“Maybe.” Jake studies me. “But you need to stop circling his house before he gets a restraining order.”

I look away.

“You’re not subtle, Xavier.”

“Anything else?”

He hesitates. “I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine.”

“Bullshit. You haven’t stopped blaming yourself.”

I stare into my coffee. There’s no point in denying it. I do blame myself. If I would’ve committed to her like she deserved, she wouldn’t have been alone.

Jake goes quiet before saying, “You love her.”

No joke. No teasing. Just truth.

“I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”

“That’s not what I said.”

I drag a hand over my face. “My mom left when I was sixteen. Left Dad. Left me. We never talked about it afterward, so I learned not to. Claire and I had been together a year. A couple of months after Mom left, she cheated on me.”