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“I know that.”
“So, you’re really done?”
I swallow. “Yeah. It’s done.”
He narrows his eyes on me and searches my face for any hint that I’m lying. It’s hard not to break under his stare, especially when I’m only telling half the truth.
I am done, but I don’t want to be.
* * *
GRACIE
“I am so sorry I’m late, Gray. My lecture ran long, and there’s this road closure over by the Starbucks that’s blocking up the sidewalk, and I swear it would kill the guys filling up the potholes to actually move when someone says excuse me.”
Ava blows out a breath and collapses in the chair across from me. I already ordered her some fruity drink the small restaurant has on special today, and before she’s even situated, she’s gulping it back.
I raise a brow, amused.
Her hair is curled in loose waves, and she’s wearing a deep green turtleneck sweater that makes the green in her eyes pop, along with a two-piece gold necklace that I immediately love. She looks very professional but also cute. Like she’s trying hard but not too hard. It’s effortless beauty that only she can pull off.
Once she’s drained the entirety of the odd, vase-shaped glass, she slides her purse off her shoulder and plops it on the table.
“Thirsty?” I giggle.
Her eyes twinkle when she smiles. “Parched. Thank you for ordering that for me, by the way. It’s been a day.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“Is that why you asked me to meet you here today? To talk about me?” She looks unconvinced.
I fiddle with the tiny plastic straw in my virgin bellini and try to gain the courage to ask Ava for help.
Wait, plastic straw?
I know we should be saving the turtles one straw at a time, but I’m secretly happy this restaurant hasn’t changed to paper ones yet. I’ve only been sitting here with my drink for a handful of minutes, but it would have been mush by now. Mushy paper straws are becoming my kryptonite.
Whatever, that’s not important right now. What is important is grabbing the moment by my lady balls and telling my soon-to-be sister-in-law that I slept with my brother’s best friend, and now I don’t know what to do.
Good God. I’m doomed.
I’m relieved when Ava throws her hand up in front of her. “Actually. First, I need to ask if what you’re about to tell me is something I’ll have to keep from your brother. Because call it sisterly instinct, but I am pretty sure I know where this is going, and with that said, I can’t keep secrets from Oakley. I just can’t.”
My shoulders fall. “Well, there goes that.”
“Oh, Gracie. I’m right, aren’t I?” she asks and exhales slowly when I nod. “Crap. I had a feeling something was going on, but I didn’t think you guys would be that brave.”
“Brave? Try stupid. Everything is ruined now.”
“As opposed to how things were before?”
I sniff. “Yeah. Good point.”
I fight the urge to check my phone in hopes that Tyler has finally returned one of my calls or texts. If he hasn’t by now, he isn’t going to at all. It’s been a week of silence and crushed self-esteem.
His quick dismissal at the airport should have been a clear sign that whatever I felt between us that last time together wasn’t real. He wanted sex badly enough he was willing to indulge me in an emotional fuck, that’s all. So why am I still here wondering what it would take to get him to call me back?
I push aside my glass and drop my head in my hands. “There’s something wrong with me, Ava. The part of my brain that’s supposed to realize when I’m up against impossible odds is broken or maybe just not there at all. How many times can I be hurt by the same person before I finally close that door? God, how pathetic.”
