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“Why not? Everything else is. But that’s what we do, right?” she scoffs, the bitterness bleeding through her words like a toxic venom. “We fuck with each other, and when we’re not doing that, we’re fighting. Which is exactly why we can’t do this. We hate each other, Owen. We always have.”
“I don’t hate you.”
“Well, I hate you!” she cries, the pure hatred firing from her tone like a bullet ricocheting off the walls and punching a hole in my heart so big that it bleeds right into my chest.
It’s not the first time she’s told me she hates me. She’s said it countless times over the years, but this is the first time it’s actually hurt. With all the shit I’ve given her over the years, her resentment is understandable. But now that a line has been crossed and boundaries have shattered, I thought perhaps we could move past all that crazy bullshit and start something new. I’d fooled myself into thinking that giving her my body would show her that we are capable of being so much more.
Silence weighs heavily between us, the tension in the room becoming so thick that it’s practically suffocating. Her harsh expression melts into one of confusion as she studies me momentarily before something akin to pity flashes across her eyes, making my back stiffen. If I can’t have her, then I will at least have my pride.
Schooling my features, I plaster on a stoic expression. “Okay then.” I nod my head, pressing my lips into a tight line, and her brows furrow deeper. “If that’s how you feel—”
“Owen. I didn’t—”
“It’s fine,” I cut her off. “I heard you loud and clear. From now on, I’ll leave you alone.”
Her face drops in what looks like disappointment, but unless she’s willing to take back her words, I’m sure as shit not going to take back mine. These childish games between us have gone on long enough, and they have to stop at some point. We’re grown up now and need to start acting like it.
She opens her mouth and then snaps it shut as if at a loss for words, and I glance over to the sink, noticing that I still have one pot left to scrub. I know Joe will kick my ass for leaving it there, but I don’t care. I need to get out of here.
“I guess I’ll see you around,” I utter, turning my back on her and heading straight for the kitchen doors. I hear the faint sound of my name being called as I push through the doors, but choosing to ignore it, I exit the diner and head home.
CHAPTER7
MACKENZIE
If Lexi doesn’t stop laughing at me soon, I’m going to pick up the blueberry muffin sitting on the plate in front of me and smash it right in her face.
I don’t know what the hell I was thinking.
Actually, that’s the problem right there. I wasn’t. Another night of restless sleep has short-circuited the wires in my brain. That’s the only logical explanation for why I’d be stupid enough to ask Lexi to meet me at The Flying Beanagainand have her draw the attention of every patron sitting in this coffee shop.
Leaning back in my chair, I fold my arms across my chest as my jaw tics in frustration; all the while, she laughs her ass off at my retelling of how I fucked Owen again last night.
I haven’t told her what happened after yet or about the horrible argument we had. I was leading up to it when she suddenly broke out in a fit of laughter.
“This is just too much,” she gasps, clutching at her chest as she struggles to breathe.
With my patience officially at the end of its tether, I break off a piece of my muffin and throw it, aiming directly for her open mouth. It lands on her tongue, and her eyes widen as she clamps her mouth shut.
“Seriously, Lex,” I snap. “This shit isn’t funny.”
“I’m sorry,” she muses, then proceeds to munch on the muffin. “It’s just… I thought you said this wouldn’t happen again?”
“Yeah, that was the plan,” I sigh, then begrudgingly take a sip of my café latte, which for some reason tastes like shit this morning, and place it back down in front of me. “As you can see, it was shot straight to hell.”
She lets out a snort. “No shit.”
“This really isn’t helping, Lex,” I say, my voice cracking as the pain festering inside breaks through.
Her expression turns into one of genuine concern upon hearing the agony in my voice. “I know. I’m sorry, Kenzie. It’s just—” She pauses, then averts her gaze as if mulling something over before looking back to me and releasing a heavy sigh. “Look, if I’m being completely honest, I’m not surprised this has happened.”
My eyebrows knit together. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know how to explain it.” She shrugs. “I guess I’ve always thought there was something between you two.”
“B-but,” I stammer, feeling slightly taken aback by her admission and why she’s never mentioned it before. Truth be told, I’ve always harbored a secret crush on Owen, but I’ve never told her this, and with our constant fighting over the years, never in a million years would I have thought anyone would have seen anything other than animosity between us. “But we hate each other.”
“Do you really?” She raises an eyebrow in question, calling me out on my bullshit. “I mean, I know he tormented you a lot over the years, but the thing is, it was never done with any malicious intent. Ever. Even in school. Everything he did was always harmless and fun. In fact, it was almost as if—”
