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“But I have to go too.” Grandma G shrugged. “It’s no problem. Finish eating.” She took Joey’s hand and they moved away from the table.
“That doesn’t feel like a setup at all,” he said dryly. “What’s going on?”
I took a breath. “Dad came home earlier than anticipated.”
“Oh shit. Was he pissed about Joey?”
“Yeah. But then I tried to reason with him, make him understand that me dating you is no different—in the grand scheme of me dating a hockey player—than me dating Jarvis. I called him a hypocrite.”
“Okay.” There was a weird look on his face as if he knew what was coming, and dread filled me.
“And then he asked me if I was going to Nashville with you.”
Neither of us spoke for several long, deadly quiet seconds.
“Jolie—” he began.
“You’re still going?” I interrupted in confusion. “Even now that Andy is okay?”
“Well…yeah. I told you that from the beginning. You know how I feel about being close to my family after everything that’s happened. And once Em gets out of rehab, she’s going to need all of us more than ever. Joey needs all of us too.”
“But…” I couldn’t finish my thought. I realized what this meant.
He didn’t love me.
He didn’t want me to go with him.
This had been nothing but a fling to him.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “You’re…amazing. Beautiful and smart and—”
“Stop!” I hissed under my breath. “Don’t do that whole it’s-not-you-it’s-me song and dance.”
“It’s not—” He tried again, but I held up a hand.
“I said stop. For fuck’s sake, don’t patronize me.” I got up, yanking my keys out of my pocket and holding them out to him. “Go get Joey’s car seat out of my Jeep.”
“But—”
“Could you just do what I’m asking before Grandma and Joey get back?”
“Can I finish a sentence?”
“No.” I stared at him, my jaw working in frustration.
“Jolie.” He reached for me but I took a step back.
“Get the seat out of my car. Then come back in here, say your goodbyes to Grandma, take Joey, and go home. Can you do that?”
“Is that what you want?”
“Yes.”
We stared at each other again, the look in his eyes inscrutable as I waited for him to do as I asked.
“Okay.” He slowly took the proffered keys and walked out toward the parking lot.
I sank back into my chair, trying to still my shaking hands.
