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Benji and I sit in my living room, both of us wallowing in our own thoughts. Jana’s words, bit out on the verge of tears, still ring in my head. My heart shattered when she said she needed space, and I knew there was nothing I could do but let her have it.
It’ll be hard to explain to Maddie and Morgan why Jana isn’t around, but hopefully, with Benji’s help, I’ll be able to distract them.
“Why are women so fucking complicated?” Benji asks, breaking our silence. I glance at him over the piano keys I’ve been staring at for the last twenty minutes and chuckle.
“That’s a good fucking question.”
“I don’t get it,” he says, rubbing a hand over his face and sighing. “One minute, they act interested, and the next, you get the cold shoulder. I don’t know what the hell she wants from me.”
“Are we talking about a certain blonde nurse slash babysitter?” I ask, moving to the couch opposite him. I sink into the cushions and rest my head against the back.
“Or we could be talking about a certain brunette baker.”
“Touché.”
“What happened with that anyway?” he asks, avoiding the topic of his problems.
“She says she needs space.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t know, Benj,” I say, rubbing my hands vigorously down my face. Frustration and sadness war with each other in my gut.I already miss her.“It means she needs time to think about shit.”
“What does she need to think about?” he asks, voicing my exact question. “I thought things were going really well between you two.”
“So did I.”
We sit in silence for a moment before the front door crashes open. Hadlee Scott bursts into my house, fury written across her face as she stalks forward.
“You’re a fucking idiot, Alex Hall.” Her green eyes glare daggers into my skull, and I hold my hands up in surrender as she approaches me. “I got home from work only to find my roommate sobbing while watchingIt’s a Wonderful Life. She finally fell asleep during thethird fucking viewing.”
“Hadlee, I didn’t do anything,” I say, rubbing a hand over my face. Benji chuckles from his position on the other couch, and I shoot him a glare. “I was late to lunch, and then Jana told me she wanted space. So, I’m giving her space.”
“Didn’t do anything?” Hadlee scoffs. “She saw you kissing that blonde bitch you had lunch with on Monday.”
My heart sinks at her words, and I let my eyes drop closed.Of course, she had to see that.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Benji says, meeting my gaze. “You didn’t tell me you kissed her.”
“I didn’t,” I say, resting my elbows on my knees. I rub my face, frustrated with this situation.
“So you’re telling me my best friend made it up?” Hadlee asks, her fists balled at her sides. Anger rolls off her in tidal waves, and I shake my head.
“No, Jana saw a kiss.” I sigh, my shoulders sagging as I sink back into the sofa. “I was on my way to meet Jana for lunch when Leslie cornered me. She admitted she was in love with me and kissed me before I could react.”
“Right.” She drags the word out, rolling her eyes as she crosses her arms. “Because you’rejustthat damn charming.”
“I don’t go around kissing people, Hadlee,” I say.
“It sure seems like you do,Alex.”
I clench my jaw, anger brewing in my veins at her insinuation.
“As fun as it is to watch you ream him,” Benji interrupts, shooting a smirk my direction, “he hasn’t even thought of a woman since Laura died. Jana is the first woman he’s talked about in two years, and honestly, Leslie is a bit of a basket case when it comes to Alex.”
Hadlee looks between us and shakes her head. “Why wouldn’t you just tell Jana?”
“I was going to,” I say. “But when she didn’t show up for lunch, I got worried, so I called her. That’s when she said she needed time to think, and I decided not to bring it up. I didn’t know she saw it happen.”
