AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I startled at the feel of his hand on my shoulder, forcing me to turn around. I hadn’t heard him get up.
I swallowed thickly, staring at the buttons on his shirt.
With his thumb and forefinger he forced my chin up.
“Look at me, Sutton.”
My eyes flicked from the ground to his. It was beyond painful to look at him. His gaze was unwavering as he waited for me to answer him.
My breath left my lips with a shakiness that I didn’t like. I was used to being strong, but right now, I felt anything but that.
I gaped like a fish for a moment, unprepared to say the words aloud. “I-I needed to know.”
“You needed to know what?” His voice was soft with no irritation.
Tears coursed down my cheeks and he reached up with his large hands to wipe them away.
“That what I feel for him is more than what I feel for you.” My words were barely above a whisper, almost covered up by the wind, but he heard.
His eyes closed and he let out a deep breath. “I knew it. I knew it the moment he hauled you away.”
“I’m sorry,” I said for the thousandth time, and something told me it wouldn’t be the last time I apologized to Memphis. I leaned my forehead against his solid chest and sobbed. My gut told me that Memphis was the kind of guy I needed in my life, to heal and to ultimately love. But I wasn’t ready to accept that. Caelan was what I craved.
His long fingers smoothed through my hair. “I’m sorry too.” I felt his lips brush against the top of my head.
I don’t know how long we stood there—too long I’m sure.
“I’m a mess,” I mumbled when I pulled away, wiping mascara off my cheeks.
“Wait here,” he commanded and disappeared back inside the building.
He returned a moment later with a damp rag. I held my hand out to accept it from him, but he wouldn’t let me take it. “Let me,” he whispered.
Tenderly he wiped the black streaks from my face. I didn’t understand his kindness. I’d just rejected him. He should hate me. But he didn’t. Memphis wasn’t that kind of a guy.
He was one of the few good guys left in the world.
And I’d turned him down.
What the hell was wrong with me?
/>
When my face was clean, he tucked the rag into his back pocket. “I’ll see you around.”
Before I could think of a reply, he was gone.
I couldn’t seem to move and I knew with as much time as had passed that Emery was probably worried about me.
When I could finally manage to put one foot in front of the other I walked around the building and entered from the front, for fear of getting the waitress in trouble.
Our food had already arrived and Emery was almost done.
“Did you fall in or something?” He raised a brow and then his mouth slowly fell open. Pointing in the direction I’d come from, he asked, “Did you just come from the front?”
I nodded.
“Why?”
