AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Damn him.
I still haven’t made up my mind when our waitress comes to take our orders. The idea of food is repulsive at the moment, and I read off the first item on the menu without even comprehending the words coming out of my mouth.
“We’ll have to set up a time for you and your mother to come over to my house, and we can talk wedding planning. Of course, I know you have ideas of your own, I would just really love to help.”
At the same time Mrs. Blanche smiles at me, the heavy weight of a hand settles on my knee under the table. A familiar hand. A hand I’ve known and loved for eight years. A hand that contains twenty-seven individual bones I want to break.
And it’s too much.
“No!” The plates on the table rattle as I stand abruptly.
“Oh, Paige dear, I’m sorry. I did not mean to overstep.” Mrs. Blanche stares up at me, hurt clouding her eyes, and I’m tempted to retract my outburst.
But despite Martin’s attempt to steamroll me back into a relationship with him, there is an end date on us: we passed it the moment I arrived at the house I never wanted to buy in the first place.
Lying to Mrs. Blanche might bring back her happy smile, but it wouldn’t be right.
“You can be kind, even when you’re being firm.”
Dash’s direction whispers through the back of my mind, and I realize how apt his advice is for my current situation.
“No, Mrs. Blanche. I’m sorry.” Martin’s worried expression clears at my statement. He shouldn’t relax just yet though. “I would love to plan a wedding with you. The problem is, Martin and I are not getting married.”
Mother and son gape at me, wide-eyed, one confused, one terrified.
“I—I don’t understand.” Her perfectly-lined lips quiver.
In a spurt of hurt anger, I’m tempted to relate exactly why our relationship is over. Lay out all the details, give her a clear view of the man her son has become.
But another part of me decides that there’s no point in outing Martin’s dirty secrets. We’re done either way.
“I regret not being able to be your daughter-in-law. However, your son and I have different ideas of what being in a relationship means. Please give Mr. Blanche my best.”
I reach into my purse and place a couple of bills on the table to pay for the meal I can see the waitress carrying toward our table now.
Whatever I thought this lunch might be, it definitely is not, and I see no point in staying. Without glancing at my ex-fiancé, I practically sprint to the exit, glad I planned for a quick escape and angry that I need one.
I’m halfway to my car when I hear my name.
Just like that night last month, Martin chases after me. This time I pause to let him catch up. I need this to be over.
Maybe then it’ll stop hurting so much.
“Paige!” He halts in front of me, reaching for my hands, but I cross my arms again. “Don’t do this.”
“Don’t do what? Leave you? I’ve already done it, Martin. Just because I’m here doesn’t mean I’m not already gone.” Across the way a man with a trumpet begins playing, the happy rhythm of his song almost mocking. People pause to listen to the musician, and I wish desperately I was one of them, stopped on the sidewalk for an impromptu show, rather than a showdown with my cheating ex.
“But you don’t have to go,” he says, as if I never considered that I could simply stay with him. That Ishould.
My temper snaps.
“Of course, I do. Don’t you see? I’m just following the natural arc of our story.” I trace a curve in the empty space between us as if teaching a lesson. “Girl meets boy. Girl dates boy. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy asks girl to marry him. Girl says yes. Girl moves across the country for boy. Boy cheats on girl. Girl breaks up with boy.” I pause to take a deep breath, using the moment to push back tears threatening behind my eyes. “It’s you who’s attempting to throw in random chapters like ‘Girl sits awkwardly with boy’s mom and tries to decide whether to lie or not about how big of an asshole boy is.’”
I glare at Martin, and he ignores what I said in favor of a hopeful smile.
“But you showed up, Paige. You came here. There’s a chance for us. Couples go through rough patches, and they fix things.”
I shake my head in disbelief and denial. Maybe someone else wouldn’t think cheating is a deal-breaker. But that’s not me.
