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Seventeen
Lauren
Jay walksin and leans against the break-room door, arms crossed, while I grab my bag from a locker. “Alec requests a full report on tonight’s festivities with your ex-lover boy.”
During our lunch break, I spilled the dilemma with my new roommate situation, and it’s no surprise that he went and tattled to his hubby. Not that I can blame him. I would’ve done the same thing … if I had a husband.
I let down my ponytail and brush my fingers through the strands. “There will be no story.”
He grins, his bright white teeth on display. “You’re rooming with your ex. There will never be a lack of a story.”
“We’re notroomingtogether. It’s more like neighbors. I’m going homealone, eating canned soup, showering, and then hopping my tired butt into bed. Nothing exciting about that.”
He steps away from the door and pats my arm. “Keep telling yourself that, love.”
Trust me, I do.
“Have a good night, Jay,” I sing out, throwing my bag over my shoulder.
He laughs. “And you have an even better one. Get laid! You deserve it for all your hard work!”
There’s a text from Gage when I power my phone on that says he’s in the parking lot and to let him know when I’m walking out. I reply, and he pulls up to the automatic doors as soon as I make it out.
In the back of my mind, I had wondered if he’d bail on picking me up. During every break, I checked my phone, waiting for him to tell me to call a cab, considering our ride this morning had been cringe-worthy. Tonight’s goal is to make it bearable.
No ex-wife talk.
No past talk.
No breakup talk.
The weather and why NSYNC broke up will be the only conversations happening tonight, ladies and gents.
The masculine smell of aftershave and peppermint hits me when I slide into the truck.
“Long day?” he asks as I settle myself into the leather seat.
His midnight-dark hair is covered with a blue baseball cap, cloaking his forehead and showing me only a sliver of his hooded eyes. The thin white V-neck tee he’s wearing shows off the tan and muscular arms that wrapped around me like a security blanket last night. Guys in V-necks are right there underneath guys with huge cocks in the What I Lust For list. He also looks as tired as I feel.
“You have no idea,” I answer, strapping my seat belt on as he exits the parking lot. I thought I’d seen everything until I worked in the ER. “I appreciate the ride. Hudson said he’d have my car towed to the shop tomorrow to take a look at it.”
My grandfather started Barnes Machinery and Equipment decades ago. When he retired, my father took it over, and now, my brothers are in charge. They specialize in fixing large machinery and typically don’t take on pink Mustangs, but they’re making an exception for their sister.
“I’ll do it,” Gage answers. “I hoped I’d have a second to look at it today but got caught up in some shit.”
We are not friends. We cannot try to be friends.
Our trying to be friends would only produce more scars when he asks for what I can’t give him.
“Don’t worry about it,” I say. “It’s my problem, not yours.” My words burst out more harshly than I intended.
“I take it, you’re still pissed at me?”
No. Yes.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t, though I have no right to be.”
Today’s shift was spent working and digesting the truth bomb Gage had thrown on my breakfast plate this morning. My rationality finally returned three hours ago. I’m not too proud to admit when I’m wrong, and it wasn’t fair for me to be angry … or jealous.
